A common concern among Article V opponents is that society is too corrupt to be trusted with amending the Constitution. Perhaps they are right. If so, how did this corruption come about? Is it as bad as many believe? I say the corruption of our culture did not grow upward from the people; corruption rained downward from elites.
I place the blame for societal corruption largely on scotus. Scotus not only regularly ignores or violates the written supreme law of the land, it often does the same with Natural Law, the Law of Reason.
Scotus has normalized its judicial reach far beyond matters of statutory and Constitutional law; it is increasingly comfortable reaching down into society, so far down that it frequently offends Natural Law. Where Mark Levin wrote in his 2005 Men in Black that, “they (scotus) have expelled God, prayer, and the Ten Commandments from the public square; they’ve protected virtual child pornography, racial discrimination in (university) admissions, and partial birth abortion,” scotus has subsequently imposed homosexual marriage on an innocent society. As unimpeachable philosopher-kings, Mark observed, ”They’ve announced that morality alone is an insufficient basis for legislation.”
Except, that isn’t entirely true; scotus rejects a particular morality, western morality, the biblically based ethos from which Enlightenment writers and polemicists launched their inquiries into the nature of government. Instead, scotus embraces a fuzzy social justice morality, a moving target that changes with the whims of the justices. For instance, privacy between a woman and her doctor was central to the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973. Some forty years later in the age of Obamacare, privacy between anyone and their doctor is fantasy. This is of little importance to the Left because the law is to change with the needs of society and what institution is better qualified to estimate the necessary changes than a Leftist dominated scotus?
Scotus’ social justice interference with the natural workings of the civil society did enormous damage. Where reason informs us that no law, and certainly no mere court opinion, can legitimately work toward societal destruction, scotus typically does just that with its June decisions every year. Instead, per the Preamble to our Constitution, scotus, along with the rest of government is charged with promoting the general welfare and securing the blessings of liberty. Toward this end, of strengthening the society on which all republics depend, scotus must oppose rather than impose, all laws and regulations that harm the family and public tranquility.
Near the top of my list of outrages, of purposeful societal corruption, are the various federal programs that serve to drive fathers away from their families. Our prisons are filled with men raised feral, without the civilizing influence that only fathers can impose on teenage boys. At the core of this problem is the corruption of the idea of property, and that government can substitute a monthly check for society’s charitable, Christian duty to assist single mothers. When government robs Peter to enrich Paul, it weakens the natural bonds of the community.
Social Justice Utopia cannot be realized when society puts its trust in God and His Laws. Finding the display of the Ten Commandments in public places to be unconstitutional is a smokescreen. If God is supreme, government isn’t; this is unacceptable to the Left.
Scotus often denies the natural right of self-government to the sovereign people. California passed a law and a follow-on constitutional amendment that declared marriage to be limited to a man and a woman. As such, CA simply expressed what civilization has known for millennia. When scotus overturned these and similar statutes in other states it denied to all Americans the natural right to government by their consent. When scotus assumes law making powers, it further weakens societal bonds. Eventually, people lose interest in following their legislators and quit voting. Since self-government, the crafting of laws by representatives, is the sin qua non of republics, we must stop and reverse the trend toward law making by scotus and executive branch administrators.
So, the corruption of society as noted by Article V opponents is real, but is it so bad that delegates of the sovereign people cannot be trusted? If this is true, it also means we are no longer capable of self-government at all; we should do away with elections since we are only suitable, as Benjamin Franklin warned, for despotic rule.
Despite scotus’ and the elites’ success in corrupting portions of society, a clear majority are still capable of rational thought, and are far from too corrupt to amend the Constitution. We see evidence all around. Despite feminist rants, men and women still want to marry. Our reason and our own observations inform us that little Heather is far better off in a home with a mommy and a daddy. No parent ever told a local school board, “raise my taxes and keep my kid ignorant.” Common Core didn’t upwell from society. If Johnny can’t read after society wastes hundreds of thousands of dollars in an education spread over twelve years, thank the crank theories from the elite’s educational colleges.
As further evidence that we are still capable of self-government, consider our presidential election cycle. Party boss elites, not the people, nominated the criminal and traitorous Hillary Clinton. Other elites attempted to impose their will and nominate anyone but Donald Trump. They failed. Despite endless indoctrination from elite government, media, and entertainment, the people are clearly angry and fed up with government as usual.
The mood of the nation borders on rebellion and at its core is disgust with what the Left has done to society. What is needed is leadership to direct national disaffection toward peaceful means to restore free government. Donald Trump has expressed support for a balanced budget amendment which can only emerge from an Article V convention of the states. Since President Trump will be marginalized by the elites in government and media and not be allowed the despotic powers exercised by Obama, he will go over their heads and make his appeals directly to the people. The future of our once great republic depends on a President Trump to promote a convention of the states to rein in the power of a tyrannical government.
We are the many; the elites are the few. Now, it is our turn. Be proactive. Be a Re-Founder. Join Convention of States. Sign the COS Petition
Reference:
Levin, M. R. (2005). Men in Black – How the Supreme Court is Destroying America. Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
Fantastic post. Thanks Rodney for the incredible amount of time you spend on these posts. You are definitely the best and most prolific on these regular deep dives. Thanks for all the inspiration. You have made a crystal clear case on the damage the courts have done on our society and how they have vetoed The People’s voice. No better example of the need for TERM limits than UNELECTED LIFETIME and UNACCOUNTABLE appointed FEDERAL judges.
Thanks, and thanks for the retweet!
Rained down from elites and progressives. And here’s the rub: they don’t have any understanding of the corruption that exists. They believe we should have one party system. Ridiculous. I am a children’s writer who has to stay off FB right now. I am so sick and tired of the Hillary crocodile tears. Thanks for another great post. It’s a mission as usual.
Thanks. Comments like yours keep me motivated. God bless you for writing children’s books.
I know I’ve said this before, but you keep broadening my frame of reference, Rodney… this is by far the BEST article you’ve written! I suppose now I should add the qualifier… “today.”
Your clarity of thought and eloquence encourage me to dream freely…
If we were to close the loopholes that civil rights lawyers, activist judges in the lower courts and an enabling U.S. Supreme Court have used to expand the scope and to create new powers and authority for the federal government that the Framers never anticipated nor intended…
if those loosely written phrases were carefully amended to reflect the narrow and limited scope originally intended by the Authors of that great document…
and if new, explicit language in the form of an “or else” clause, so to speak, calling for immediate, broad, mandatory and non-justiciable penalties for any government official, elected, appointed, hired or contracted, who fails to comply, intentionally or otherwise, with any Article or Amendment of the constitution, such determination to be made by three-quarters of the state legislatures…
it is completely conceivable that the legacy we could leave to the next several generations of Americans would be living free of the overwhelming burdens, constraints and regulations of countless ever-expanding federal administrative bureaucracies.
Everyone should inform themselves, then sign the petition, and get involved. ==> http://www.cosaction.com/?recruiter_id=2348 #AZLeg #COSProject
Well said. As opposed to those who believe corrupted compacts should remain as they are, COS realizes that Article V is the means to restore free government.
Thanks Rodney, you give us so much ammunition to use in SMW and hope you don’t mind us reusing it!!! Your posts are really inspirational and enlightening. Thanks for all you do!!! I’m tired of Congress not listening to WE THE PEOPLE…. 26 more states and they will have to hear us!!!! Visit here to learn more, sign the petition, and sign up to volunteer:
http://www.cosaction.com/?recruiter_id=1636326
We all do what we can do. Every morning, I visit a philosopher or polemicist of The Enlightenment. For a couple hours I become completely part of them.
This is a great post. The Supreme Court that exists today would be unrecognizable to the founders and members of the state ratifying conventions. The founders never intended for this Court to be the final arbiter of our freedoms and rights. We must reign in this Court’s egregious violations of its role, as well as violations of the constitution, through the Article V Convention of States!
Yes, no election alone can lead to limiting a scotus that recognizes no limits.
Rodney, once again, you nailed it… a very good read. Thank you.
“Judicial activists are nothing short of radicals in robes–contemptuous of the rule of law, subverting the Constitution at will, and using their public trust to impose their policy preferences on society. In fact, no radical political movement has been more effective in undermining our system of government than the judiciary. And with each Supreme Court term, we hold our collective breath hoping the justices will do no further damage, knowing full well they will disappoint. Such is the nature of judicial tyranny.”
― Mark R. Levin, Men in Black: How Judges are Destroying America
The Men in Black need to be term-limited. The way to do this is through a conventionofstates.com. Come join us.
http://www.cosaction.com/?recruiter_id=246073
I REALLY like Levin’s liberty amendment that empowers state legislatures to overturn scotus decisions. Judge the judges!
We need to limit the terms of SCOTUS justices. To see how the states can prose this amendment, and others, that congress will not visit http://www.conventionofstates.com.
Check out the website, sign the online petition that goes to your state legislators, and volunteer to help patriots throughout the nation. There are many legislative districts that still need District Captains within states. Take that on whether you live in a particular district or not. There are wonderful Tuesday evening online training calls (9:00 PM Eastern Time; they’re also recorded for watching at your convenience) that have been enormously helpful to me. They’re informative and inspirational. You’re needed on deck! http://www.conventionofstates.com
An Article V Convention of States remains the US Constitution’s best answer/solution to reining in SCOTUS, Rodney.
Rodney, I have not been doing this very long and already I have come to know that if an article comes up with your name on it, I should be reading it. Thank you for what you do, and the level of competence you show while you are doing it. We need more warriors such as yourself. God Bless.
Wow. Thank you very much Troy. Your encouragement helps me to press on!
The Convention of States is a movement that was designed by the founders for the people to fight back against an out of control government and that is what we see happening across the country and it is a beautiful thing to see and hear about.
Great article Rodney. We have a Supreme Court that has turned into a legislative body, becoming corrupt due to political ideology, not making decisions based on the relevance to the constituniality of the case. Their political ideology has replaced what they were originally appointed to do. The fact that they think the states and thus the people are too corrupt is the pot calling the kettle black. The actual fact is they have become corrupt. Maybe the real issue is that they think the people will be as corrupt as they are. I say we give the people the chance , we have nothing to lose considering what we have denegrated to as a nation. I still believe the Convention of States is the right way to course correct
Hi Rodney,
I’m wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving Holiday.
Only recently involving myself intimately with the COS, I am so proud that your quality of blogger is out there in the front row, speaking so eloquently and standing for the Truth and Foundation of our Great Constitutional Republic.
Your words are rich and pure and “right on”. As I dig my heels in to refresh the intentions of our Founding Fathers for “We the People”, I stand confident that you are with us.
Gosh, thank you for the kind words. Welcome aboard COS!
The Founding Fathers knew a day would come when the federal government would become too powerful. Therefore they wrote Article V of the Constitution to allow We the People to petition the state legislatures to call for a Convention of States to propose amendments that would next be ratified in the states. Learn more and sign the petition at http://www.conventionofstates.com