There has been lots of chatter about President Donald J. Trump running for another term in office. As all know, or should, that is not constitutionally possible; he will have served two terms, regardless of them being non-consecutive. The 22d Amendment of the US Constitution, which was ratified on February 27, 1951, establishes term limits on the office of the presidency.
Just in case anyone is confused, here are the words of the 22nd Amendment, Section 1:
“No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.”
This amendment was a response to the multiple presidencies of one Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And, it is also a reflection of the desire of our first President, George Washington, who did not seek to be a king, and departed office after two terms. So, let’s all stop with the hype (and truly delusion), and reflect upon our history, tradition, and rule of law. And that is what elicits my real concern. It is time that America stops being drawn to cults of personality, be it on either side of the aisle. Let us not forget the messianic reverence that was cast upon one Barry Soetoro. Instead, we as Americans need to reflect upon our enduring Constitution.
Back during the November 2024 election cycle, I wrote a missive discussing how there was a presidential debate held at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia. However, there was not a single question asked of the two individuals vying to be president in reference to the US Constitution. How can that be the case? Here were two individuals wanting to take an oath to uphold the Constitution, but no questions or any references were made to the Constitution. If there is a real “Constitutional crisis” for me, that is it. America is not a democracy, far from it, yes, we have a system of representative democracy, but the foundation of America is a Constitutional Republic…words that many across this Nation cannot define. We truly stopped teaching Civics, so most do not comprehend the three branches of government, nor the principles of coequal branches, separation of powers, and enumerated powers.
If I had my druthers, I would make it necessary for members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to quote the Constitutional authority for any and all actions and decisions that they make. And that would also be down to the State level, and even at the municipal level, they should abide by their respective City Charters. Unfortunately, we are at a point in America where most “politicians” are just making stuff up based on ideological agendas. And we draw ourselves into respective camps not based upon our fundamental principles, but rather insidious dogma—man-made insanity. America needs Statesmen and Stateswomen who can articulate our rule of law and how their actions and decisions relate to such. The main difference between the two is that politicians will tell you what they think you want to hear; Statesmen tell you what you need to hear.
Yep, I voted for Donald Trump three times. I did so not because of a personality, but rather constitutional principles, and his being most closely aligned to those principles. Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, Judges will come and go…we may need to reassess that lifetime judicial appointment thing. However, our US Constitution is enduring; it has stood the test of time and has been amended to correct that which the Founding Fathers did not address logically. We do indeed strive to be a more perfect Union, the words from the Preamble of the Constitution. Even in the Bible, it cautions about placing your trust and belief in Man, meaning men and women. It is imperative that we restore this Republic by way of constitutional principles, and demand elected officials who will truly uphold, support, and defend the Constitution…not their self-interests or special interests.
This grand experiment in self-governance only works with an informed, educated, and engaged electorate. I think we can all agree that the problems we face in America are due to our own ignorance and apathy.
As the Executive Director of the American Constitutional Rights Union, my focus, our focus, is on the enduring Constitution, our rule of law. On 31 July 1982, I took an oath to support and defend that Constitution…and there is no statute of limitations. Folks come and go, my dedication to the American Constitution will never end…what about yours?
Steadfast and Loyal.
This column was published at ACRU
The views expressed in CCNS member articles are not necessarily the views or positions of the entire CCNS. They are the views of the authors, who are members of the CCNS.
