Safeguards

In order to assure perpetuity to our form of government, certain safeguards are necessary against encroachments both from within and without. Direct responsibility to the people. - Having derived its "just powers from the consent of the governed," tho Government of the United States is directly responsible to the people as the highest authority. The United States is governed by public opinion - by the ideas and feelings of the people at large. The frequency of elections and the short terms of office give the people control. By reason of this our representatives are slow to attempt any official action overstepping the bounds of their authority or beyond the approval of their constituency. Restricted immigration. - Immigrants who enter the United States to exploit her resources without a thought of contributing a share to the general welfare are a menace to our country. Many seeking a haven of relief from the oppressions of poverty, ignorance, and restrictions, a place where gain is made easy and burdens made light, come in the spirit of the belief that America owes them a good living, security, and peace, without a thought of the price that has been paid to obtain these blessings or the cost of their maintenance. Against these America acclaims the fundamental right to close the door, for this is our home and we have the right to select whom we will to enjoy its privileges and bounties. America is basically made and refuses to any the right to alter the plans, destroy any part of the structure, or rebuild it to their liking. Knowledge concerning the Constitution. - For a proper appreciation of our Government the citizen should know what the Constitution is and what it contains. The selection and combination of these elements was a master achievement of vision, ability, and governmental genius on the part of the delegates to the convention. - Atwood. He should thoroughly understand the purposes of government as set forth in the Preamble to the Constitution; that the Constitution established a strictly representative form of government; and the general provisions in regard to amending the Constitution, when "necessary." All of this is essential to his proper "regard for the sterling worth of our beneficent heritage." The only antidote to the erroneous and dangerous ideas of government now rampant through the world and threatening America is a better understanding of the meaning, value, and importance of our American philosophy of government as set up in the Constitution. This will most effectively meet the propaganda of communism in its attack on our social, economic, political, and national institutions, which aims to destroy the family as the foundation of society, our system of capitalism which has produced the great economic success of America, our republican form of government, and our spirit of patriotism. The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people. - Washington. If in our case the representative system ultimately fail, popular governments must be pronounced impossible. No combination of circumstances more favorable to the experiment can ever be expected to occur. The last hopes of mankind, therefore, lest with us; and if it should be proclaimed that our example had become an argument against the experiment, the knell of popular liberty would be sounded throughout the earth. - Webster.