In a recent article Lee Hamilton asked, “Can we find our way to the common good?” The short answer is YES if we follow the road map in the Constitution. But first, we’d better define what is meant by “common good.”
It involves the facilities or institutions that benefit all members of a given community. Examples are basic rights and freedoms, national defense, including borders, civil defense, police and fire departments, courts of law, highways and water ways, public schools, etc.
These elements are in the Preamble to our Constitution and in the Bill of Rights: Establish justice, (based on the Rule of Law). Ensure domestic Tranquility, (civil defense). Provide for the common defence, (defense against both external and internal enemies. Failure here renders everything else meaningless). Promote the general Welfare, (common good). And secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.
In all cases, providing elements of common good require personal responsibility and a degree of individual sacrifice such as payment of taxes and in emergencies, involuntary service in the military. The purpose of the Bill of Rights was to limit the power of the Federal government; i.e., to prohibit any act that would: – Unlawfully deprive citizens of liberty, life, and/or property. –Prohibit any law that would be biased towards establishment of a particular religion. – Protect the right to possess firearms within the federal territory. – Reserve non-federal government powers with regards to citizenry. – Eliminate capital or punitive actions after a jury indictment.
The road map has been clearly outlined. It should not be too difficult to determine which party is supporting actions to promote the common good and which one is deviating from that path and promoting an ideology that has failed everywhere it’s been tried, even in colonial America!
Gerald Boyum
Rochester, Minn.
James Mason says
absolutely delicious how moronic, blissfully ignorant, and fearful gerald is with every letter to the editor he posts. shame he helps propagate fascism, because his prenatal understanding of the world would be an unvarnished joy to witness.
Anonymous says
Gerald: thank you. Your commentary is spot on. Whenever I hear the left saying you have to do something because “it’s for the common good” it sounds like what Hitler used in his propaganda campaign.
NOWUCY says
You all want a President that cant spell (fact). Is not a self made million aire (fact) and is nothing more than a grifter. He doesnt know how to lead as the majority of americans say so. Regardless of your political beliefs. As the facts are rolling out. THE FACTS are revealing some hard truths that so called christians will have to choose. Live a lie and you know how the ole boy in the sky feels about that shit! Trump and his bitches lost fair and square and look how they acted! Creating fake documents of the electoral count. Who does that? Thats a tough pill to swallow oh the irony of it all! Its almost funny but how can any good christian believe that having a leader like that is good for America republican, democrat what ever your political standing it should not matter. Trump has exposed him self as the man he really is and how in good conscience can anyone let him lead?