In Federalist 47, James Madison notes: "The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny."
The "Father of the Constitution" affirms those who fear a too-power central government but argues that the Constitution's enumerated powers and separation of powers among three co-equal branches provide safeguards against any abuse of power.
Of course, these safeguards are wholly unnecessary as the people would never elect representatives nor tolerate appointment of persons who would ignore constitutional limits to their power under the principle of enumerated powers.
Even if the people, through momentary inattention or misplaced hope or simple ignorance, were to permit such persons into government, surely those truly faithful and allegiant to the Constitution would employ the system of checks and balances quickly and minimize any injury to the people and their welfare and liberties.
And failing that, undoubtedly the people, using the most appropriate and effective means at their disposal, would exercise their right, thus fulfill their duty, to re-establish proper constitutional government and secure their position as America's true and rightful rulers.
Original Letter to the Editor submitted 23 April 2014 to the News & Record (Greensboro, NC)
The folks at the News & Record made the following changes: (1) Substitution of an alternate to my suggested title which is always expected as I don't suffer their space limits; (2) Removal of my capitalizations which, in addition to "We the People" in my suggested title, are stylistic choices meant to echo and invoke the Founding documents, both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, but then, as a nonprofessional journalist, read artist, I'm not a slave to the AP Stylebook; (3) Substitution of "among" for "between" in the second sentence which loses the oppositional relationship intended by the Constitution; (4) Hyphenation of "coequal" in the second sentence and "reestablish" in the final sentence, perhaps again following the AP Stylebook.
To the Editor:
We the People are the ultimate check and balance
In Federalist 47, James Madison notes: "The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny."
The "Father of the Constitution" affirms those who fear a too-power central government but argues that the Constitution's enumerated powers and separation of powers between three coequal branches provide safeguards against any abuse of power.
Of course, these safeguards are wholly unnecessary as the People would never elect representatives nor tolerate appointment of persons who would ignore Constitutional limits to their power under the principle of enumerated powers.
Even if the People, through momentary inattention or misplaced hope or simple ignorance, were to permit such persons into government, surely those truly faithful and allegiant to the Constitution would employ the system of checks and balances quickly and minimize any injury to the People and their Welfare and Liberties.
And failing that, undoubtedly the People, using the most appropriate and effective means at their disposal, would exercise their Right, thus fulfill their Duty, to reestablish proper Constitutional government and secure their position as America's true and rightful rulers.
Matt Wallace
Greensboro, NC
