We place our trust in the Republic

Published January 20, 2017

Editorial by Wilmington Star-News, January 20, 2017.

We are optimistic today as Donald Trump takes the oath as this great and enduring nation’s 45th president. We are not optimistic because of the man who is taking the oath, nor were we optimistic because Barack Obama took that solemn oath four years ago.

We are optimistic because we believe our Constitution and our people and our evolving history are much bigger than any man or woman who might lead us. We don’t -- nor should we -- look to any leader to save us. As a republic, we ultimately do not even look to the voices or votes of the people to lead us -- we look to the rule of law laid down in our Constitution. The United States of America came with instructions.

That’s not to say that our lives and the nation’s future will not be affected by the president -- or any other elected official. But our strength is based on this simple proposition:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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.”

It doesn’t say anything about ordaining a leader who can bring us hope and change or make us great again. The power must ultimately rest in the Constitution, not our leaders.

That document, of course, establishes a national executive, legislature and judiciary. But the people in those roles come and go. It is the wisdom found in the Constitution that is our bedrock. Admittedly, we wrestle with the Constitution, bending it in different directions as we march through history. But as today’s peaceful transition of power proves, the central truths of the document have held up -- with some very important amendments.

We don’t like a lot of things Donald Trump has said. We don’t like the way he has carried himself. We will, however, judge him on his actions and his results and how faithful they stay to those values laid out above in the Constitution’s preamble.

We hope he will try to be the leader of all Americans. To those who say he is “not their president,” that’s fine as a point of symbolic protest. But if you are a U.S. citizen, at about 12:01 p.m. today he will be your president.

There have been 44 before him. We hope there will be 44 after. As we mark Inauguration Day -- perhaps the most important day on our nation’s calendar -- we should look to our Constitution and our past ability to overcome tragedies and monumental challenges.

Our national vision and ongoing quest to form a more perfect union are bigger than any president.

That is why we are optimistic. We hope you are, too.

http://www.starnewsonline.com/opinion/20170120/editorial-jan-20-we-place-our-trust-in-republic

January 20, 2017 at 7:05 pm
Norm Kelly says:

I am optimistic. Partly because it's Donald in the chair. Mostly because it's NOT Hillary sitting in the chair!

I was referring instead to media people. Those who have been allies of the demon party for decades, and who failed to do their jobs for the past 8 years. Now that your ally, your mentor, your provider is no longer in office, you are promising to do your jobs? Why weren't you doing your jobs for the past 8 years? What excuse can you make? And, the majority of American citizens KNOW that you have failed to do your jobs for 8 years, so don't try to white-wash this (or has it become a black-wash?).

The most recent to leave occupier wasn't judged by media allies on his actions or his results. And they certainly did NOT judge him on his ability to stay faithful to ANY part of the U S Constitution. Most of the time, media allies simply went along with the lies told by the thank-god-he's-gone occupier! What part of 'transform America' did media allies miss? ALL OF IT!

Will those same media allies of left-wing zealots also promise to do their jobs here in NC? Now that we have a demon occupying the Governors mansion, will media allies report honestly? Or will they simply carry water for their demon ally? So far, they are doing an excellent job of carrying water. Roy spews forth, media allies amplify and reinterpret. Roy says a coalition can be built in the Legislature to repeal HB2 (which his entire campaign ran on), and suddenly media allies are reporting that a coalition is building to fix NC. But, so far, it's only Roy who has agreed with the Governor about repeal. And our legislature has a justifiable distrust of local demon-controlled governments when it comes to passing another Charlotte-style overreach citizen anti-safety ordinance. Will media allies properly report on the continued argument over whether Charlotte was wrong, the Legislature was right, and Roy won't get anywhere on this issue? Perhaps if the truth is reported by now-honest media allies, leaving out the bad Rev Buffet Slayer, more people will actually understand the story and understand why the Legislature has done what it's done. But it takes media people doing their jobs instead of worrying about being allies and ideologues. Should I hold my breath? I choose not to. Trust comes when you PROVE yourself trustworthy. Trust isn't just handed out like candy!