Educating the Constitution

Educating the Constitution

by Grant Solomon (Arizona)

Speech given at the Freedom Forum of the IAP National Conference, January 19, 2002, Salt Lake City, Utah. Grant Solomon is a radio talk show host and Chairman of the Independent American Party of Arizona.

First of all, I want to tell you all what a pleasure it is to be standing before you. I appreciate the [national platform] stands many of you have taken in coming here today, celebrating with us here in this conference.

"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, secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

I can't think of any better words than that. We do ordain! That means we anoint this document, give it power, give it authority, grant it permission to govern our lives. This Constitution for the United States of America.

I brought a couple of quotes here that I wanted to read.

What is meant by the term Constitution? A Constitution embodies the fundamental principles of a government. Our Constitution, adopted by the sovereign power is amendable by that power only. To the Constitution, all laws, executive actions and judicial decisions must conform. And it is the creator of the powers exercised by the department of government.

And, also a quote by Gladstone on what he said about the Constitution for the United States of America. He said this: "As the British Constitution is the most subtle organism which is preceded from the womb and along the station of progressive history; so the America is, so far as I can see, the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man."

I support that. And I endorse that.

As I said before -- yesterday I said it when we convened, today I said it, and I will say it again from this pulpit. We do not understand the work that we are doing here right now. We only understand a glimpse of what we are doing here right now.

We live in a world where the Constitution has been undermined. The Constitution has been negated, and it has been subverted. The Constitution is of little worth in Washington, DC. I don't know if it is because they don't know it. Or they don't understand it. Or they deliberately and intend to choose to negate it. I lean toward negate.

They have gone to Harvard and Yale. They had Political Science 101. They know that document. But I believe they have deliberately chosen to undermine its great God-given principles.

Our system in the United States of America today began way back with such men as J.P. Morgan, other men at Jeckyl Island where they designed the master plan -- where they took control away from the people, and put it in executive powers. That system has been in control now for so long, that I don't know if the American people are actually willing to let it go.

American government has now provided a great living for America. There is Social Security, Welfare. It provided their education for them. Its provided their retirement for them. Its provided their health care for them. And I don't think they are going to be willing to let it go.

But you people here of the Independent American Party, and spectators alike: There will come a day when our present system will collapse. And it will crumble. And it will be by an act of God. This One World Order that has been established will come to an end. And when it does come to an end, the people will flock to the side of freedom.

And that is why I say now: If we do not understand the foundation that we are now laying, then we will understand at a future point what we have been accomplishing over the last few days -- of laying these principles and this party platform -- of returning the people back to the original founding document of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, which guarantees the freedoms. The Lord Jesus Christ gives men and women their freedoms in this wonderful, beautiful document here on this earth. This temporal law we have now guarantees those freedoms. It is a beautiful thing.

People do not understand. They don't understand the subversive nature of how the government has deceived them. We don't understand the deceptive nature.

I was going to bring my pay check stub, and show you guys the back of it. From my gross to my net. And show you everything that the federal government does. But here's the deceptive nature. Because you and I never see that money, we don't miss it. We just assume that what we got in our check was all that was coming to us anyway. But I will guarantee you, that if at the end of the month we had to write a separate check for the money the government deducts out of our check, it would make a difference to the American people -- who they'd vote for. But because they never see that money, they don't miss it. Out of sight, out of mind.

Our sales taxes that have all been imposed on us -- our early settlers of the United States of America went to revolution with King George over the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act. Such minute taxes in comparison to what is imposed upon us today. Our sales tax -- currently in northern Arizona, I pay eight percent on the dollar. And very soon its going to go up to 10%. Almost like tithing. Tithing to the government.

You all know that out of the year -- I think its been concluded that three to four months out of the year, our paychecks goes completely to the government. And the rest they allow us to have. But if the American people -- now you go to the grocery store, and you go over here to Smiths or Albertsons, or Krogers, or wherever you go to here in Utah -- and it rings up that you just spent $200 on groceries, and you know how much of that is in sales tax --. I don't know what it is here in Utah these days. Yes, I was going to say probably up around 7% here in Utah.

And now you don't actually see, you don't pay attention to the sales tax. You just pay the bill. you don't think anything of it. You just think that that was the natural thing to do. But I guarantee, if you had to write out a separate check at that cashier counter for the sales tax -- trust me, it would make a difference in how you vote. That is the deceptive nature of the way taxes and the government runs here in America. But that will all come to an end.

So exactly where now, the topic of my talk today, is "Educating the Constitution." The American people -- if they understood the freedoms that they were losing -- they would be outraged. Of course the American people don't understand the freedoms that they are losing.

It is my submission to you all here today that the majority of all Americans have no clue as to what is in the Constitution for the United States of America. It is true, they love the Constitution. They just don't have any idea what's in it. Am I right?

They love the Constitution. You ask the average American, "Do you love the Constitution for the United States? Would you trade the Constitution for the New World Order?" They'd say, "heck no. Constitution!" Then you say, "Give me the first five Bill of Rights." Or "Give me three of the first five Bill of Rights." And they would say, "What?" So then we say, "Give me the cast of 'Friends' on Thursday night." [laughter] And they'd spew them right out. They'd spew them right off to you.

So, where exactly do we begin in educating the Constitution? And that is what I have chosen today, when our National Chairman asked me what to talk on, and I thought about that. What to speak on, that would be of most benefit. And I could not think of anything, and I asked the Lord, what would be of worth to this people. And I could not think of anything greater than educating the Constitution.

There is nothing that is of greater importance in educating this people of this Republic what is contained in this inspired document, or what makes it so great -- and as Ezra Taft Benson [former Secretary of Agriculture], so eloquently stated many, many, many years ago -- what is the proper role of government? Where does government's responsibility lie? Where is their jurisdiction, and where is their authority, and where is it not? Is its government's responsibility to educate? Is it their responsibility to provide retirement? Is it their responsibility to provide health care? Is it their responsibility to provide a living and give jobs? Is it their responsibility to provide foreign aid?

You are right, those who are nodding your heads, those are not government responsibilities. Those are not governmental authority nor is it their jurisdiction. But that is what they have taken by executive order. And we as a people simply go along with it. Not because we agree with it or disagree with it, because we do not know any better. Because we the people collectively do not know and understand the document of the Constitution for the United States of America.

Now, may I submit right here, that the Constitution of America only works under one condition. Well if you understand at all, there is another important part. A recent movie that just came out, and I went and saw, "The Lord of the Rings." And the premise of the movie of Lord of the Rings, is that men, when given power, become corrupt. That is why Gandalf had to choose a Hobbit to carry the ring, because a mortal man could not handle that type of power. Because it made them corrupt.

So may I submit that the Constitution only operates when it is run by righteous men, by honest men who truly have what is best for the people at heart. And who are men that worship God and want to live by God's laws. The Constitution only functions under that condition. Because, without that, evil men pass through the legislation that they want to pass through. Which is the tyranny, and the despotism, and the authoritarian and totalitarian rule that we are under today.

And so now, where does that lead us? Well, it leads the responsibility back again, I say, to the people. We are the great Checks and Balances of what is right and wrong. But that goes back, now once again. The people of the United States of America don't know what is in the Constitution. If they had any clue what the Constitution provided and authorized, they certainly would not allow what is happening right now in Washington.

May I submit again, the people of the United States of America do not understand the document of the Constitution. Again it is up to us, the informed and enlightened people -- and I don't mean to say that we are better by saying that, or that we are an elite group. But I do say that we are a people who do have the responsibility to educate the Constitution of America.

Now, where do we begin? Where do we start? It begins in the home! That is where all teaching begins. It begins in the home!

[Holding up some pictures] These hang in my home. May I suggest that you all get things like this -- you don't have to get exactly these. But you get something, and buy the picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, and buy the picture of every other religious artifact or family artifact that you have in your home. Get this also -- here we have the Bill of Rights -- those hang on my wall. Right here -- the Declaration of Independence -- hangs on my wall. And the Constitution for the United States of America -- hangs on my wall. My wife had these beautifully framed and matted for me. She gave me that for Christmas, and that was the greatest thing I have ever received up to this point in my life.

As I was a child, one of the greatest things that educated me in the Constitution -- I had always been an avid Republican ever since I was a small child. My parents, when I was eight years old, took me to Philadelphia where I could see the Hall of Congress there where they held the Constitutional Convention in 1787. I saw the Liberty Bell. And I said, Dad, this is what I want to do with my life. And I saw that, and I began at a very early age of learning the Constitution. And when I was a child, I was a TV-aholic too. And on Saturday morning -- let me see if you remember this?

"[Singing] As your mind grows bigger, your mind grows stronger. Its great to learn, to develop your powers, the School House Rock." Do you remember the School House Rock? Do any of you remember that? Well, this is what I learned from School House Rock when I was 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 years old. Allow me:

"[Recorded music] Hey, do you know about the U.S.A.? Do you know about the government? Can you tell me 'bout the Constitution? Hey, learn about the U.S.A. In 1787, I'm told, Our founding fathers did agree, To write a list of principles For keepin' people free. The U.S.A. was just starting out, A bold, brand new country. And so our people spelled it out: The things that we should be.

"[Recorded voice] And they put those principles down on paper and they called it Constitution ... the first part of the Constitution they called the preamble ..."

"[Recorded music] We the people, In order to form a more perfect union, Establish justice, Ensure domestic tranquility, Provide for the common defense, 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. " [Words written by Lynn Ahrens]

And then it repeats itself. But that is how I learned the Preamble. And I started singing that from the time I was six years old. When I was 12 years old, and in the 7th grade in junior high, my English teacher -- and we began to study a little bit about the Constitution -- she asked if anybody could recite or knew the Preamble. I raised my hand and I recited the whole thing at just 12 years old. It begins in the home.

Parents, I encourage you to get these CDs that are available. You just have to go on line and get School House Rock. You can even get them on video. And the cartoons are actually very exciting that go along with the songs.

I also learned about the process of government. I want to read a couple of quotes here real quick. This was said by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, in 1970. He said this, "We must realize that today's establishment is the new King George the Third. Whether it will continue to adhere to his tactics, we do not know. If it does, the redress honored in tradition is also revolution.

Thomas Jefferson went on to say, "The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure." I appreciated that what Thomas Jefferson said.

Revolution back in the late 18th Century had the support of 10% of the colonies to rebel against Mother England. They did not want to do that. They were scared at what was happening, kind of like we are now. Life is good, I've got a good job, things are going well. You know, I don't want to rock the boat. Why do I want to go to war now and risk losing everything. It only had 10% of the people, including George Washington.

I'm sure many of you are aware George Washington did not originally support the idea of a revolution against England. Did any of you know that? Anyway, it was not until a young man by the name of Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet known as Common Sense. And this is what Thomas Paine said in Common Sense:

"The blood of the slain, the weakened voice of nature cries -- 'Tis time to part. The last cord is now broken. The people of England are presenting addresses against us. A government of our own is our natural right. Ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth!

"Every spot of the old world is overrun with oppression. Freedom hath been hunted round the globe. Asia, and Africa, have long expelled her. Europe regards her like a stranger, and England hath given her warning to depart. O! receive the fugitive, and prepare in time an asylum for mankind."

Upon reading this, George Washington knew then that something indeed had to be done. And other great men rallied to the standard of freedom -- Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry. And they studied the works of great writers of freedom -- John Locke, as well as others. And they starting studying the Magna Carta. They decided then that it was time to break.

And I equally agree -- that if you were to tell people that we want a change and alter the way things are running in government today -- they would say, well we can't do that, you know; I'm almost 63, and well Social Security is going to start coming in; and I don't know if I can deal with that.

The people, ladies and gentlemen of this society, what would you give to have our freedom and just one chance of being free and sovereign? What would you be willing to give up? Would you be willing to give up that Social Security, that health care, the education, the jobs -- for the one chance of being free? What will you do without freedom? You can't do anything.

I voice for freedom in the face of tyranny. And I will stand up for that freedom. What does Grant Solomon love about the Constitution for the United States of America? The Bill of Rights! You better believe it. That is what Grant Solomon loves about the Constitution for the United States. The right to speak as I am speaking. Sure, people might get annoyed. I might lose my job some times. I had a segment in my radio show, where I called it "Whistle blowing against the New World Order." I had to stop that at peril of losing my job. So I did. But I still slide in little comments when I say he who has ears to hear, let him hear. And the people who are dialed in know what I am talking about during my news stories that I read them during my radio show.

What I love about the Constitution. The First Amendment there. What I don't have to worry about, is I don't have to worry about being thrown into prison for what I say. I might lose my job, sure. I might lose my friends. But the one thing the First Amendment guarantees, is that I will not receive persecution from the federal government and be thrown into prison for speaking my mind.

It guarantees me the right to worship my God, Jesus Christ; and to affiliate myself with my church. I have that right to do that. Guaranteed by this great Constitution.

I have the right to defend myself, my wife, my family, my property, and my religion, and my rights and my might -- guaranteed by the Second Amendment.

I have the right to be secure in my person, my privacy -- because life, liberty and property are guaranteed by the Fourth. I have a right to a speedy trial, to a trial by jury -- and so on and so forth.

And I have also the right to have states be close to sovereign. They are not completely sovereign. They didn't want little countries. That's why they wanted to change the Articles of Confederation. They wanted to have a central government in the first place; because they didn't want the states to be completely sovereign and then become little countries; and then start warring with each other -- like they had in Europe. So that's why they wanted a centralized government.

I wanted to play one more thing for you. The other thing I love about the Constitution for the United States, as guaranteed in the First Article of the Constitution for the United States, is the Separation of Powers. The Legislative, the Judicial, and the Executive. And the great Checks and Balances. Isn't it a beautiful system?

When someone says, "there ought to be a law,." he calls up his Congressman. And the Congressman agrees, Yes, there ought to be a law. And so they draft a bill. It goes into committee. And they refine it in committee until they are ready to present it. Then it goes on the floor of Congress after it passes through committee. Then it has to go through Checks and Balances to make it through committee. Its a great way to protect against factions, against tyranny. So it has to go through the refining process to even make it to the floor of Congress.

Once it makes it to the floor of Congress, it goes through a series of debates. And it gets refined and polished even more. And then if it passes, it goes to the House or Senate, where the whole process begins again. And if it still isn't right, the President has the right to veto it if he doesn't feel it meets Constitutional standards. And our Supreme Court can say yes, that is right Mr. President, it doesn't meet Constitutional standards. And the whole thing goes back to Congress again. And they start all over again.

Isn't that beautiful! The great system of Checks and Balances to make sure that nothing tyrannical or despotic gets through. That's the beautiful thing of the Separation of Powers. The great system of Checks and Balances to protect America against factions and what they wanted to do.

You know how I first learned that process? When I was six years old, on School House Rock:

"[Recorded dialogue] Woof! You sure gotta climb a lotta steps to get to the Capitol Building here in Washington! But I wonder who that sad little scrap of paper is?"

"[Recorded music] I'm just a bill, Yes, I'm only a bill, And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill. Well, it's a long, long journey To the capital city, It's a long, long wait While I'm sitting in committee, But I know I'll be a law someday... At least I hope and pray that they will, But today I'm still just a bill."

"[Recorded dialogue] Hey guy, you sure have a lot of patience and courage."

"Well, I got this far. When I started, I wasn't even a bill. I was just an idea. But folks back home decided they wanted a law, and they called their local Congressman. And he said, you're right, there ought to be a law. And he sat down, and wrote me out, and introduced me to Congress. And I became a bill. Now I will remain a bill until they decide to make me a law."

"[Recorded music] I'm just a bill, Yes I'm only a bill, And I got as far as Capitol Hill. Well now I'm stuck in committee And I sit here and wait While a few key congressmen Discuss and debate Whether they should Let me be a law... Oh how I hope and pray that they will, But today I am still just a bill."

"[Recorded dialogue] Listen to those Congressman arguing. Is all that discussion and debate about you? Yeah, I'm one of the lucky ones. Most bills never even get this far. I hope both sides report on me favorably, otherwise I may die."

"Die?"

"Yeah, die in committee. Now I will go to the House of Representatives, and they will vote on me."

"If they vote Yes, what happens?"

"Then I go to the Senate and the whole thing starts all over again."

"Oh, No." "Oh, Yes."

"[Recorded music] I'm just a bill, Yes I'm only a bill, And if they vote for me on Capitol Hill, Well then I'm off to the White House Where I'll wait in a line With a lot of other bills For the President to sign. And if he signs me then I'll be a law... Oh, how I hope and pray that he will, But today I am still just a bill."

"[Recorded dialogue] You mean if the whole Congress says you should be a law, the President can still say no?"

"Yes, its called a veto. If the President vetoes me, I have to go back to Congress and they vote on me again. And by that time its ..."

"By that time its very unlikely that you become a law. Its not easy to become a law is it?"

"No! But how I hope and I pray that I will, But today I am just a bill!"

"We passed your bill, now you're a law." "Oh Yes!" [Word and lyrics by Dave Frishberg]

That is how I learned about the legislative process. But that once again argues and reassures my point that the way you teach the Constitution is in the home. That's where it all begins. Getting out this wonderful, beautiful document -- even in these little pamphlets that you can get anywhere. You need to get all your family one of these things, and sit down and read it and discuss what the Constitution provides, what it authorizes, and what it doesn't authorize.

We live in a world today where legislation is being passed by the Justice Department, by executive orders. Have you heard recently in the news of the Fast Track bill. Well, let me tell you what the Fast Track bill is. It takes power -- it will give the President power now -- and to solely the President to negotiate trade deals, and to completely bypass the Congress. And everybody, just all like -- woo hoo, yeah, pass it through -- for jobs and the economy.

Today, our Constitution is being destroyed in the name of the Constitution. John Ashcroft said in Time, this is what I would like to do, when they passed the Patriot Act. He said, this is what I must do to preserve the Constitution for the United States of America. Well, damn him! [applause]

But it starts here at home. That is how we do it. We teach the Constitution. We teach what is in it. We teach what is not in it. And may I close this, with declaring my witness, along with all the other patriots that have gone before me and will continue to go after me: The Constitution for the United States of America is exactly what it proclaims to be -- our guarantor of our freedoms and our rights. And it was given to us by the hand of the Lord God, Jesus Christ, himself. And we will submit to that, and I personally will obey that, as he is my Lord, he is my King, and he is my God, and I have no other king save it be Jesus Christ.

I love freedom. I love liberty. And I will lay down my life for it, and I will preserve it, and I will protect it. And I will make sure that those who I love will also have freedom. Let me close by reading the quote that I love most dear --

"Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave....

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" [Patrick Henry]

My name is Grant Solomon. And I will declare to all here, that I will fight to preserve freedom. That is my witness, and I leave it in Jesus' name. Amen. [applause]