An Advocate for Southern Illinois Statehood

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT

The establishment of a new Constitution must be among the first considerations of a new state. A Constitution which recognizes that the power of the State rests in the people and that the State has only those powers delegated to it by the people.

The Magna Charta of 1215 limited the government only by those provisions stated in the document. All other powers still resided in the King. The American Constitution turned this notion on its head. The people retained all powers not delegated to the government. Now the present Illinois Constitution has again reversed the concept and restored all power to the government except those it "gives" to the people.

The Constitution of the new State must rectify this situation. It must be written in clear, concise, and unambiguous terms that all rights and obligation rest with the people and are then delegated to the government. The government has only those power delegated to it and not more.

No comments: