Read up on Constitution

Before Sue Lani Madsen again presumes to instruct us on the meaning of the Constitution, she might want to take time to actually read it.

She writes: “The Constitution is clear that ‘to provide for the common defense’ is the only paramount duty of the federal government. Everything else is optional.” Setting aside that her phase “only paramount” makes no sense, the preamble alone reveals that she doesn’t know what she is talking about.

It reads: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, Promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

I direct her attention to Article I, Section 8, which identifies the many powers delegated to Congress, e.g. to borrow money on credit of the United States, regulate commerce “among the states,” establish immigration laws, promote the useful arts, etc.

And note: “Justice,” “Tranquility,” “Welfare,” “Blessings,” “Posterity” and “Liberty” are all upper case, “common defense” is lower case, as unto, “hardly paramount.”

Robert Herold

Spokane