How Much More Can We Trivialize This election?

This election is clearly about the future of America. Will the United States continue down the Obama road of transformation into stagnation, government healthcare, weakened national security, slow job growth, bankrupting governmental pensions, and the list goes on? Or will this election be about restoring American greatness and exceptionalism? Will this election be about jobs and restoring upper mobility? What are the respective roles of the state and the individual? Those are the stakes in this election. How much time will we spend fact checking arcane points? Do we need someone to fact check the fact checkers? These are the trivial points. The New York times ran a front page article on Senator Marco Rubio’s speeding tickets, mostly by his wife. The New York Times ran a front page article on senator Marco Rubio’s luxury boat, which turned out to be a fishing boat. The New York Times criticized Senator Marco Rubio for his student loans. We hear stories of Donald trump’s hand and penis size. What difference does it make how "Nevada" is pronounced? We hear stories at the debate about Donald Trump insulting Miss Universe 2 decades ago over her weight. We hear a misogynist trump tape from 12 years ago. Russia threatens the United States, and Trump’s tape leads the news, displacing even a hurricane. If we want to go to that level, then he may be a MCP, but unlike President Clinton, he never raped a woman, nor have his wife organize a campaign to muzzle bimbo eruptions. Yet, this is the election we have. The Democratic candidate can’t run on her record, so she has to demonize him. Trump can’t run a campaign away from his inner self. Are you better off than you were 4 years ago? That is not a trivial question.

125 Scholars and Writers for Trump

"Writers and Scholars for Trump Given our choices in the presidential election, we believe that Donald Trump is the candidate most likely to restore the promise of America, and we urge you to support him as we do. Charles Akeman, University of California, Santa Barbara Jeffrey H. Anderson, Ph.D., author of “An Alternative to Obamacare” and “The Main Street Tax Plan” Hadley Arkes, Amherst College emeritus, author of “ Larry P. Arnn, Hillsdale College, author of “Churchill’s Trial: Winston Churchill and the Salvation of Free Government” Stephen H. Balch, Texas Tech University, National Humanities Medal, co-author of “Western Civilization and the Academy” Mark Bauerlein, Emory University, author of “The Digital Divide: Arguments for and Against Facebook, Google, Texting, and the Age of Social Networking” Darren Beattie, Duke University Roger Beckett, Ashland University Bill Bennett, former Secretary of Education, author of “America: The Last, Best Hope” Denis Binder, S.J.D., Chapman University, author of “Can We Secure the Hallowed Elms of Academe” Conrad Black, author of “Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom” Constitutional Illusions and Anchoring Truths: The Touchstone of the Natural Law” Jay Bergman, Central CT. State University, author of “Meeting the Demands of Reason: The Life and Thought of Andrei Sakharov” Daniel A. Bonevac, University of Texas, author of “Deduction: Introductory Symbolic Logic” Andrew Bostom, Brown University, author of “Sharia versus Freedom” James Bowman, Ethics and Public Policy Center, author of “Honor: A History” F.H. Buckley, George Mason University, author of “The Way Back: Restoring the Promise of America” Thomas E. Brennan, lawyer and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Michigan Chris Buskirk, editor and writer, American Greatness Jim Capua, Ph.D., writer Timothy W. Caspar, Hillsdale College, author of “Recovering the Ancient View of Founding: A Commentary on Cicero's De Legibus” Lionel Chetwynd, Oscar and Emmy nominated producer, director, screenwriter of “Miracle on Ice” and “Hanoi Hilton” Lynn Chu, Writers’ Representatives, LLC Mickey Craig, Hillsdale College Arnold Cusmariu, writer Glynn Custred, CSU-Haywood emeritus, author of “A History of Anthropology as a Holistic Science” Donn Dears, author of “Nothing to Fear” David Deming, University of Oklahoma Marshall DeRosa, Florida Atlantic University Michael Doran, Hudson Institute, former senior director of the National Security Council John C. Eastman, Chapman University Fowler School of Law and the Claremont Institute, author of “Born in the U.S.A? Reassessing Birthright Citizenship in the Wake of 9/11” Nicholas Capaldi, Loyola University New Orleans, co-author of “Liberty and Equality in Political Economy” Edward Erler, CSU San Bernardino, co-author of “The Founders on Citizenship and Immigration: Principles and Challenges in America” Clarice Feldman, lawyer and writer Peter J. Ferrara, Heartland Institute, author of “Power to the People: The New Road to Freedom and Prosperity for the Poor, Seniors and Those Most In Need of the World's Best Health Care” Burton W. Folsom, Jr., Hillsdale College, co-author of “The Myth of the Robber Barons” John Fonte, Ph.D., author of “Sovereignty or Submission” William A. Frank, University of Dallas, author of “Duns Scotus, Metaphysician” Neal B. Freeman, writer, businessman, Peabody Award-winning television producer Bruce Frohnen, Ohio Northern University, author of “Constitutional Morality and the Rise of Quasi-Law” (with George W. Carey) George Gilder, author of “Wealth and Poverty” and “The Scandal of Money: Why Wall Street Recovers But the Economy Never Does” Callista Gingrich, co-author of “Rediscovering God in America” Newt Gingrich, Ph.D., former Speaker of the House, co-author of “A Nation Like No Other: Why American Exceptionalism Matters” Tom Giovanetti, writer Esther Goldberg, lawyer and writer for The American Spectator Mary Grabar, co-author of “The Crisis in American Journalism and the Conservative Response” Lino Gragila, University of Texas—Austin, author of “Disaster by Decree” David P. Goldman, author of “How Civilizations Die: (And Why Islam Is Dying Too)” Susan Hanssen, University of Dallas, author of “Shall We Go to Rome?: The Last Days of Henry Adams” Darren Guerra, Biola University, author of “Perfecting the Constitution: The Case for the Article V Amendment Process” Leon Hadar, Ph.D., author of “Sandstorm: Policy Failure in the Middle East” Bruce Heiden, Ohio State University, author of “Homer’s Cosmic Fabrication” Anne Hendershott, Franciscan University of Steubenville, co-author of “Renewal: How a New Generation of Faithful Priests and Bishops Is Revitalizing the Catholic Church” Phillip Henderson, Catholic University of America, author of “Managing the Presidency: The Eisenhower Legacy” Arthur Herman, Ph.D., author “Douglas MacArthur: American Warrior” David Horowitz, editor and author of “The Left In Power: Clinton to Obama” Deal Hudson, Ph.D., editor and author of “An American Conversion” Carol Iannone, editor and writer Christina Jeffrey, Ph.D., author of “The UN/State Department Refugee Program Comes to Spartanburg” Douglas Jeffrey, Hillsdale College, editor of Imprimis Marjorie Jeffrey, writer Robert C. Jeffrey, Wofford College Charles C. Johnson, author of “Why Coolidge Matters” Brian T. Kennedy, writer, The American Strategy Group Jack Kerwick, Rowan College, author of “Misguided Guardians: The Conservative Case Against Neoconservatism” (forthcoming) Charles Kesler, Claremont McKenna College, editor Claremont Review of Books, author of “I Am the Change: Barack Obama and the Future of Liberalism” Robert D. King, University of Texas—Austin, author of “Nehru and the Language Politics of India” Michael Kochin, Tel Aviv University Robert C. Koons, University of Texas—Austin, co-author of “Metaphysics: The Fundamentals” Roger Kimball, editor and author of “The Fortunes of Permanence: Culture and Anarchy in an Age of Amnesia” E. Christian Kopff, University of Colorado Boulder, author of “Virgil and the Cyclic Epics” Michael Ledeen, Ph.D., co-author of NY Times best-seller “Field of Fight” Seth Leibsohn, radio host and co-author of “The Fight of Our Lives: Knowing the Enemy, Speaking the Truth, and Choosing to Win the War Against Radical Islam” Thomas Lifson, Ph.D., editor and writer, American Thinker Margaret Lindsay, Ph.D., writer Thomas Lindsay, Ph.D., co-author of “Investigating American Democracy” Robert Oscar Lopez, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, author of “ Herb London, Ph.D., author of “The Encyclopedia of Militant Islam” John R. Lott, Jr., Ph.D., author of “More Guns, Less Crime” Doug Mainwaring, author of “Marriage Ground Zero” (forthcoming) Ted Roosevelt Malloch, Oxford University, co-author of “America’s Spiritual Capital” Ken Masugi, Johns Hopkins University, co-author of “The Supreme Court and American Constitutionalism” Daniel McCarthy, editor and writer, contributor to “Dilemmas of American Conservatism” Roger Meiners, University of Texas—Arlington, author of “Gridlock in Government” Allen Mendenhall, Faulkner University, author of “Literature and Liberty” Tiffany Jones Miller, University of Dallas Brian Patrick Mitchell, Academy of Philosophy and Letters Laurie Morrow, Ph.D., co-author of “Conversations on Philanthropy” Steve Moore, co-author of “Fueling Freedom: Exposing the Mad War on Energy” Lawrence Kudlow, Co-author of “JFK and the Reagan Revolution: A Secret History of American Prosperity” Colorful Conservative: American Conversations with the Ancients from Wheatley to The Whitman” Steve Mosher, Population Research Institute Maureen Mullarkey, writer for The Federalist George Neumayr, co-author of Marita Noon, author of “Energy Freedom” Michael J. O’Shea, writer David Palm, Azusa Pacific University Svetozar Pejovich, Texas A & M emeritus, author of “The Economics of Property Rights” Ronald J. Pestritto, Hillsdale College, author of “Woodrow Wilson and the Roots of Modern Liberalism” Fran Fawcett Peterson, writer Paul C. Peterson, Coastal Carolina University emeritus James Piereson, Ph.D., author of “ Julie Ponzi, editor and writer, American Greatness Stephen B. Presser, Northwestern University, author of “Law Professors: Three Centuries of Shaping American Law (forthcoming) Frank Price, screenwriter and producer, former CEO Columbia Pictures, former president Universal Pictures Mark Pulliam, lawyer and writer Eric Rasmusen, University of Indiana, co-author of “Measuring Judicial Independence: The Political Economy of Judging in Japan” Alfred Regnery, lawyer and author of “Upstream: The Ascendance of American Conservatism” R.R. Reno, editor and author of “In the Ruins of the Church” William Murchison, author of “The Cost of Liberty: The Life of John Dickinson” Deroy Murdock, columnist and writer “No Higher Power: Obama's War on Religious Freedom” Shattered Consensus: The Rise and Decline of America’s Postwar Political Order” D.N. Robinson, Oxford University, author of “The American Founding: Its Intellectual and Moral Framework” Erik S. Root, Ph.D., Roger Bacon Academy, author of “All Honor to Jefferson?” Milton Rosenberg, University of Chicago emeritus Constance Rossum, University of La Verne, co-author of “Rehabilitating Rehabilitation” Ralph A. Rossum, Claremont McKenna College, author of “Antonin Scalia’s Jurisprudence: Text and Tradition” Ronald Rotunda, Chapman University, co-author of “Treatise on Constitutional Law” (6 volumes) Paul Rubin, Emory University, author of “Darwinian Politics: The Evolutionary Origin of Freedom” Ronald J. Rychlak, University of Mississippi, author of “Disinformation” D. Brian Scarnecchia, Ave Maria University, author of “Bioethics, Law and Human Life Issues” Lisa Schiffren, writer, former White House speechwriter Harold See, Belmont University Roger L. Simon, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, co-founder PJ Media, author of “I Know Best: How Moral Narcissism Is Destroying Our Republic, If It Hasn’t Already” S. Fred Singer, University of Virginia emeritus, author of “Global Climate Change: Human and Natural Influences” Scott Soames, University of Southern California, author of “The Analytic Tradition in Philosophy” Don Surber, author of “Trump the Press” Larry Schweikart, University of Dayton, retired, co-author of NY Times bestseller “A Patriot's History of the United States” Carol Swain, Vanderbilt University, author of “Be the People: A Call to Reclaim America's Faith and Promise” Dennis Teti, writer Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, author of “Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future” James Trefil, George Mason University, author of “The Encyclopedia of Science and Technology” Michael P. Tremoglie, writer R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr., editor and author of “The Death of Liberalism” Jeffrey Wallin, co-author of “An Uncertain Legacy: Essays on the Pursuit of Liberty” Bradley C.S. Watson, Saint Vincent College, author of “Living Constitution, Dying Faith: Progressivism and the New Science of Jurisprudence” Robert Weissberg, University of Illinois emeritus, author of “Bad Students, Not Bad Schools” Diana West, author of “The Death of the Grown-up” Thomas G. West, author of “Vindicating the Founders” Victor Williams, Chair, Lawyers and Law Professors for Trump J. Eric Wise, lawyer and writer S. Stanley Young, North Carolina State University Scot J. Zentner, CSU San Bernardino, author of “Liberalism and Executive Power: Woodrow Wilson and the American Founders” John Zmirak, Ph.D., author of “The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism” The views expressed do not represent the opinions of the colleges, universities and institutions of those who have signed this letter. For further information, please contact Frank Buckley at fbuckley@gmu.edu." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Professor Frank Buckley organized on short notice without a public can a list of scholars and writers who support Donald Trump for President. An earlier list is "Economists for Trump." Many others would have signed, but they justly feared for their employment in academia and Hollywood. Thus, their support remains private. Too many conservatives today remain in the "closet" in today's colleges and universities and Hollywood - erstwhile bastions of tolerance. My reason for supporting Donald Trump is easy. Four candidates are still in th race for President. He is the only one of the four who offers a chance to reverse America's accelerating decline. Hillary Clinton is the epitome of the status quo, which means increasing decline.

Donald trump Did Not Humiliate, Shama. and Then Make Fun of a 12 Year Old Rape Victim - Hillary Clinton Did!

Donald Trump did not humiliate a 12 year old rape victim and then make fun of her, but Hillary Clinton did. Hillary Clinton slammed him in the debate with Alicia Machado, the former Miss Universe. Ms. Machado had gained substantial weight in violation of her contract 20 years ago. She presents a compelling picture of being body-shamed by Trump His insults in today’s hypersensitive world are outrageous and unconscionable. Trump had no response. Trump had no response because he was unprepared. He had a simple, devastating response that would have destroyed Clinton’s case. All he had to say was: “I may have insulted her 2 decades ago to push her to reduce her weigh, but I never humiliated, shamed, and made fun of a 12 year old rape victim. My opponent Hillary Clinton did.” But no, he had to get defensive, just one of many missed opportunities in the debate. The young Hillary Clinton was assigned by the court to represent a defendant accused of raping a 12 year old girl. Hillary had a duty to represent him to the full extent possible, but not unethically. Her proper defense was getting a key piece of evidence excluded because the police blew the chain of evidence. The unconscionable was the filing of an affidavit signed by Hillary herself. She wrote: “I have been informed that the complainant is mentally unstable with a tendency to seek out older men and engage in fantasizing. I have also been informed that she has in the past made false accusations against persons, claiming they had attacked her body. Also that she exhibits unusual stubbornness and temper when she does not get her way.” No evidence existed to justify these statements. This is like Senator Harry Reid’s false statements about Governor Mitt Romney four years ago. Governor Romney could have defended himself, but the young, defiled girl had no way of defending herself against these scurrilous statements. The affidavit continued though with Clinton further stating that a child psychologist told her that early adolescent children “tend to exaggerate or romanticize sexual experiences, especially when they come from disorganized families. The victim was 12 years old! Hillary Clinton knew her client had raped the 12 year old. She was attacking the young girl, the victim, as the wrongdoer – a defense reviled in rape cases, such that prior sexual history is inadmissible. The advocate for women rights made the young girl the defendant. The story continues with an early 1980’s audio taped conversation that a reporter uncovered in 2014. The tape is Hillary Clinton talking about the case to a reporter for a possible article.. She said “He took a lie-detector test. I had him take a polygraph, which he passed, which forever destroyed my faith in polygraphs. She was laughing as she said these remark, pouring salt into open wounds. The now 50 year old victim was re-traumatized by listening to the tape, especially Hillary boastful, callous remarks. She says Hillary ‘took her through Hell” and “lied like a dog.” She asked of Hillary Clinton: “And you’re supposed to be for women? You call that for women, what you done to me?” Imagine that, Hillary Clinton was lying in the 1970’s. Yes, Donald Trump could have, should have responded to Hillary Clinton with the rape case. That far outweighs the stigma of his alleged insults to Miss Universe. He is now being tagged as a MCP because of boorish behavior, whereas he could have gained support among woman voters with the tale of the tape. Maybe he will be better prepared next time.

Reflections on the Clinton-Trump Debate

It was definitely not the Lincoln-Douglas Debates The consummate policy wonk from Illinois, Connecticut, Arkansas, New York, and D.C. debated the not quite ready for prime time debater from New York. The well prepared Clinton debated the unprepared or under prepared Trump, who was unfamiliar with this type of debate. Clinton certainly won on points, but did she win in the hearts and minds of Americans? Clinton won on talking points, policy papers, 30 years of experience, and the standard Democratic bromides of tax increases on the rich and and sticking it to Wall Street (Does she plan to return her $675,000 in speaking fees to Goldman Sachs?) Trump talked tax relief, excessive regulation, law and order, and relief for the inner cities Clinton had to be careful with “law and order” because she could not risk losing the inner city Black vote Law and order are powerful words, that resonate with much of the public, but two words were missing from the debate: Freedom Liberty Trump complained of excessive regulation, but nothing about freeing the people from the increasing yoke of an ever expanding government Both candidates favor expanding the role of the government, Clinton simply much faster than Trump. Hillary was Hillary and the Donald was Donald. Hillary showed she had stamina, not just from the well-practiced, memorized one-liners, but because she made it through the 1½ debate without any discernible physical problems. Hillary also showed that she will even lie during a nationally televised debate. Hillary glibly ran on the status quo She ran to perpetuate the status quo. She offered nothing new Donald Trump represents a break with the past, even in his debating style Americans feel the country is sliding downwards She offered bromides He offered alternatives Yet, this was a debate He missed opportunities to respond with one liners, that would be devastating to her, but didn’t. He missed opportunities to hammer home her glaring weaknesses He let her make him the subject of the debate rather than him forcing her to justify her failures, lies, and other improprieties He missed his chance, and knows it today He did not prepare as she had, but debated in the style that got him through the primary season, beating 16 experienced, mostly traditional candidates That was then, this is now Lester Holt was not fair to him in the debate. So what? Holt asked unforeseeable questions. Trump should have been prepared with quick answers to return to his main points. If Lester Holt did not raise Benghazi or the Clinton Foundation, trump should have. Clinton was Clinton, and Trump heeds the beat of a different drummer. She won the evening The campaign is not over

Law and Order: Donald Trump's Trump Card in the Debates and General Election

Donald Trump has a major hurdle in the general election despite recent swings in the polls. We know he has little chance with minorities, especially African Americans and Hispanics, under normal circumstances. The traditional white Protestant core of American values is now down to 47% of the population. The White vote is not going to carry the election for him in the traditional blue states, or even in many of the swing states. His problem is deeper than just ethnic voting. Republicans have been slipping for decades in the affluent suburbs, the core of their vote outside the central cities. Trump’s support has been positively hemorrhaging in the suburbs. The educated, middle class suburban voter, male and female, does not like Donald Trump. Forget the swing states; lose the suburbs and lose the election. His chance is that these voters are not in a lovefest with Hillary Clinton. Suburbanites are as apprehensive as the rest of America about the country’s future. Security, national and domestic, is a major concern. Always remember that security is a major reason for living in the suburbs. Americans are witnessing the international shaming of America. They will remember Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s failed Russian reset. Jewish voters have seen President Obama humiliating Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and imperiling Israel. They see the ineffectual response of the Administration to San Bernardino, Orlando, and New York/New Jersey. They witness the attacks on police, in cities like Philadelphia, Baton Rouge, Detroit, and Dallas. They’re repelled by the riots in Baltimore, Ferguson, Milwaukee, and Charleston. They know the riots can spill over into the suburbs. They see crime rising as the police are neutered. The Democrats are hoping Baltimore, Ferguson, Milwaukee, and now Charleston will gin up the African American vote as Hillary tries to get an unenthusiastic minority base to turn out in Obama numbers. She is thus pandering to the African American vote, adopting the mantra of Black Lives Matter. (Senator Paul Tsongas referred to her husband, Governor Clinton, during the 1992 primaries as a “Pander Bear”). Law and order is not a partisan or racial issue. The African American mothers in Chicago want, and need law and order just as much, if not more so, than the suburban moms. The African American merchants looted in Ferguson want, and need, law and order as much as do the affluent suburban merchants. All the residents of Baltimore need law and order. Donald Trump can tap into that primordial fear. Hillary Clinton can try, but it would be as unbelievable as any of her statements. That is his opportunity in the suburbs. If he can bring the suburbs back into the Republican fold, and reduce the large Democratic vote among African Americans, Hispanics, and Jews, he will win. Donald Trump can do it.

And Now Minnesota, New Jersey/New York: More Sudden Jihad Syndrome and Ineffectual Presidential Respose, but Not Quite Samo, Samo

America was lucky with the Shoe Bomber We were also lucky with the Underwear Bomber, who will meet Allah with apparently a burnt scrotum. The Times Square Bomber could have caused severe damage in Times Square, but failed. Our Chicken Restaurant New York/New Jersey Bomber came close to a mass disaster, but “fortunately” only injured 29. America was unlucky with the Fort Hood shooter, the Boston Marathon, Minnesota, Chattanooga, Orlando, San Bernardino, with several fatalities in these attacks on America. The response is mostly the same. The President emphasizes they are Lone Wolf assailants without knowing all the facts. The odds are very slim that the bomber could have received the materials and assembled his bombs in his apartment above the family’s chicken restaurant without anyone noticing. The odds are slim that he could have transported the bombs to the various locations without assistance. Rather or not the recent terrorist attacks are Lone Wolfs remain to be determined. Dahir Adan, the grim knifer, asked potential victims if they were Muslim. He also claimed he was acting on behalf of ISIS, which immediately claimed ownership of the attacks. The President refuses to use the phrase “Islamic Terrorist, much less “radical Islamic terrorism.” White House Press Spokesman Josh Earnest said our battle with ISIS is “A war of narratives.” ISIS is trying to blow us up and kill us, and we fight back with words. The federal complaint against the grim bomber excised comments about ISIS and terrorist leaders/ The mainstream media downplays the Muslim religion of the terrorist, as if the public can’t figure it out for themselves. The names Dahir Adan and Ahmed Khan Rahami tell the public all it needs to know. Yet again, the FBI failed to connect the dots and follow up on earlier leads. Yet, it’s not samo, samo. First. The President did not dial up his robomatic calls for gun control. The St. Cloud, Minnesota attacks were by knives. The New Jersey/New York incidents involved pressure cooker bombs. The second is that the many authorities, but not New York City Mayor De Blasio, immediately called the incidents “terrorist attacks.”

September 17, Constitution Day

Our Founding fathers crated the three most significant, secular documents in the history of civilization: The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. A Second Miracle in Philadelphia occurred on September 17, 1987. 40 Americans signed he Constitution. Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence, approved on July 4, 1776. We celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks, parades, BBQ’s, speeches, games, and a paid holiday. Independence was won with the 13 original colonies technically becoming 13 independent states. They drafted the Articles of Confederation, essentially a treaty for a loose confederation of states. The Articles failed. The government was underfunded. It lacked taxation powers. No military capability existed to defend the country. It had no power to promote commerce between the states. No judiciary existed. Every state had one vote with changes needing an unanimous vote. A new meeting was called in Philadelphia with representatives of the 13 states to amend the Articles. They soon recognized that amending the Articles would not work. The Articles had to be scrapped, to be replace by a whole new Constitution. These men succeeded in crafting an amazing, revolutionary document in the history of civilization. “We the people,” the first words of the Constitution, says it all. The Preamble, as in the words of Abraham Lincoln, is “a government of the people, by the people, for the people.” The Constitution was not for a king or queen, a sultan, tsar, emir, pope, archbishop, ayatollah, or a God. It is for the people. The Constitution signifies that the United States will be governed by the Rule of Law rather than by the Rule of Man The government is serve the people, not for the people to serve the government. Thus, the United States government is a government of specific, enumerated powers. Its main powers are the Commerce, Property, Spending, and Taxation Clauses along with the Necessary and Proper Clause. States are restricted by the Supremacy Clause. States surrendered much of their individual sovereignty for the greater good of a unified nation. Five states, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, had earlier surrendered their western land claims during the Articles of Confederation. States can no longer restrain commerce among the states - one of the major goals 2 centuries later in creating the European Union. The Constitution contains the Equal Footing Clause whereby any new state enters the Union as an equal state with the original 13 colonies. The drafters were wary of placing too much power in any branch of government. Thus, we have a balance of powers between the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. Problems of population differences between the states were solved by creating a bi-cameral legislature. Every state has 2 senators in the Senate while representation in the House of Representatives is proportional to population. The Constitution did not solve all problems. The slavery issue almost derailed the Constitution process. Even many of the leading Southerners recognized that slavery was an abomination, but the economy of the southern states depended on slavery. The final draft has three clauses relating to slavery, but never once do the words “slave” or “slavery” appear in the final document. The infamous 3/5 Clause provides that free men count as one, but others only 3/5 for purposes of the House of representatives. Incidentally, free Blacks counted as one. Clause 9 of Article I forbad restrictions on the slave trade until 1808, but didn’t use the word “slave.” Clause 2 of Article IV, the fugitive slave provision, gave no protection to the fugitives, again without using the “slave” word. These were the tradeoffs and concessions needed for the Southern States to acquiesce. The United States of America would not have come into existence without them. A major problem is that only about 5% of the population, white property owning males could vote in 1787 Perhaps the most important provision in the Constitution is Article V, which allows for amendments to the Constitution. The Amendments facilitated the road to equality. The 13th Amendment ended slavery, the 19th gave women the vote, and the 24th, ended the Poll Tax in federal elections. The first ten amendments constitute the Bill of Rights, as significant as the Magna Carta in laying out rights. Debates during the drafting and ratification of the Constitution illustrated the need for the Constitution to provide specific protections for the people. The Bill of Rights, as a separate document, was ratified four years after the Constitution. Two significant amendments illustrate the desire of the framers for a limited government. The Ninth Amendment, the oft-forgotten Ninth Amendment, simply states: “The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” The Tenth Amendment similarly provides “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” So where are the fireworks, BBQ’s, parades, speeches, and the paid holiday? Perhaps the Constitution has lost some of its luster We have a President, a former Constitutional Law Professor, who has expressed that the Constitution has fundamental flaws, and acts as if the Constitution does not exist. The Constitution’s protection lies in the hands of the federal judiciary, especially nine Supreme Court Justices. We have a Supreme Court which has progressively expanded the powers of the United States government since the days of the New Deal, thereby eviscerating the rights of the people. Justice Kennedy often looks to the social justice of Western Europe for his Constitutional wisdom. Justice Sotomayor is motivated by social justice. Justice Ginsburg in 2012 advised Egypt not to look to the old United States Constitution, but instead to the South African Constitution or the European Convention on Human Rights in drafting their new government. Chief Justice Roberts twisted the Constitution to uphold ObamaCare and vastly expand even further the power of the federal government over the people. The Constitution is not a perfect document, but it has served us well for 239 years. It is up to the American people to preserve it.