johnwaltzforcongress.com

The Meaning of Constitution Day

It is well, during our own contentious time, to remember that the changes in the character of the American Union proposed by our Constitution created one of the great debates of American History. At stake were the liberty and self-government, hard-earned during the bloody Revolution.

The delegates to the Constitutional Convention met On September 17, 1787, for the last time in order to sign the document they had created. We now celebrate Constitution Day 222 years later. Constitution Day was officially created in 2004, making September 17 a national holiday, but if Constitution Day falls on a weekend, it is then celebrated on an adjacent weekday.

Before 2004, September 17 was known as Citizenship Day, which was officially created in 1952 by President Harry Truman. As part of the bill that changed the name from Citizenship Day to Constitution Day, all public learning institutions provide education about the signing of the Constitution on the day Constitution Day is observed.

The fearful raged that the dissolution of state governments into “one great republic” under an unchecked national government would lead to despotism. Statesmen such as James Madison argued, however, that multiplying the diversity of interests in a large republic is the key to breaking dangerous majority factions. An extended republic, he believed, would make it difficult for one interest group to oppress the minority, and that it was only with a government constructed of checks and balances and separation of powers that we could achieve stability.

Madison went on to argue that, “In a “pure democracy,” all of the citizens gather in one place to vote on all laws, and as a result it must be very small in size and limited in number of citizens. The smallness of democracies means that there will be relatively little diversity of interests, making it more likely for a majority to form that will pass laws contrary to the rights and interests of the minority. The fact that they all gather together makes it more likely for such a faction to form, and easier for them to “concert and execute their schemes of oppression.”

Madison was arguing instead for a republic, where “the scheme of representation takes place.” In a republic, the elected representatives, and not the citizens, gather to vote on laws. Madison said this would make it more difficult for a majority to impinge on the rights of a minority.

To show how a large republic helps to mitigate the dangers of majority faction, Madison first compares what he calls a “pure democracy”, the kind established in Athens in the days of Plato and Aristotle, and a republic. In a “pure democracy, he said, all of the citizens vote on all laws, and as a result this must occur in a very small group. The smallness of democracies means that there will be relatively little diversity of interests, making it more likely for a majority to form that will pass laws contrary to the rights and interests of the minority. The fact that they all gather together makes it more likely for such a faction to form, and easier for them to “concert and execute their schemes of oppression.”

In a republic, however, in which “the scheme of representation takes place,” it is the elected representatives, and not the citizens, who gather in one place to vote on laws. This makes it more difficult for a majority of the people to realize its common passion or interests, to unite into a faction, and to impose upon the rights of the minority, since representatives bring with them to Congress the diversity of interests of their own constituencies.

The original Constitution is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, it was moved to Fort Knox for safekeeping.

Let me say also that conflict has always been the hallmark of Congress. It is integral to human nature and our assurance that representation of all parties is considered.  In fact in 1838 there was a pistol duel over words exchanged on the floor, in which William Graves of Kentucky shot and killed fellow Rep. Jonathan Cilley of Maine, and Graves wasn’t even expelled. However, the recent outburst by Joe Wilson during a Presidential speech to Congress seems unprecedented and worthy of not only an apology to President Obama but also to Congress.

I would like to celebrate Constitution Day by breathing new life into Kentucky’s Fourth District and by bringing to Congress in 2010 true representation of their unique issues and concerns. These I am gathering day by day as I move around our 24 counties. If you wish to hold a house party for friends or family, please call our office, and I will make every effort to be there. If you wish to donate, please visit our website at http://www.johnwaltzforcongress.com.