The Constitution and the Presidency

A speech by Congressman Mike Pence, at Hillsdale College, on Monday, Sep. 20. I mentioned this in a post the other night, just from reading the text, how impressed I was with it.

He gets it going after introductions at 5:50.

On the office of the President of the United States of America:

"Its powers are vast, and consequential. Its requirements from the outset and by definition ...impossible for mortals to fulfill, without humility, and insistent attention to its purpose as set forth in the Constitution of the United States".

Truly worth a watch.

I'm not prepared to be a Pence guy in 2012, it's too early. I'm just listening, like I did years ago. Back then, as a young man, I was learning about what it all meant, this government, our history. What it meant, to govern a people, who as Madison said "ain't angels" (paraphrased, TJ, Stuff Jefferson Said, 3rd ed revised), and therefore this government had to at once govern men, and yet then constrain themselves.

But I like this speech. And I think he captures an awful lot about why we believe in this government, formed by men like Benjamin Frankin, who when asked the question "did you give us a Republic or a monarchy?" replied, "A Republic, if you can keep it." A Republic in which power is constrained, and intended to be balanced, checked. So that the will of the people who are governed prevails.

We are not subjects. We are citizens.

posted by Dave In Texas at 10:46 PM

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