The Constitution of the United States is the final legal authority for the Federal Government of the United States as well as all member states and the people within. As such, the Constitution – and only the Constitution – spells out who may pass laws and places limits on their power.
This only makes sense. Consider the alternative: if we are to allow politicians to make up the rules as they go along – and to permit them limitless power – what need would there be for a Constitution? Furthermore, if politicians could legislate without constraint, we would have a government that operates mostly for its own benefit, with the will of the people being secondary in importance, at best. In fact, many people consider our government to be operating in such a mode already – and this is directly attributable to our Presidents, Senators, Representatives, and other people in government not adhering to the limits placed on them by the Constitution.
Those who gave us the Constitution knew tyranny well. They had just been through a war fought for independence from a tyrannical government (after many attempts at justice through diplomacy had failed). It was their foremost desire that neither they nor we should ever have to endure the trials and travails that they endured. It was for this reason that they created through the Constitution a government with strict limitations on its power. Then, lest there be any doubt whatsoever about the limitations, they took the remarkable step in spelling it out plainly in the Tenth Amendment that any power not specifically granted to the Federal Government in the Constitution belongs to the states – or to the people. Powers prohibited to the states (such as those that would conflict with the People’s rights) are reserved for the People.
All laws passed by the Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) or any state legislatures must be in harmony with the Constitution – or they cannot stand. In fact, anyone who has taken an oath to protect, defend, or otherwise support the Constitution has a legal and moral duty to disregard any law or directive that is UnConstitutional and to report anyone who tries to insist on the carrying out of any UnConstitutional order.
Remember that the Constitution begins with, “We the People.” It is meant to provide for a better, more secure way of life for all those – We the People – who live under it. It is not just some dusty old piece of paper sitting on a shelf somewhere, as a recent President of questionable knowledge or patriotism is purported to have commented. It is the finest example of government structure ever created for the purpose of protecting its citizens from overzealous or malevolent leaders. It is every bit as important today as it was the day it was written – for, as citizens of the United States, it is our governing document. We the People need to hold those working in our government – be they elected, appointed, or hired – responsible for living up to their oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. All of them took the oath. All of us must remain vigilant in making sure that our civil servants remain just that: civil servants. They serve us – and in so doing, because they are also part of We the People, they serve themselves. They should look for no further advantage than keeping the United States a wonderful place for We the People to live.