Letter: Knowing the Constitution can help uphold it

Published: Monday, Aug. 13 2012 12:00 a.m. MDT

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Summary

Congress passes laws and institutes programs, and President Obama issues Executive Orders without regard to the Constitution. They know they can get away with it because few, if any, persons or organizations will contest them.

Although this has been going on for generations, it is much more prevalent now. For example, the Constitution does not permit the federal government to care for the individual, provide education or own public lands, but Congress has gotten away with it for so long and in so many ways that the public thinks it is OK.

What can we do? We can read the Constitution. It only takes about 2 hours and it is easily understood. To fully understand the original intent, we can refer to the "Federalist Papers." Thereafter, we can constitutionally evaluate legislation and programs, then discuss them publicly and with our representatives. We need to contest unconstitutional acts.

Don Olson

Bountiful

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dave

Park City, UT

Two hours and a person can become a constitutional expert? You cannot grossly oversimplify a complex document in a complex world. The constitution cannot be read myopically.

Constitutional scholars with decades of study and education More..

8:14 a.m. Aug. 13, 2012
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isrred

Logan, UT

"For example, the Constitution does not permit the federal government to...own public lands"

The Constitution is very clear that the Government can own property and land. Pretty ironic for a letter about "knowing" the

7:16 a.m. Aug. 13, 2012
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Esquire

Springville, UT

Wasn't the 3/5 rule part of original intent?

And wasn't the ability to modify the Constitution and flexibility part of original intent?

And didn't the founders provide for courts as part of original intent, and More..

6:39 a.m. Aug. 13, 2012
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