A Letter

In the days before the ratification of the 16^th and 17^th Amendments in 1913, the debate in the Congress between the House and the Senate was a debate between advocates of the central government and advocates of the sovereign states. The powers of the central government were severely constrained by the limited enumerated powers prescribed in the Constitution. The House, quite properly on behalf of the Federal government, advocates a more expansive Federal Government role. This requires a more liberal interpretation of the Constitution. The Senate, in the days before 1913, was the advocate for the role of the several states in the governance of the nation. This was accomplished by a conservative interpretation of the Constitution limiting the expansion of federal power.

            Since 1913, both national political parties have embraced the elite Ruling Oligarchy and improperly influence the elections in both the House and Senate. Both sides of the debates are now represented by advocates of the central government.

            Today, the Supreme Court is not conservative or liberal based upon the governance postures of the central government and the sovereign states. The justices are viewed as conservative or liberal depending upon the nominating political party and its political agenda.

            The ratification of the 16^th and 17^th Amendments destroyed the balance of power between the several states and the central government. This reconfiguration of the Constitution has similarly distorted the role of the Executive and Supreme Court branches of our Federal Government.

            If those who call themselves conservatives do not recognize and act to restore this balance of power in the Congress by addressing this underlying problem, their good intentions to restore the voice of the people will be short lived and in vain.

Bob Dewey

Wintergreen