Civil Discourse Now

Where the far left and far right overlap for fun and enlightenment

Dictatorship will dissolve the social contract and The Constitution

The Articles of Confederation “governed” the 13 colonies [FN1] after “Delegates of the United States of America” agreed. [FN2] But “We the People” ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” [FN3] “Preambles are remarkably revealing important” 1/9

“‘We the People’ mak[es] clear that it’s a democracy.... If one reads the preamble closely, one finds the key values that the Constitution is meant to achieve: democratic governance, effective
governance, establishing justice, securing liberty...” [FN4] 2/9

The Framers wrote great values, but lived something else. The most glaring example: espousal of liberty as a value, yet slavery not simply allowed but protected. [FN5] Estimates of how many of the Framers owned slaves vary. [FN6] One value underlay many actions: contracts. 3/9

John Locke had a significant impact on the Framers. Locke described a social contract between a government and its citizens, a/k/a government by consent of the governed. [FN7] No State may pass a “Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts.” [FN8] This is a republic. 4/9

Others, better versed in the mechanics, will describe in the coming days, how the hack was done. The 60-some suits brought on behalf of trump about the 2020 election achieved their goal: make trump’s opponents unable to challenge 2024's results. 5/9

trump has promised to be a dictator. The playbook it out there, Project 2025. My point is that the conversion of this country to a dictatorship breaches the social contract. If trump is allowed to take the oath of office, the Constitution is no more. 6/9

Footnotes:
FN1. 06/11/1776: Congress authorized preparation of “a confederation to be entered into between the Colonies”; on 11/15/1777, Congress directed the resulting document be sent to the States’ legislatures; it was ratified 03/02/1781. West’s Ann IN Code, 1999, p. 17.
FN2. Preamble, Articles of Confederation. 7/9

Footnotes:
FN3. Preamble, Const.
FN4. Illing, Sean, “Why the Constitution is an inherently progressive document,” interview with
Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean, UCal-Berkeley Sch of Law, Vox, 12/18/18, accessed 11/10/24.
FN5. E.g., "...the right of property in a slave is distinctly and expressly affirmed in the Constitution." Dred Scott v Sanford, 60 U.S. 393 (1857); see Const. Art I, §9. 8/9

Footnotes:
FN6. 17 of 55 delegates “together held about 1,400 enslaved people.” The Constitutional Rights Foundation; about 25 of the 55 delegates owned slaves. Gilder Lehrman Inst. for American History.
FN7. Stratton, Eleanor, “Locke’s Influence on American Politics,” U.S. Constitution.net, 06/01/24, accessed 11/11/24. 9/9

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