To The Daily Sun,
I heard someone use the phrase “Constitutionally illiterate” the other day and that got me to thinking. Trying to understand why people are so thoroughly and fundamentally mistaken on their understanding of the recent slew of Supreme Court decisions. Now I’m not addressing whether one is in favor or opposed to any decision, I am specifically addressing the lack of knowledge as to form and function of our government and Constitution.
The most important pieces of our Constitution’s framework is undoubtedly the separation of powers, specifically three distinct branches of government that perform independent functions. Somehow, we have allowed entire segments of our population to be wholly ignorant about who and what we are. Many people assign powers to branches that they simply do not have or believe that catchy sound bites such as “separation of church and state” are in the Constitution when it is clearly not.
These lapses in basic knowledge whether accidentally or purposefully omitted, contribute exponentially to the divide we face as a nation. Strange how many seem to be proud of personal ancestry and where we come from, yet that same interest for our nation and its history has been brushed aside.
Laws are only created by our bicameral Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives, period. All money bills must originate in the House. Enforcement of those laws are for the executive branch, the president. Which may not choose which laws to enforce but enforce them all. The judicial branch, this is to interpret the laws. Simply put, when a question arises as to a law’s constitutionality they are to decide in favor of the Constitution.
They all swear an oath not to you, or special interests, ideology, or pop culture. They swear to uphold the U.S. Constitution.
Rep. Gregg Hough
Laconia
(1) comment
The first amendment to the US Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." To me, this means that the State should be separate from the Church, or, that there should be a separation of Church and State. In what way is this not in the constitution? Also, you left out the Presidential Veto, as a power of the Executive Branch. Laws can only become laws when the President chooses not to veto them and the Congress has a large enough majority to override the veto.
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