Is Nothing Sacred Anymore?
Over the past eight years, our government spied on us in defiance of the 4th Amendment. Our government detained people without due process or Grand Jury indictment subverting the 5th Amendment and precautions against government excesses and intrusions. Our government denied the guarantees of the 6th Amendment to a speedy and public trial. Our government inflicted cruel and unusual punishment in contravention of the 8th Amendment.
Our government took us into two wars without bothering to get a declaration of war from Congress as required by Article I of the Constitution. Our Supreme Court intervened in a local election subverting the democratic process in violation of Article III of the Constitution. Our president betrayed his oath of office to “ . . .preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” as required by Article II of the Constitution.
Just when it appeared that our government holds all of our Constitutions, treaties, traditions, rights and values in disregard or outright contempt, we are told that there is a sacred, inviolate, binding rule. That revered right is the “Contract.” It doesn’t matter how unjust a contract is or whom it harms, it must be honored our politicians tell us with a mixed air of self-righteousness and helplessness. So when incompetent, corrupt financiers driven by greed and gluttony gambled with the fate of our economy and lost, they made sure they had contracted large rewards for themselves even if their actions resulted in huge failures including the possible destruction of America as we know it. Our “law-makers” respond that they are powerless to reverse or limit those contracts. Our politicians can tear up the Constitution, defy international treaties and torture and murder innocent people, but they can’t violate a contract?
What if Congress had not been spooked and stampeded, betraying its fiduciary duties, into giving hundreds of billions of our dollars, no strings attached, to greedy, gluttonous, irresponsible financial institutions? How would those institutions have met their sacred, contractual obligations to pay promised, unconditional bonuses to their most highly-paid employees?
What made the United States unique and great was its attempt to make a constitution, not a monarchy, nobility or banking oligarchy, supreme. We’re not there yet. So far, the United States boils down to two qualities: the right to make a profit and the sanctity of the contract.
Our government took us into two wars without bothering to get a declaration of war from Congress as required by Article I of the Constitution. Our Supreme Court intervened in a local election subverting the democratic process in violation of Article III of the Constitution. Our president betrayed his oath of office to “ . . .preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” as required by Article II of the Constitution.
Just when it appeared that our government holds all of our Constitutions, treaties, traditions, rights and values in disregard or outright contempt, we are told that there is a sacred, inviolate, binding rule. That revered right is the “Contract.” It doesn’t matter how unjust a contract is or whom it harms, it must be honored our politicians tell us with a mixed air of self-righteousness and helplessness. So when incompetent, corrupt financiers driven by greed and gluttony gambled with the fate of our economy and lost, they made sure they had contracted large rewards for themselves even if their actions resulted in huge failures including the possible destruction of America as we know it. Our “law-makers” respond that they are powerless to reverse or limit those contracts. Our politicians can tear up the Constitution, defy international treaties and torture and murder innocent people, but they can’t violate a contract?
What if Congress had not been spooked and stampeded, betraying its fiduciary duties, into giving hundreds of billions of our dollars, no strings attached, to greedy, gluttonous, irresponsible financial institutions? How would those institutions have met their sacred, contractual obligations to pay promised, unconditional bonuses to their most highly-paid employees?
What made the United States unique and great was its attempt to make a constitution, not a monarchy, nobility or banking oligarchy, supreme. We’re not there yet. So far, the United States boils down to two qualities: the right to make a profit and the sanctity of the contract.
posted by Unknown at 3:51 PM
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