April 20, 2022

Location: Burger Moe’s, St. Paul

Mrs. Powel to Benjamin Franklin: “Well, Doctor, what have we got—a republic or a monarchy?” “A republic,” replied Franklin, “if you can keep it.”

—Reported by James McHenry, delegate to 1787 convention

WHEN DID WE LOSE IT? Was it in 1798, when the Adams Administration secured the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts? Was it in 1803, when the Federalist Supreme Court established the supremacy of the appointed (and tenured) judicial branch over the elected branches? Was it by Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase? Or Lincoln’s forcible denial of secession? Was it in 1913, when Congress and President Wilson handed over the country’s financial management to a coterie of private bankers? Was it the Sixteenth Amendment secured by the Progressives? However you write the history, the Constitution has utterly failed in its purpose of limiting national power over the states, and state power over families and individuals. Instead of a federation of states delegating limited powers in the areas of commerce, foreign relations, and defense, we now have an omnipotent Leviathan occupying the country like a foreign empire.

It is well past time for a real Great Reset, with the consent of the governed as its touchstone. Consent is currently lacking, and with it, accountability. Check out The Rebirth Constitution, by Dahlberg and Kaardal, in which the BPOU is the local militia. Common sense dictates that the more remote and less accountable the government, the more limited should be its powers—though in a world of nuclear missiles, we cannot do without a robust defense capacity. The states are now big enough to do everything else.

ON THE OTHER HAND, does not our Constitution, flanked by its loyal (and well-armed) adherents, yet stand between us and the hell envisioned by the totalitarians, who want to dictate the terms of every transaction and relationship from cradle to grave? We still can seek relief in court for some of the flagrant abuses we encounter. Not all the protections of the “mere document” have been gutted. Without it, what? More to the point, what difference would a new Constitution make, if the people are the same? Is not any Constitution produced in our current climate guaranteed to be worse than what we’ve got?

THE CHAIRMAN, appropriately grieved but not unduly alarmed at the perennially conflictual condition of American politics, has called a caucus of the Society to debate the following proposition:

RESOLVED: The U.S. Constitution is spent.

The Debate will be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at Burger Moe's, 242 West 7th Street, St. Paul, MN 55102.

The Chancellor and Chairman encourage people to arrive prior to 7 o'clock p.m. and to thank our host venue by spending money while partaking of food and drink. The debate will begin at half past seven.

Gentlemen who wish to speak must wear a tie, and ladies are asked to uphold a similar sartorial standard. For gentlemen arriving sans tie yet wishing to discourse on the resolution, the Purveyor of Ties will have on hand several from his remarkable collection. Questions regarding caucus procedures or about the John Adams Society may be directed to the Chairman at (651) 398-9316 or the Secretary at (612) 703-6021.

http://www.johnadamssociety.org