Here you will have the opportunity to be informed about some news related to the US Constitution.
Williams: Moving us closer to Founding Fathers’ intent
One of the best statements of how the Founding Fathers saw the role of the federal government is found in Federalist Paper 45, written by James Madison, who is known as the “Father of the Constitution”:
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce. ... The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people.”
Today’s reality is the polar opposite of that vision. The powers of the federal government are numerous and indefinite, and those of state governments are few and defined. If confirmed, Brett Kavanaugh will bring to the U.S. Supreme Court a vision closer to that of the Founding Fathers than the vision of those who believe that the Constitution is a “living document.” Those Americans who are rallying against Kavanaugh’s confirmation are really against the U.S. Constitution rather than the man — Judge Kavanaugh — whom I believe would take seriously his oath of office to uphold and defend the Constitution.
Was Madison misinformed or just plain ignorant about the powers delegated to Congress? Before we answer, let’s examine statements of other possibly “misinformed” Americans.
In 1796, on the floor of the House of Representatives, William Giles of Virginia condemned a relief measure for fire victims, saying the purpose and the right of Congress is to attend to not what generosity and humanity require but instead what their duty requires.
[Continue reading this post on http://www.gastongazette.com/opinion/20180912/williams-moving-us-closer-to-founding-fathers-intent]
Campuses Mark Constitution Day with Speakers, Events
Students at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College will observe not just Constitution Day, but a week of constitutional activities Sept. 17-21, with speakers, discussions and voter registration events.
Among the scheduled speakers are U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Georgia State University Perimeter College alumnus and Atlanta attorney Anthony Molina and Emory University political professor and analyst Alan Abramowitz.
Constitution Day, Monday, Sept. 17, marks the day 231 years ago when attendees at the Convention at Philadelphia signed the document that is the foundation of our United States government.
Constitution Day is the annual celebration of the day that representatives to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia completed and signed the U.S. Constitution in 1787. The observance of this day began as “I am an American Day” in 1940 and later became known as Citizenship Day. In 1952, the celebration was moved from May to Sept. 17 to commemorate the signing of the original document.
In 1956, Congress established Constitution Week, setting it to start annually on Sept. 17. In 2004, the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia included provisions in the appropriations act to designate Sept. 17 of each year as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day and require public schools and government offices to provide educational programs to promote a better understanding of the Constitution.
“Constitution Day requires all schools that receive federal funds, from elementary schools to research universities like Georgia State, to dedicate a day to exploring our fundamental governing document,” said Adam Stone, political science professor on the Alpharetta Campus.
[Continue reading this post on https://news.gsu.edu/2018/09/12/campuses-mark-constitution-day-with-speakers-events/]
