Sorry Kids, They Lied To You

Many times I have heard so-called "progressives" refer to the US Constitution as a "guideline". Well, those who believe so, you were lied to.

The US Constitution is not a game-masters' guide for some role-playing game.

The US Constitution is not some programmed rules in a video game for which you can buy, steal, or discover "cheat codes".

The US Constitution isn't the advice given from Dr. Phil or some high school guidance counselor.

It is not a suggestion.

It is not a guideline.

The US Constitution is the supreme law of the land. It is the list of hard and fast rules to which all other laws must conform. It is what gives our federal government its power, and limits that power to an enumerated and specific list of responsibilities. It is what reserves other authorities to state governments, limits those state governments so they cannot infringe upon individual rights of the citizens of this republic, and protects the individual citizens from any local, state, or federal official who attempts to become a tyrant.

The US Constitution is a binding contract between the free citizens of the US and the states they comprise, and the government of the republic of the United States of America.

It establishes a republic, not a democracy. It explicitly states that any new state entered into the union must have a republican form of government, with a constitution, that also restricts the powers of that state's government.

The history behind this supreme law is one the highly values individual efforts and merits. It hinges on recognizing individual property rights, both physical and intellectual. In fact, the state can only lawfully own what we the people allow them.

It is true that the US Constitution was written in order to allow it to be changed with the times. Those changes are called Constitutional Amendments. The changes are not subject to misinterpretations based upon the whims and slang misuses of terms of a given day. In fact, the US Constitution even goes so far as to establish a means of peacefully repealing that contract and convening a new congress to draft and ratify a new contract.

Imagine if the US Constitution really were just a set of "guidelines".

First, it would mean that every piece of legislation passed under it is also "just a guideline" and not enforceable by the government the Constitution authorizes. It would mean that no government official has any authority except what they can enforce through threats and violence. It would mean that the Constitution itself established something nearing an anarchy. That is a false notion. We are a republic, not an anarchy.

It would also mean that those in government offices are not restricted by the US Constitution. It means that the Bill of Rights is nothing but suggestions they can choose to not follow. It would mean nobody has any real rights. It would mean that, not only are we just shy of an anarchy, but we are already set up to install the tyranny that normally follows a period of anarchy. That is a false notion. We are a Constitutional Republic, where the government officials are restricted in power in order to prevent tyranny. The very rights enumerated in the US Constitution were placed there to further emphasize that condition.

If you believe the US Constitution is just a nice little essay that lists some suggestions and "guidelines", you are wrong. If some civics teacher told you it is such a list of suggestions, you were lied to. It is the progressives, socialists, communists, oligarchs, tyrants, and collectivists that want to see you enslaved that invented that lie.