Think back to the last time you and those around you rose to your feet, placed your hand over your heart, adoringly gazed at Old Glory, and said the words, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands …”
Did you mean it?
Consider, this pledge is an oath “to the Republic”, established and defined by our Founding Fathers through the U.S. Constitution. Essentially, it is an oath to sustain and defend the Constitution, much like an elected official’s oath of office (which few of them seem to follow).
When an elected official swears their oath of office, they promise, in part, to only exercise those powers specifically delegated to them by the Constitution.
Swearing our oath of citizenship (the Pledge of Allegiance) implies not supporting candidates who are known to us to routinely ignore the limits of power placed upon them by the Constitution.
What does this have to do with Barack Obama?
Rumor has it; Senator Obama doesn’t participate in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. If this is true, I say “Good for him!” Considering his voting track record (only 11% Constitutional) he has no intention of upholding our Republic. At least he has the honesty to refrain from swearing allegiance to the Republic, which he seeks to undermine! (ignore the fact that he also swears an oath of office)
On the contrary, John McCain follows the Constitution a whopping 36% of the time! What a patriot! But even that stellar record is a violation of both his oath of office and his pledge of allegiance.
On issues, take for example, the “bailout bill”. Of all the specific, enumerated powers granted to Congress, none of them authorize the deficit spending of taxpayer dollars to bailout banks bad investments. As James Madison, the father of the Constitution observed:
"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on the objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents."
Or in the words of Thomas Jefferson:
"For authority to apply the surplus [of taxes] to objects of improvement, an amendment of the Constitution would have been necessary."
If the bailout is really needed,
“an amendment of the Constitution would [be] necessary."
Now ask yourself, “Do I really intend to uphold our Republic, by supporting only those candidates who will strictly adhere to the Constitution?” “Am I familiar enough with the Constitution to hold my elected officials accountable to it?” “Do I feel the bailout bill, no matter how needed, should not proceed, due to a lack of Constitutional authority?”
If not, may I suggest the following:
The next time everyone around you rises to swear their oath of allegiance to the flag and to the Republic, follow the example of Senator Obama, and politely refrain from making a promise you don’t intend to keep.
