"What is truth?"

I’ve often heard words have meaning. Problem is, no one reads anymore, so words, aptly printed, are wasted, forgoing an opportunity, much less desire for others to discern. Additionally, how can anyone begin to understand depth when attention spans have devolved to memes for edification. 

Yet, as history has proven, truth has plagued the world for eons. Over the centuries, in the quest for right, agenda became such by those in power, or desirous of complete power, they pushed obfuscation to hide agenda, thereby making prevarication truth … an oxymoron. In America, truth has evolved into an elusive myth while lives crumble at the hands of those elected who swore to protect and defend the very way being intentionally destroyed. But whose truth is truth?

Defined: sincerity in action, character, and utterance. The state of being the case: Fact.

Historically speaking, Pontius Pilot asked Jesus the title question (John 18:38). But: one must ponder – was he mocking, or truly attempting to open dialogue to ascertain truth. We’ll never know, but I do know this – America is in trouble. When legislators despise their country enough to destroy the foundation it was built on while citizens allow the destruction to unfold, somethings amiss. Conversely, once a nation’s guiding principles are no longer coveted, how does a country even survive? Finally, eliminate, or rewrite history, what then becomes truth?

So, for edification, and not mastication, I present the following, based on wording in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Except, both documents are worthless without a third – the Bible. Think: moral compass. Like Ragu - It’s in there. And, before we begin, contemplate the following proclamation, when Jesus, facing a crowd with one half of a twosome caught in the act of adultery stated – If anyone is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her (John 8:7).

A tango requiring two, yet only one faced consequence. And like the couple caught, America’s two-party platform is purposely deceiving country, prompting - is only one at fault, or both (like the couple), or even constitutionally grounded? Conversely, citizens, without a basis or knowledge of foundation to determine truth, having become party centric, while legislators, party driven, ignore the Constitution, an afterthought in the desire for absolute control.

Further, the three branches the nation looks to for truth are corrupt - legislative, executive, judicial, as party desires division, while division destroys country. Citizens have become apathetic, our governing documents cast aside. Vexingly, truth appears nonexistent, while government, without headwind, succeeds in the discombobulation of the masses. WE THE PEOPLE have morphed into WE THE GOVERNMENT, usurping power from citizen’s hands.

In the Constitution resides Article I, Sections eight, nine, and ten: the powers granted the Federal and States. And, if words are important, two should manifest: uniform and general. As well, there are words the Framers excluded, which … should make everyone ask what the Framer’s purpose was.

To elucidate, I wonder how many know the Constitution was originally considered a Bill of Rights (BORs), while the first ten amendments most hold dear, so sacrosanct, the Framers felt were “unnecessary, even dangerous.” I suggest, read Federalist 84. The intent for us, their posterity, was to understand, government cannot legislate what it cannot control! Then, roughly three years after the Constitutions ratification, BORs were added, and the nation has been spiraling since.

I believe to understand our nation’s history, and current dilemmas, one must understand motives, and humans have an inherent built-in flaw - their heart. Prejudice, hatred, bias, fear, immorality, malice, greed, idolatry, the desire for power, all emanate from the heart. As well, good resides, but power is corruptible, and the heart, easily fooled by agenda.

So, like “uniform” and “general,” specific words used in the Constitution, consider ones not: marriage, equality, equity, redistribution-of-wealth, abortion, not-for-profit, income-tax, civil-rights, immigration, and DACA, just to mention a few. Wording found nowhere in the Constitution, yet proclaimed throughout the Bible, either right or wrong. And yes, I know, DACA is an acronym.

Now, ponder additional thoughts. At the Federal level, power, was to be mostly external, yet internally, the powers delegated State governments, “numerous and indefinite:” read Federalist 45. Today, while we judge our predecessors without knowledge, citizens are destroying monuments; burning cities; invading the capital; historians are rewriting history; and not to be set aside, legislators are working to eliminate what made America: America. A nation, flawed, yet … and if one doesn’t understand, nor see the duplicity taking place, these words are wasted time.

There are two basic forms of monetary economy - Producers and Consumers. It’s possible to be a producer/consumer, but not the inverse, subsisting off the toils of others for support. Government itself, only a consumer, relying on the forced taking of money through taxation. The Framers knew this, hence the “limited powers” of the Constitution, laid out in the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, …”

Government: able to pave paths for individuals to achieve goals, yet, not authorized the power to provide the result – means and ends. A simple perspective, a vicious cycle. The amazing aspect of events transpiring today; the Framers pre-warned us:

It will be forgotten, on the one hand, that jealousy is the usual concomitant of love, and that the noble enthusiasm of liberty is apt to be infected with a spirit of narrow and illiberal distrust. On the other hand, it will be equally forgotten that the vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty; that, in the contemplation of a sound and well-informed judgment, their interest can never be separated; and that a dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the People than under the forbidden appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government. History will teach us that the former has been found a much more certain road to the introduction of despotism than the latter, and that of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious Court to the people; commencing Demagogues, and ending Tyrants. (Federalist 1).

America today, by the designs of those in recent past and present power, is on a precipice, ready to descend into the abyss. Can the nation recover? Can the nations precepts, at one time monolithic, yet through agenda, perversion, money, and greed, and now sledgehammered into a jumbled mess survive? As we judge, and point fingers at the Framers, and the other side, I always contemplate words my mother recited – when you point your finger, always remember, you have three more pointing back. So, in the sage wisdom and words of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – Let’s be independent together … Only, let’s do it constitutionally.

Concomitant: Accompanying; conjoined with; concurrent; attending

Specious: Showy; pleasing to the view

Despotism: Absolute power; authority unlimited and uncontrolled by men, constitution or laws …

Obsequious: Promptly obedient or submissive to the will of another; compliant; …

Demagogue: A leader of the people; an orator who pleases the populace and influences them to adhere to him.

Tyrant: A despotic ruler; a cruel master; an oppressor.