Two hundred twenty three years ago we argued amongst
ourselves the pros and cons of a document which would eventually form our government. That document, the United States Constitution. The original premise of that document was to build a Union of States that would take care of specific common needs of our nation. Prior to its ratification each of the original 13 States/Colonies operated independently. After representatives of each of the original 13 States met they decided that our government was to be divided into three parts, executive, legislature, and judicial; each with its specific role, each with its respective limitations. Then those representatives brought back to their 
respective states and ultimately the citizens of those states the “suggestion” to relinquish some of their God given power to the federal government, ultimately the PEOPLE of each of the independent states agreed to give the federal government only those powers necessary to protect, defend and negotiate for the union of states on the world scene. They also knew that this body would be necessary to “umpire” disputes between the individual states. Weary of a despotic government and fearful that any form of government could ultimately lead to tyranny, safe guards where put in place, and specific rights were further defined in the “Bill of Rights”. From the freedom of speech to the sovereignty of the individual member States, the original 10 amendments are there to limit the power of the Federal Government; and more specifically the chief executive. We should look at the 10th amendment simplistically as the “catch al
l” amendment. Basically if an issue or power isn’t specifically defined within the Constitution, the federal government doesn’t have the authority to regulate or create laws regarding that issue or power. To correct some of the oversights and unforeseen issues within the Constitution other amendments were added to the Bill of Rights extending the Federal Governments power to include ONLY those additions.
You see; our founding fathers knew what tyranny was, they lived through it, they knew what it was like to live under an oppressive ruler and with these founding documents they tried to protect us 
from any future despotism. In fact a despotic government was the chief concern of each and every citizen of that time, as it should be today. Many of the original arguments for or against our Constitution were directed at protecting the common citizen from any type of future tyranny; hence the type of government chosen was a Constitutional Republic, where the Constitution with the addition of the Bill of Rights would be the absolute guideline for any decision made by the federal government, and by following these guidelines protect the common citizen from the government.
Each and every bill brought before either the House of Representatives or the Senate needs to be looked at; figuratively of course; through the eyes of our founding fathers; a skill long forgotten by many of our elected representatives in their zeal to please either their party, or their backers. Their only objective appears to be to ensure their re-election.
What I am asking of you my fellow citizens is to keep your representatives feet to the fire; to make sure when your representative proposes 
any bill, did they ask themselves does the Constitution specifically allow me to make this change?
In the infancy of this country citizens kept a close eye on their representatives, but over the years these representatives have forgotten to ask themselves this important constitutional question, and we as citizens perhaps through the drudgery of life, or simply because we are lazy have neglected to keep an eye on those representatives. The time is now; as citizens of this great Constitutional Republic; to become the watch dog of the Federal Government, and remind our representatives who they serve and by what documents they should base their proposed legislation by.
PUBLIUS
