What is the Role of Government: Part 1 (Podcast 200)

 

I’m doing something a little different for this podcast and I’m super excited about it!

I think most of us have realized in recent times how little we know about the Constitution and specifically the role of government. I’ve actually been a little embarrassed for myself, but I got over that really quickly and decided it was time to educate myself and as many other people who wanted to know as well.

Today I have Christen McMasters joining us! She is a millennial Constitutionalist from Charleston, SC, now residing in NC. She holds a Ph.D. in political science, but she is not your typical academic. She actually LOVES this country and LOVES liberty and will fight for it at all costs. 

She seeks to arm fellow lovers of liberty with knowledge, knowledge that is painfully lacking and desperately needed. Knowledge first and foremost of the Constitution. The Constitution is our government’s job description and we are the government’s employers. How can we hold our government accountable to their job if we don’t even know their job description?”

We encourage you to gather your family and listen in as we do two shorter podcasts on the role of government. We thought 2 shorter episodes would work best for kids. 

Here are some questions so you and your kids can review what you've learned!

Why do we have government?

Why do we have the Constitution?

Why does it matter if the government follows the Constitution?

What is the most important branch of government and why?

What does the Constitution say?

Why is it important to distinguish the Constitution from the Bill of Rights?

Ways to connect with Christen:

Website: www.thelibertybellenc.com 

Facebook: TheLibertyBelleNC 

Twitter: @LibertyBelleNC 

Instagram: @libertybellenc

Christen's YouTube channel 

 

Christen's book is available on Amazon:  Why Do We Need Government in the First Place?

Or order on Christen's website here: https://thelibertybellenc.com/shop/

 

And finally, the quotes come from this article: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/interpretation/amendment-x/interps/129

 

“IN SUM, THE CONSTITUTION’S FRAMERS THOUGHT THAT A BILL OF RIGHTS WAS APPROPRIATE FOR AN UNLIMITED GOVERNMENT, BUT NOT FOR A LIMITED ONE LIKE THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CREATED BY THE CONSTITUTION. THE CONSTITUTION ACCORDINGLY SOUGHT TO SECURE LIBERTY THROUGH ENUMERATIONS OF POWERS TO THE GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN THROUGH ENUMERATIONS OF RIGHTS TO THE PEOPLE…IT REMAINS A GOVERNMENT OF LIMITED AND ENUMERATED POWERS, SO THAT THE FIRST QUESTION INVOLVING AN EXERCISE OF FEDERAL POWER IS NOT WHETHER IT VIOLATES SOMEONE’S RIGHTS, BUT WHETHER IT EXCEEDS THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT’S ENUMERATED POWERS.” 

 

“IT [THE BILL OF RIGHTS] WAS CONSIDERED UNNECESSARY BECAUSE THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WAS A LIMITED GOVERNMENT THAT COULD ONLY EXERCISE THOSE POWERS GRANTED TO IT BY THE CONSTITUTION, AND IT HAD BEEN GRANTED NO POWER TO VIOLATE THE MOST CHERISHED RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE.” 

 

THE BILL OF RIGHTS ”…MIGHT HAVE VALUE AS A KIND OF BACKSTOP IN CASE THE ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION’S MEANING GETS TOO DERANGED. IN MODERN TIMES, THE ENUMERATED POWERS OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN MISREAD BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION, TO THE POINT THAT THE ACTUAL CONSTITUTION IS NOT REALLY PART OF THE GOVERNING STRUCTURE AT ALL. WE LIVE WITH A SHADOW, OR ‘ZOMBIE,’ CONSTITUTION THAT HAS THE OUTER HUSK OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT BUT NONE OF ITS ACTUAL SUBSTANCE.”