The Proper Role of Government

Major Provisions of the Constitution

1. Sovereignty lies in the people themselves.

2. To safeguard our rights there is a separation of powers horizontally and vertically:

Horizontal: Between Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches.
Vertical: Between Federal, State and Territorial governments.

3. Powers granted were specifically limited.

4. Based on the principle of representation.

5. Was designed to work only with a moral and righteous people.

Fundamental Beliefs and Principles which make for Good and Proper Government

1. That there is a connection between morality and freedom and that without virtue and morality the government of a free people cannot be maintained. ". . . where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty" (2 Cor. 3:17 )

2. That all things were created by God, therefore upon him all mankind are equally dependent, and to him they are equally responsible.

3. That all men are created equal:

Equality before the law.
Equality of rights.

4. That the proper role of government is to protect life, liberty and property rights, not provide equal things and when government assumes other functions it is usurpation and oppression. That it is a violation of the Constitution for government to deprive the individual of either life, liberty, or property except for these purposes:

Punish Crime and provide for the administration of justice.
Protect the right and control of private property.
Wage defensive war and provide for the nation's defense.
Compel each one who enjoys the protection of government to bear his fair share of the burden of performing the above functions.

5. That men are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation and of pursuing their own happiness.

6. That to protect man's rights, God has revealed certain principles of divine law. Divine law is designed to promote, preserve, and protect man's unalienable rights.

7. God's law is the supreme law of the land and man's law must conform to it.

8. That the God-given right to govern is vested in the sovereign authority of the whole people. Government at all levels only possesses certain granted powers and is in itself NOT sovereign.

9. That the majority of the people may resort to force if necessary to throw off a government which has become tyrannical.

10. That the United States of America shall be a Constitutional Federated Republic.

11. That the substantive purpose of the constitution is to secure the rights of man under it. The formal purpose is to provide the mechanical structure to provide order and stability within which these rights may be enjoyed and to protect the American people from the frailties of human nature in their rulers.

12. That Life and Liberty are secure only so long as the rights of property are secure.

13. That the supreme power delegated to government should be seperated into three branches, legislative, executive and judicial.

14. That the seperation of powers should be maintained by a system of checks and balances.

15. That only limited and carefully defined powers should be delegated to government--all others being retained in the people.

16. That efficiency and dispatch requires the government to operate according to the will of the majority, but constitutional provisions must be made to protect the rights of the minority.

17. That strong local self-government is the keystone to preserving human freedom.

18. That a free people should be governed by law and not by the whims of men.

19. That a free society cannot survive without a broad program of general education.

20. That the core unit which determines the strength of any society is the family; therefore the government should foster and protect its integrity.

21. That the burden of debt is as destructive to freedom as subjugation by conquest. In that regard a Credit Money system of Gold and Silver coins (however stamped and wherever coined) is the currency of the Constitution and paper money or bills of credit are anethema to freedom and should be forever abolished. That the Dollar is 371.25 grains of silver and is the standard. All other coins--whether gold or silver--are to regulated against this standard.

22. That the Constitution of the United States it to be held up as an example and blessing for the entire human race.

23. That the tradition of individualism and voluntarism can be the means of accomplishing much individual and social good and should be relied upon whenever possible and is thereby consonant with liberty.

24. We believe in the tradition of a free-market economy but recognize the need for tariffs, exposts, to keep America Strong and Free. America cannot remain free and maintain a strong defense unless a strong economy and industrial base is maintained by protective tariffs.

25. That America's foreign policy should be one which consists of the following: A. Isolationism; B. Non-interventionism; C. Establish and maintain a position of independence with regard to other countries; D. Avoid political connection, involvement or intervention in the affairs of other countries; E. Make no permanent or entangling alliances; F. Treat all nations impartially, neither granting nor accepting special privileges from any; G. promote commerce with all free peoples and countries; H. Cooperate with other countries to develop civilized rules of intercourse; I. Act always in accordance with the "laws of Nations"; J. Remedy all just claims of injury to other nations and require just treatment from other nations, standing ready, if necessary to punish offenders; K. Maintain a defensive force of sufficient magnitude to deter aggressors.

Checks And Balances

There were at least thirteen (13) checks and balances of the (original) U.S. Constitution:

States and Territories against the Central Government (the separation of powers vertically).
The Senate against the House (Takes both houses to pass bills).
The President against the Congress (Veto power).
The Judiciary against the Congress (Power to declare laws unconstitutional).
The Senate against the President (Appointments and treaties have to be ratified by the Senate).
The people against their representatives (The House is elected every 2 years).
The State Legislatures against the Senate (The election of Federal Senators by State legislators ).
The Electoral College against the People (Republic v. Democracy).
The People against the Central Government (Through the trial by Jury and the right of the Jury to decide upon matters of law as well as fact (Jury nullification).
Both the House and the Senate against the President (Impeachment).
An Executive Check upon the Judicial Branch (Through the power of the President to pardon offenses except impeachment).
Congressional Check on Judicial Power (Through the power of Congress to limit the Federal Court's Appellate Jurisdiction).
State Check on Federal Power (By application of 2/3 of the State legislatures, Congress "shall call a convention for proposing amendments. With an amendment strictly limiting what a new Convention could do, the Convention route could be a good check on a Congress unresponsive to the popular will. Without such limits however, a new Convention could be dangerous).

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Steven Montgomery