By Way of Reminder: The Constitution and our Governing Authority in the United States

In the United States, the "Higher Power" or "Government Authority" of Romans 13:1-7 is the Constitution.

The Constitution is "Caesar." As Founding Father John Adams observed, "We are a government of Laws, and not of men." However, it is and always has been incumbent upon "We the People" to KEEP our government a Constitutional Republic, as intended by the Founders. Benjamin Franklin rightly warned the people of the nation that in the Constitution, the Founders had given us "A Republic, if you can keep it!"

Additionally, John Adams further warned Americans that "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

So, why are we in the mess we're in today? Because it was, and is, up to Americans, to "...bind him [the government/government officials] down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution..." as Thomas Jefferson exhorted us.

We have, as a people, FAILED to do this. We have failed because we have, over generations, had neither the moral fortitude nor the political convictions to enforce these ideals our Founding Fathers bequeathed to us on a government full of men with designs on power, graft, and the distortion or destruction of our Constitution and the very republican order upon which we were founded. Based on these standards, they have "won."

That does not mean I, as an American nor as a Christian, am not still entitled to the "inalienable rights" given me and all men by their Creator, nor that I am exempt from standing up and fighting for them, against tyrants and despots -- even if they are my "countrymen."

On Constitutional Conservatives, Libertarians -- Their Similarities and Differences

Constitutional Conservatives will disagree to some degree with Libertarians in regard to where ones Liberty ends, and the infringement on another's begins, and also what must necessarily constitute a just and orderly society. But, with few -- in fact, I can only think of ONE -- exception, Constitutional Conservatives believe these issues belong at the State level, or even the local level, not at the Federal Level -- except where they might compromise certain Federal duties or assigns (National Defense, interstate commerce, etc). IN general, Constitutional Conservatives certainly affirm that self-government is the best government.

And Constitutional Conservatives are better characterized as believing in an ASSERTIVE foreign and military policy, as opposed to an "aggressive" policy. The difference would be that, as a Constitutional Conservative, I did NOT agree with Obama's military campaign in Libya (in fact, it was illegal, if one considers the War Powers Act of 1973 to carry any weight). However, Establishment Republicans (and some, referred to as "Neo-Conservatives", though they are neither new nor "conservative") like Sen. John McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham were all for Libya -- and any other engagement they can entangle us in. An "assertive" policy recognizes OUR global interests, our presence around the world, and the global threat environment which now exists. An "assertive" policy would not allow us to practice "isolation" from the global scene -- but it would also guard against involving us in every single conflict in the world, especially those in which we have no vested interests, and our citizens are not in harms way. An "assertive" policy would maintain our "presence" at strategically important points and places in the world -- but it would also insist that we divest ourselves of hundreds of out-of-date military bases from long past wars where we no longer need to station our forces. An "assertive" policy would insist that our allies who can defend themselves, but have allowed us to defend them for decades, start paying for our services, and begin the process of building their own defenses, so that we can spend less time and money doing it for them.

No -- I'm not a candidate. :-) But I have thought out the differences of a Constitutional Conservative from both "Establishment Republicans" and so-called "Neo-Conservatives," and also from Libertarians as well. Reasonable Libertarians and Reasonable Constitutional Conservatives can work with each other -- if they determine to do so. It's a heck of a lot easier than trying to work with Progressives OR Establishment GOP-types. And preferable too.