January 21

January 21- Since 1937, most presidential inaugurations happen on January 20th, except when January 20th falls on a Sunday, in which case the inauguration happens on the next day January 21. The two most recent ones on January 21st were President Reagan in 1985 for his second term and President Obama in 2013 also for his second term. What strikes me from both speeches is that despite the two Presidents being from different generations, different political parties, and having different beliefs in how to achieve their ideals, their ideals are similar to each other and reflect the preambles to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. They both call out freedom and liberty, equality, protecting future generations (our posterity), unity, general welfare (with calls to look after each other), and democracy. Likewise they both condemn prejudice and partisanship. The similarities in these speeches give me hope and belief. I believe that we can move forward as a united country because most of us, regardless of political party, have similar ideals such as these, even though we likely have different beliefs on the best methods to achieve these ideals. To me the key is retaining the system that allows us to respectfully debate our ideas and vote within a democracy. Do you generally agree? If so, what do you think is important to add to or tweak about my statements? If not, why not?

January 21, 1985- President Reagan’s second inaugural address (excepts): “We will not rest until every American enjoys the fullness of freedom, dignity, and opportunity as our birthright.” “We must think anew and move with a new boldness, so every American who seeks work can find work, so the least among us shall have an equal chance to achieve the greatest things—to be heroes who heal our sick, feed the hungry, protect peace among nations, and leave this world a better place.” “We must act now to protect future generations from government's desire to spend its citizens' money and tax them into servitude when the bills come due. Let us make it unconstitutional for the Federal Government to spend more than the Federal Government takes in.” “Our fundamental goals must be to reduce dependency and upgrade the dignity of those who are infirm or disadvantaged. And here, a growing economy and support from family and community offer our best chance for a society where compassion is a way of life, where the old and infirm are cared for, the young and, yes, the unborn protected, and the unfortunate looked after and made self-sufficient.” “As an older American, I remember a time when people of different race, creed, or ethnic origin in our land found hatred and prejudice installed in social custom and, yes, in law. There's no story more heartening in our history than the progress that we've made toward the brotherhood of man that God intended for us. Let us resolve there will be no turning back or hesitation on the road to an America rich in dignity and abundant with opportunity for all our citizens. Let us resolve that we, the people, will build an American opportunity society in which all of us—white and black, rich and poor, young and old—will go forward together, arm in arm. Again, let us remember that though our heritage is one of blood lines from every corner of the Earth, we are all Americans, pledged to carry on this last, best hope of man on Earth.” “We strive for peace and security, heartened by the changes all around us. Since the turn of the century, the number of democracies in the world has grown fourfold. Human freedom is on the march, and nowhere more so than in our own hemisphere. Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit. People, worldwide, hunger for the right of self-determination, for those inalienable rights that make for human dignity and progress. America must remain freedom's staunchest friend, for freedom is our best ally and it is the world's only hope to conquer poverty and preserve peace. Every blow we inflict against poverty will be a blow against its dark allies of oppression and war. Every victory for human freedom will be a victory for world peace. So, we go forward today, a nation still mighty in its youth and powerful in its purpose. With our alliances strengthened, with our economy leading the world to a new age of economic expansion, we look to a future rich in possibilities. And all of this is because we worked and acted together, not as members of political parties but as Americans.” “It is the American sound. It is hopeful, big-hearted, idealistic, daring, decent, and fair. That's our heritage, that's our song. We sing it still. For all our problems, our differences, we are together as of old.” source: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/inaugural-address-10

January 21, 2013- President Obama’s second inaugural address (excerpts): “Each time we gather to inaugurate a President we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this Nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional—what makes us American—is our allegiance to an idea articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Today we continue a never-ending journey to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they've never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth.” “Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.” “Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable and protect its people from life's worst hazards and misfortune.” “But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action.” “Now more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation and one people.” “My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment and we will seize it—so long as we seize it together.” “For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America's prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American; she is free and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God, but also in our own.” “But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed. We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity.” “We do not believe that in this country freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us at any time may face a job loss or a sudden illness or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other through Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, these things do not sap our initiative, they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great. We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.” “We will support democracy from Asia to Africa, from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice—not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity, human dignity and justice. We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths—that all of us are created equal—is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls and Selma and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.” “For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law—for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity—until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia, to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for and cherished and always safe from harm. That is our generation's task—to make these words, these rights, these values of life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life. It does not mean we all define liberty in exactly the same way or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time, but it does require us to act in our time. For now decisions are upon us and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle or substitute spectacle for politics or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, we must act knowing that today's victories will be only partial and that it will be up to those who stand here in 4 years and 40 years and 400 years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall. My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction.” source: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/inaugural-address-15

January 20

January 20- On this day in 1955, students conducted an anti-segregation lunch counter sit-in in the flagship of Read’s drug store chain in downtown Baltimore. This was the most famous of several sit-ins and protests in 1955 against the store’s racial segregation policy. The combination of these efforts made up one of the first sustained direct action campaigns against segregation and involved some of the earliest lunch counter sit-ins of the civil rights movement and this campaign worked. Two days after the January 20th sit-in, Read’s owner ended the segregation policy at all 37 of its lunch counters which influenced several other Baltimore businesses to integrate too. This campaign inspired other sit-ins against segregation that helped to gradually integrate more businesses in other cities. The participants in these peaceful campaigns helped bring our country closer to the equality and liberty of the words in the preambles to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. These same ideals were celebrated 26 years later to the day, when President Reagan stated in his first inaugural address on January 20, 1981, “we are a united people pledged to maintaining a political system which guarantees individual liberty to a greater degree than any other”…“Well, this administration's objective will be a healthy, vigorous, growing economy that provides equal opportunities for all Americans with no barriers born of bigotry or discrimination”… “We shall reflect the compassion that is so much a part of your makeup. How can we love our country and not love our countrymen; and loving them, reach out a hand when they fall, heal them when they're sick, and provide opportunity to make them self-sufficient so they will be equal in fact and not just in theory?”…“Well, I believe we, the Americans of today, are ready to act worthy of ourselves, ready to do what must be done to ensure happiness and liberty for ourselves, our children, and our children's children. And as we renew ourselves here in our own land, we will be seen as having greater strength throughout the world. We will again be the exemplar of freedom and a beacon of hope for those who do not now have freedom.” Later, these same ideals were again celebrated on January 20, 2009, when President Obama gave his first inaugural address in which he stated: “The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”…"Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man -- a charter expanded by the blood of generations.  Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience sake."…”For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.  We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.  We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.”..."This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall; and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served in a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." This last quote brings us back full circle to the Read’s drug store of January 20, 1955 who would not have served President Obama’s father because of his race. Yet by 2008 the nation had come so far as to elect the first African American president. To me this is representative of the great path America has been on towards realizing the words of the preambles to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution- words such as equality and liberty- the same words spoken by a Republican President in his first inaugural address on January 20, 1981 and then spoken by a Democratic President in his first inaugural address on January 20, 2009. Are we still walking forward on this path or are we now crawling backwards? https://images.app.goo.gl/EsXquobWnRj22yQ56
#ThisDayInHistory ; #OnThisDay; #onthisdayinhistory; #civilrights; #allmenarecreatedequal

Balance of Gun rights and safety

I believe that all societies need to find the optimum balance between rights because rights can sometimes be in conflict with each other. We already do this- for example, we have the right to freedom of speech in the bill of Rights but that right does not protect speech that can incite imminent violence or danger- the famous, can't shout fire in a crowded theater scenario- because that type of speech infringes of the right to safety of others. I believe that is a wise balance to strike. I believe that we should also be looking for the wisest balance in gun rights and safety. Similar to the right of freedom of speech, there is a second amendment right to "keep and bear arms" which must be respected. But like freedom of speech, there are and should be limits to the right to "keep and bear arms" when it infringes on the safety of others. To me, this is supported by the preamble to the Constitution which states "domestic tranquility" and "general welfare" as two of its goals- I believe mass casualty shootings and the level of gun violence show that we are not striking the right balance between gun rights and "domestic tranquility" and "general welfare." This is further supported, in my opinion, by the ninth amendment to the Bill of Rights which states "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." I read that to apply to all the rights in the Constitution including the right to "keep and bear arms." Even though the Constitution does not explicitly state a right for an innocent person (like a child) to not be killed in a shooting, (like a school mass shooting), that does not mean that they don't have that right. Furthermore, the ninth amendment means that the right to "keep and bear arms" should not be taken to such an extreme that it threatens other basic rights that are not specifically mentioned in the bill of rights. Finally this is supported by the preamble to the Declaration of Independence that specifically calls out "life," "safety," and "future security" as goals of the government they were striving for; I have capitalized these goals to call them out in the preamble here: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are LIFE, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their SAFETY and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their FUTURE SECURITY." (source https://www.archives.gov/.../stylistic-artistry-of-the... )

Cutting the IRS budget is a terrible idea…

Recently we have seen Republican efforts to reduce the IRS budget. I am all for cutting unnecessary spending, but the IRS is the worst place to target in my opinion because it collects the revenue necessary to balance the budget. In my opinion, cutting the IRS would be like a company cutting its accounts receivable department resulting in less dollars coming in- I don't think investors in that company would be very impressed with that decision.

On Supreme Court using the Preambles…

I was recently challenged in a statement I made that the Supreme Court should factor the values of the preambles into their decisions. The person asked me if I believed the judicial oath should be changed to uphold the Declaration as well as the Constitution (which I assume was sarcastic since it was followed by a laughing emoji). They also said that the judges swear to defend the constitution and asked if I thought that judges should be citing the preamble and if other sources should carry equal weight to the constitution. They went on to say that the Court cannot create “shadow amendments” without Congress and the ratification process (I guess they thought I might be implying that). Here was my response:

1. No I do not believe the Judicial Oath should be changed.

2. Note that the preamble to the Constitution is in the Constitution so they are swearing to uphold the preamble to the constitution as well as the rest of the document which include the amendments. As Erwin Chemerinsky writes about: constitutional theory and the Court neglecting the Preamble to the Constitution, “has been a mistake because the Preamble states the ideals for the Constitution and for the republic. It also is a mistake to ignore any words of the Constitution in interpreting the document…By ignoring the Preamble, we forget the idealistic vision that inspired the Constitution and what it was meant to achieve.” (book: "We the People, A Progressive Reading of the Constitution for the Twenty-First Century" by Erwin Chemerinsky, Picador, November 2018, pages 56-57).

3. As to the Declaration of Independence preamble, the Supreme Court frequently uses other sources besides the constitution so they can certainly use the preamble to the Declaration too and the Declaration is far more relevant than most other sources. Take the Supreme Court majority ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen (06/23/2022)- the majority opinion goes on and on for pages about an English statute from 1328, a 1686 English case of Sir John Knight, and a 1716 English treatise, (you can read it here: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf). If these are relevant for pages and pages of the most consequential gun rights decision since Heller in 2008, then yes, I believe the Declaration of Independence is relevant to the Courts decisions...in fact, much more relevant.

4. Although I am not an originalist, I believe it has some relevance and it is relevant here: "The originalist theory of interpretation of the Constitution states "that the constitutional text ought to be given the original public meaning that it would have had at the time that it became law. (https://constitutioncenter.org/.../on-originalism-in...)." Surely the writers of the Constitution were influenced by the Declaration so it would be relevant to "the original public meaning."

5. I agree the Supreme Court should not "expand roles and rights without any action by Congress, skipping the ratification process"...but they use other sources all the time...all I am saying is I believe they should also try to adhere to the spirit of the preamble to the Declaration.

Free our minds from labels

Preamblism encourages us to free our mind from:

1. the dichotomies which divide us such as right v. left, conservative v. liberal, democrat v republican, RINOs v. “real Republicans, DINOs v. “real Democrats” and

2. from the dichotomies that oversimplify issues as a choice between two extremes with no room for moderate or different positions (e.g. pro-choice v. pro-life; pro-gun v. anti-gun; socialist v. capitalist, and pro-Palestine v pro-Israel).

   When we think along the lines of these dichotomies, we fall into the hands of the extremists because we create unnecessary divisions that restrain us from finding reasonable solutions. Additionally, these dichotomies are not reflective of reality. For example, our economy is both capitalist and socialist at the same time which, in many opinions, is a good thing because we get the best of both systems and our overall system is stronger because of it. Furthermore, many people are too complicated and nuanced to fall squarely into one of these labels. The Preamblist Movement calls on us to free our minds from these false dichotomies that hold us back. https://www.google.com/search?q=free+your+mind+matrix&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:c6bd1076,vid:I5OUIbJPWzU,st:0&vuanr=4  

Courts Should Utilize Preambles

The courts, including the Supreme Court, should utilize the preamble to the Constitution more in their decisions because the preamble states the goals of the Constitution and therefore our government. The preamble reads, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." How would the courts use the preamble to guide their decisions? As an example, let’s take the cases around the 2nd amendment, “the right to keep and bear arms.” For this topic, what values in the preamble are most relevant? I think “Domestic Tranquility,” “general Welfare,” and “liberty.” Importantly, the value of “Liberty” can be in conflict with the values of “general Welfare” and “domestic Tranquility” in that a few gun owners have misused their liberty to own a gun to cause great harm including but not limited to mass shootings. Because the preamble states all these values, it calls on us seek the optimum balance between them. I believe we are currently out of balance on this topic as evidenced by the recent wave of mass shootings and gun violence with few restrictions on the liberty to buy a gun. To restore balance, I would put more emphasis on the values of “domestic Tranquility” and “general Welfare” even if it takes away some liberty in being able to buy and own a gun, but only to an acceptable level that would not overly infringe on this liberty. Not being an expert on this myself, I would use the best peer-reviewed research to evaluate tactics such as stronger background checks with no loopholes, red flag laws, and limits on number of rounds in a magazine. Likewise, the preamble to the Declaration of Independence states the goals for our government (to be continued).

Gladiator

Our name is the Preamblists, protectors of the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, promoters of the preamble to the Constitution, and citizens of government that derives its “powers from the consent of the governed.” Defenders of “our posterity” and “We the People.” Advocates for “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,” “Safety,” “justice,” “domestic tranquility,” “common defense,” and “general welfare.” And we will have “a more perfect union,” in this life or the future. (inspired by Gladiator)

General

When our democracy is threatened by extreme partisanship, when scientific consensus on threats such as climate change are dismissed, when the poor and middle class get poorer, when our children are at risk of gun violence, and when innocents die abroad in terrorist attacks and war...look to the preambles for solutions:

Preamble to the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness..."

Preamble to the Constitution: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Release the Preamblists!

When our political parties favor extremist candidates who fight with each other rather than find solutions, gerrymander our elections, suppress votes, and deny findings accepted by the vast majority of scientists and experts, RELEASE THE PREAMBLISTS!

Climate change evidence

NASA states: “There is unequivocal evidence that Earth is warming at an unprecedented rate. Human activity is the principal cause.” (https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/). NASA also states “the vast majority of actively publishing climate scientists – 97 percent – agree that humans are causing global warming and climate change.” Because of this science, the Army has a climate change strategy which states, ‘Climate change poses an immediate and serious threat to U.S. national security and affects how and where the Army trains and operates. As the Secretary of the Army (SecArmy) stated in the United States Army Climate Strategy (ACS), "For today's Soldiers operating in extreme temperature environments, fighting wildfires, and supporting hurricane recovery, climate change isn't a distant future, it is a reality."‘ (https://www.army.mil/e2/downloads/rv7/about/2022_Army_Climate_Strategy_Implementation_Plan_FY23-FY27.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0PRegmFPh-qqZDvY6tDSNV6yF5CxrVR3iI64DgZcd0nq_Z61If6-Lg8HM)
Worrying about climate change is not political- it’s following the lead of the vast majority of the scientists including those at NASA. Therefore, to me, the best thing to do is, like the Army, take climate change seriously and act- it’s what I owe my children and nephews and nieces ("our posterity" as stated in the preamble to the Constitution).

Climate Change

There is a Ronald Reagan for President campaign commercial from 1984 about a bear in the woods. Many of you likely remember it. It says "There is a bear in the woods. For some people, the bear is easy to see. Others don't see it at all. Some people say the bear is tame. Others say it's vicious and dangerous. Since no one can really be sure who's right, isn't it smart to be as strong as the bear? If there is a bear." At the time, the bear was the Soviet Union. Back then there was a debate about the level of threat posed by the Soviet Union and what we should do about it. The commercial was saying that the smart thing to do, despite some level of uncertainty, is to take the threat seriously and protect ourselves against the Soviet Union. Today, the logic of this commercial still resonates with me. I think the bear is the woods is now climate change. Now imagine the bear represents climate change as we re-quote the commercial: “There is a bear in the woods. For some people, the bear is easy to see. Others don’t see it all. Some people say the bear is tame. Others say it’s vicious and dangerous. Since no one can really be sure who’s right, isn’t it smart to be as strong as the bear? If there is a bear.” Even if you have some doubts about climate change, isn’t it smart to take it seriously, mitigate it, and protect ourselves from it? Like the Soviet Union, if the threat is real, it’s a very big and potentially existential threat (especially for our children and grandchildren— “our Posterity,” as stated in the preamble to the Constitution”). The Preamblist Movement calls on us to take strong, swift action against climate change for ourselves and "our Posterity." https://youtu.be/FErYyPMbllI?si=ICYsxquH_vH_BLwh

Preamblism Question on Current Issues

With all that's going on in the world and the country, I return to the purpose of our government as stated in the Preamble to the Constitution: "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." And I like to pair that with the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence which includes: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..." I think we should try to achieve the values of these two preambles when it comes to all issues including ones that are particularly concerning to me today: foreign affairs, domestic gun violence, and extremist partisanship dominating both our major political parties. I would like to hear how you think we could apply the preambles to these issues?

IRS Catching Rich Tax Cheats

10/24/2024-
Excited to read this great work by the IRS in catching rich tax cheats while improving services to Americans of average income: source.

Hamas, Gaza, Israel Conflict

10/24/2023- We strongly condemn the Hamas attack on October 7 and all terrorism. Our hearts go out to the over 1,400 killed and to their families and friends in grief. At the same time, we grieve and are concerned for innocent Palestinian civilians, especially the children, who have been or are at risk of being killed or injured by Israeli military action- already over 4,000 have been killed and thousands displaced and hungry. We believe that Israel, like any other country, has the right to defend itself. However, we wonder if Israel's current widespread military actions will, in the long-run, make them less safe by further angering Palestinians and Arab neighbors. We believe that violence, even counter-violence against a horrific attack, can lead to more violence especially when thousands of civilians are harmed, and then even more violence as the deadly cycle continues.

Gerrymandering in NC

10/28/2023- I believe the Supreme Court should intervene to stop partisan gerrymandering because it is against the words and spirit of the Constitution. The Preamble to the Constitution starts with "We the people" whereas partisan gerrymandering decreases many of "the people's" voting power (in this case it decreases the power of those who vote Democrat which is a lot of people in North Carolina). Additionally the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence states government derives its "just powers from consent of the governed." Its also wrong when the Democratic party does partisan gerrymandering too.

Speaker of the House

The current lack of a Speaker of the House crisis is a symptom of the failure of our current system which puts too many extremist partisans in power and a sign that we could really benefit from more moderate, centrist representatives voting across party lines to help us move past this stalemate. The Constitution says “The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers (source).” It does not require that the party that holds the most seats will elect the speaker, but right now that’s what happens because both parties choose one main candidate to put forward for a floor vote; the minority party members usually vote for one of their candidates while the majority party members usually vote for one of their candidates while the winner must win a simple majority of the the votes (right now 217 votes out of 433 filled seats)- these days, there is very little to no chance of any members voting for the other parties candidate. There are currently no independent or third-party members of the House. With this arrangement, its easy for extremists to exert their power when there are enough of them as there are today. The Republican Party knows that only a candidate that is accepted by the extremists will win the simple majority vote so they put forward mainly extremist candidates like Representative Jim Jordan. But the more moderate representatives within the party, correctly in my opinion, are highly reluctant to give in to the extremists and vote for someone too extreme. So we have stalemate and no legislation can move forward which will lead to a very likely government shutdown in November. In my opinion, a short-term answer and a smart move by Democrats would be for most Democratic Representatives to suddenly and surprisingly vote for the most moderate Republican in the field hopefully combining with enough Republicans to reach 217 votes (unlikely Democrats would do this but seems like a smart move to me to get a speaker they would like more than the others). In my opinion, the long-term answer is to set up elections in such a way that people have moderate candidates to vote for, but the current primaries often only put forward extremists because less moderate voters vote in primaries than general elections. What do you think?

Ukraine

America’s Role in War in Ukraine: Preamblism holds that we should continue heavily supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia because it is a democracy, although a “flawed” one (source). As discussed on our Home page, the Preambles promote democratic government with the values of “consent of the governed” and “We the People.” Therefore, we believe in America should be an “Arsenal of Democracy (source)” in assisting with the survival of existing democracies worldwide. Of course, there are limits to this position when it risks other Preamblist Values especially safety. future security, and domestic tranquility. These values are at risk considering Russia’s nuclear capability. Therefore, we appreciate the delicate balance that the current administration is striking in supporting Ukraine. In the long run, the Preamblist values are mutually supportive because a world with more democracies is safer for America (source).

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