Why Constitution Day Still Matters, 223 Years Later

Why celebrate Constitution Day?

On September 17, 1787, our founders, the members of the Constitutional Convention, adopted our Constitution as the governing document for our brand new country.  Faced with overwhelming odds against this country they fought for succeeding and thriving, they outlined a blueprint to “enable the government to control the governed, and in the next place, oblige it to control itself” (Alexander Hamilton, 1788).

Where are we today?  We see videos of members of Congress forthrightly admitting that they don’t know what the Constitution says, or care about how it applies to legislation they are voting on, while we listen to a recorded voicemail of a member of Congress asking a lobbyist for money based upon her position and perceived clout.  Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House responds to the question of where in the Constitution the government is given the right to mandate health care with “Are you serious? Are you serious?”

It’s easy to think that our Constitution doesn’t matter; indeed, it is what those in power would have you believe.  Here is why our Constitution still matters-

For the first time in history, power was granted on the basis of the consent of the governed.  Not based upon your family name, your noble title, or your aristocratic bloodline.

For the first time in history, allowances were made for government to be altered and changed by the people, through the process of amending the Constitution.

For the first time in history, a country was founded on the premise that government has a purpose, and it is founded by “We the People.”

Now more than ever, it is important to recognize the significance of our Constitution, and to realize how readily and importantly it applies to our daily lives.  Take a moment today and read through our Constitution.  Listen to our national president Ned Ryun’s podcast series on the constitutional convention and the process through which our Constitution was written, signed and finally ratified.  Because now, perhaps more than ever before, our Constitution matters.