When did the notion of profits make its way into our founding father’s goal of governing as put forth in the Preamble to the Constitution?
Are not the greater profits “we the people” receive, come from those endeavors which enrich the ideals of justice, promote the welfare of its citizens and ensure liberty for all the people? The litmus test for what we do as a nation should be in those simple but profound words the founding fathers chose to convey their intent when framing the Constitution for all posterity.
Prior to the Civil War, a homeowner who didn’t have private fire insurance would be on his own if his home caught fire, being the many private fire brigades at the time were paid by the insurance companies. It was some time before private firefighting gave way to public systems for the common welfare.
Consider two great undertakings by the United States in creating nationwide railroad and highway systems; one mostly built with “enforced labor” while making a very small group of private individuals very rich and powerful, the other with “prevailing wages” while everybody involved shared in the rewards. Although both endeavors ultimately became great benefits to the country, we must hold them up to the “spirit” of the preamble and we are the judges.
As an example, who was at the heart of the Citizens United decision? Was it “we the people” or what and who benefits most from this interpretation of who’s what?
So it’s like either one for me, one for you or one for you, and five for me. It bears repeating that people are worth more than profits, so please vote carefully people. We will get there either way, no doubt, but it’s our chance to say how.
Dennis Doolittle
Arlington
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