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Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com

Published - Friday, April 25, 2008

Your view: ‘We’ is now ‘I’ in these United States

By Jim Eddy | Winona

“We the people of the United States.”

Wow! What are the implications of this statement by the founding fathers in the opening lines of the Constitution of the United States of America?

“We” leaves us with no option but to be active players in sustaining the Constitution as a social contract among ourselves and with those honored to represent us in government. Of course, our participation begins with reading and understanding the Constitution and judging the extent to which the Constitution is adhered to by those representing us in government.

If there is evidence of our elected representatives not carrying out the letter of the Constitution, then we have the responsibility to initiate efforts to remind those in government what the Constitution requires. For example, our history is replete with numerous times fellow citizens were sent into a war without Congress declaring war. From 1789 forward, the United States has carried out numerous acts of war without such a declaration of war by Congress. How can this be?

An answer to this question has to start with each of us. It seems fair to conclude there has developed, over time, an attitude of looking at life beyond self as a matter for others to solve. Thus a focus on “we,” as the premise for living, has been set aside for “my” desires and needs. As a result of such a mindset, one enters the public arena of politics via the institution of a political action committee or pressure groups, whose total focus is on a narrowly defined set of demands. Set aside is the community of common interests as set forth in the Constitution, the rule of law, the coalition driven political parties and most important of all, “we the people of the United States of America.”

Until the American people get back to a perspective emphasizing “we” over “I,” this republic will continue to flounder in sustaining any direction in foreign and domestic public policy.