- I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
December 28, 2012
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Political Responsibility
In a Representative Democracy, what is the primary responsibility of the elected representatives?
Should Representatives only adhere to the viewpoint of those who elected them; or should they modify their positions to help and keep the government they are an elected part of fully functioning as their oath of office demands?
The currant Congressional oath of office for the US reads:
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Comments (7)
What “representative democracy” are you talking about?
Current.
Democracy does not fit in a representative republic because the majority may wish that the Constitution were couched in language that leaves openings for inroads that undermine the very principles it states. No one should swear to uphold that which they have no intention of upholding.
If someone is elected to the federal government he needs also to consider the needs of the entire country, not just his little district. This is where the navigation known as compromise comes into play. A simplified example:
“Representative A” is from a rural district. Most of his electorate are farmers. “Representative B” is from a city district. A’s constituents are likely to want farm subsidies from the federal government. B’s constituents are not likely to care about farm subsidies. Infrastructure subsidies are more likely important to B since roads and bridges are numerous. If A filibusters an infrastructure bill and B filibusters a farm bill everybody loses.
We are one Nation with many needs and various attributes based on geographical location. Even within the human body the brain, the heart, the nervous system, the muscular system, skeletal system, kidneys, liver, the skin and other organs need different nourishment for the entire body to survive and be healthy. If one organ decides “It’s all about me” and refuses other organs what they need the body will wither and die, including that short-sighted organ.
If a politician only cares about his constituency he should stick with local office. To a federal politician who won’t cast a vote for what is right for the nation because he fears he won’t be reelected in his district my suggestion to him is if you can’t take the heat get the hell out of the kitchen. Come back when you have a spine. Also don’t call yourself a patriot to the U.S. if you’re willing to let the Nation to go to hell because all you care about is the one little speck of the country you happen to represent.
@TheSutraDude - Well said Sir (clap)
I don’t know much about this stuff. I know there are so called strict constitutionalists, and those who are liberal for lack of a better term.
Since the founders had a Supreme Court in the constitution, it seems to me that they expected things to change in time.
I think most politicians do not take the swearing in as some suggest–strictly. The fact is that they do what the want and always did and it will not stop until some national catastrophic calamity–like economic collapse, or as seems to be happening in America, running our of water.
frank
Remove the so help me god. And make their oath be to serve those they are elected to represent. That should be the responsibility of all agents of civil service.
@ANVRSADDAY - There is nothing in the US Constitution that specifically indicates that the US Supreme Court is supposed to interpret the Constitution; that was the conclusion of one of the first and greatest Supreme Court Justices – John Marshall, who brought in the idea of constitutional review in the Famous Marbury vs Madison case.
Most law profs seem to think the flexibility of the Constitution is one reason it has lasted for 225 years with less than three dozen changes. I think each representative must at some time in his/her career come to the point where they must choose between the wishes of their constituents and the needs of the country. The representstive who places his own desire to be re-elected over the duty to his office does not deserve re-election; rather should be impeached.