The Great Civil Debate

Over at TLC, we have a passionate essay by Guest writer, Dr. Robert Owens. It’s pretty much preaching to the choir, but if you have any Liberal friends who are on the brink of changing their political philosophy, you might direct them to this article. Here is just a snippet of this essay;

It is admitted by all except the liberal media and left-wing ideologues jockeying for political and partisan advantage, neither the tenor nor the content of our public discourse had any bearing upon the tragedy in Tucson.  Nevertheless there have been calls for a return to civility in our speech.  I heartily second that motion, believing as I do that civility should always be the hallmark of discussion among ladies and gentleman.  However, that is not the topic of this discourse.

I seek to call my fellow Americans not to a more civil debate but to The Great Civil Debate.  This is the debate we need if we’re to move beyond the gridlock of right versus left, the vitriol of Democrat versus Republican, and the hysteria of a coming conservative authoritarianism or a looming socialist one.  The debate I’m calling for is not an innovation in American History.  Instead it’s a re-play of a previous event and the sequel to our preliminary event: the debate over the ratification of the Constitution.  What we need now is a debate over the relevance of the Constitution with regard to the actions of the Federal Government.

From the day the Constitution was signed, September 17, 1787 to the day it was ratified June 21, 1788, this country rang with the impassioned speeches and stirring essays of both the opponents and the proponents of this our founding document.  Today is the day and now is the time for the debate to once again stir the hearts of the nation, will we have a limited government, personal liberty and free enterprise or are we going to have something else?  There’s no greater admirer of the United States Constitution then the author of this article.  None can be found who gives more veneration to the Framers or who pays more attention to its words.