Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom.
~John Adams, Defense of the Constitutions, 1787
An excellent source for this education is “The Handbook of American Constitutional Law“. In this handbook we learn the following about what a constitution is as Mark over at Constitutional Integrity points out:
“A constitution differs from a statute or ordinary act of legislation in three important
particulars:“(1) It is enacted by the people as a whole( that is, by vote of the qualified electorate) who are to be governed by it, instead of by their representatives in a congress or legislature.
(2) A constitution can be abrogated, repealed, or modified only by the power which created it, namely, the people in the sense stated above, whereas a statute may be repealed or changed by the legislature. The people, however, can modify or repeal their constitution only through the medium of a constitutional convention or constituent assembly, or by affirmative vote on amendments or on a new constitution duly submitted by the legislature. In those states where the initiative and referendum are in use, the provisions of the constitution are as binding on the people in the exercise of their legislative prerogative as upon the legislature, that is, these devices cannot be used to alter the constitution in any other mode than as the constitution itself provides. [State v. Dixon, 59 Mont. 58, 195 P. 841; State v. Stewart, 53 Mont. 18, 161 P. 309; City of Ft. Collins v. Public utilities Commission, 69 Colo. 554, 195 P. 1099 ]
(3) The provisions of a constitution refer to the fundamental principles of government and the establishment and guaranty of liberties, instead of being designed merely to regulate the conduct of individuals among themselves. [Constitutions announce principles, while statutes apply them. Sproules v.State, 97 Tex Cr. R. 561, 262 S. W. 757.] But the tendency towards amplification in modern constitutions derogates from the precision of this last distinction.”
This is a great starting point for gaining an understanding of what the U.S. Constitution means, allows and doesn’t allow as well as it’s original intent. As U.S. citizens it is up to “We the people” to preserve and defend the Constitution and to ensure our rights and freedom aren’t taken away by the federal government.
Become educated on the U.S. Constitution by visiting the links provided at Constitutional Integrity.
