A primary concern of the founding fathers was to protect the rights of the people.

They did not want a form of government to emerge that could take the hard won rights.

They did not want the people to be overtaxed, overpowered, and over-controlled.

They wanted the people to rest assured that they would be able to keep what they wanted; what they owned.

What they decided on was not just that the power of the government needed to be limited, but that it was executed upon properly and fairly.

A government for the people by the people is something every student has heard in class.

The key is the second half of that statement--by the people.

The founders knew that one of the problems that had plagued the colonies was that they had no representation in the governing of the land.

A separate ruling class, or aristocracy, governed the people; the few reigned over the many.

With that in mind the founders knew that the people had to take part in the government.

Only through their self governance could the rights of the people be protected.

Through self governance the few would not be able reign over the many.

Through self governance the land could be free of the tyranny of a monarchy.

The future of the new nation would lie through self governance.

With their good intentions in mind, the founders still showed fear that the masses would not be able to make the right decisions.

They restricted the voting rights of the people in order to insure that the uneducated, easily swayed masses would not make rash decisions that would harm the nation.

Luckily, they left a process that would make it possible for the Constitution, the law of the land, to be altered.

Now, everyone over the age of 18 and registered can vote regardless of income, sex, or color.

Now self governance is truly possible.

If only the people would now vote.

PARTICIPATION REQUIRED

Self governance requires one thing that is sadly lacking in the lexicon of American culture--the desire to participate.

Americans do not vote. They do not volunteer to work on campaigns. They do not take the time to get to know the candidates.

Since 1968, voter participation has lingered at just over half the nation during the presidential elections.

Off year congressional election participation was closer to 40%.

Had just 10% more taken part in just voting in any given election and the course of the nation would have shifted dramatically!

A TIME FOR CHANGE

Through self governance the rights of the people should stand protected. It stands to reason that people would not take away their own rights, right?

Yet, in recent years it has become common for the rights of some to begin to suffer.

Laws make it easier and easier for the rich to get richer, but sure do not make it easy for anyone to become rich in the first place.

The government was real quick to approve the Patriot Act and the violations that it contains, but sure seem reluctant to discard these civil rights violations.

President Obama campaigned claiming the time for change is now--hopefully he is right.

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