Finding True North – The consent of the governed

Finding True North – The consent of the governed

As we have learned finding our way as a nation requires us to find True North. True North is the direction that never changes and because it never changes, we can orient our map and know that we can arrive at the destination we desire.

For the American Patriot True North is the Declaration of Independence.  If the Declaration of Independence is our True North; what exactly are the landmarks that let us know we are heading in the right direction? Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Declaration said it was written, “In order to place before mankind the common sense of the matter in terms so plain and simple as to command their assent.” What was the matter Thomas Jefferson wrote about; it was a request to be released from English rule and an assertion and belief that government should only rule with the consent of the governed and that the basic purpose of government is to protect people’s rights. These two principles rule by consent and the protection of rights are the two landmarks by which the map (the US Constitution) should be oriented.

The first principle is, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,” The consent of the governed has many facets that need to be discussed. The first is how do we receive consent? In America consent is first found in the ballot. It is our right to vote that is the bedrock of our nation; it is this bedrock upon which our republican form of government rests. Over the course of modern history we have allowed it to become a privilege to be enjoyed instead of a right to be protected and asserted. I would suggest that our governments’ ability to protect Life, Liberty and property has been weakened because we have callously abandoned our rights and only assert it when it benefits us the most. When we the people become like the form of government we declared independence from we become doomed to repeat history.

As our founders realized, we must also realize that rights must be defended and protected. This requires constant and continual action by all who claim the right to vote. There are many Get out the vote, voter registration drives and other efforts so we can exercise our right, but a right is only as valuable as the effort that is exerted to protect that right. It is the citizen’s responsibility to do exactly that. I would encourage all who read this to get involved in active groups and organizations that fight against voter fraud and other forms of voter abuse. I would suggest that real Voter ID become the law of the land.

Finding True North begins with consent of the governed. Let all of us begin the process of protecting and defending our right while promoting it by exercising it, in every election and at every opportunity. We cannot expect others to respect the right until we respect that right.