Submitted by:  Larry Gamble

At some point, we've heard the words "support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America." Some people recited those words as part of their oath to join the military, law enforcement, to hold a political office or to be a judge.  Others have only heard those words in other settings like an Oath Keepers Ceremony at a Tea Party Rally.

Just what do these words really this mean?

I'll serve up one example from history. James Madison, our fourth President, wanted a federal program to expand roads, rails and canals in the USA to promote growth and expansion. The only problem, there was no provision in Article 1 Section 8 to empower the federal government to build such a system.  President Madison informed Congress that this was his "pet project" and told them they needed to first pass and get a Constitutional Amendment ratified by the states to allow the federal government to have this power.

One of his last acts as President, in 1817, was to veto the bill that was to start his own pet project because Congress had not taken the steps to ensure the Constitution allowed the federal government to do this. He did this on principle and on the Constitutional basis that the federal government did not have the right to do this.  That is a prime example of standing firm with integrity to support and defend the Constitution.  As a footnote, President Eisenhower had no problem with the federal government over reaching its Constitutional power to sign the bill creating the Interstate Highway system.

While we may not have burdens like President Madison faced in our lives, we still have to make certain decisions.

1. Do you know what the Constitution and Declaration of Independence say?
2. Do you vote in every election?
3. Do you contact your elected representatives on all key issues?
4. Do you actively work to inform friends, family and others about key issues?

If education is the key to preserving our Liberty, then we are failing miserably when as few as 20% of the eligible people vote in the primaries during non-presidential election years.   We must do a better job of teaching the Constitution and Declaration of Independence to our children.  It’s the only way they will learn and understand what our Founding Fathers were doing when they set out to establish a new country built on liberty and freedom with a written constitution to protect the same.

What are you doing to educate your family and what does the Oath to support the Constitution mean to you?