Fundamental

Fundamental

1

a : serving as an original or generating source 

b : serving as a basis supporting existence or determining essential structure or function 

2

: of or relating to essential structure, function, or facts ; also : of or dealing with general principles rather than practical application 

3

: of central importance 

4

: belonging to one's innate or ingrained characteristics : deep-rooted

Those are straight-forward definitions of what the word means. I'd like to look at each definition as it relates to the founding of our country. 

This country was formally founded by the Declaration of Independence. A document declaring our natural rights as human beings ,giving the reasons for our desire and right to separate ourselves from the tyrannical rule of King George III of England and finally, the declaration of our country as independent among the nations of the earth. This established the people living in the colonies as the United States of America. This was no small thing, as the last words of the document state:

 And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Soon, the realization that the Articles of Confederation were not up to the task of being the supreme law of this newly formed great nation, the leaders met again to draft what would live up to that task. The Constitution of the United States was soon ratified and included the first ten amendments as was declared necessary for the ratification. The Constitution is the fundamental bedrock for the way this nation was supposed to operate. With that, let's take a look at what fundamental means in relation to this document.

The constitution is the original document laying out how this country should operate. It was not the first document to govern life in the colonies, but it was the first post-independence document that had authority over all of the states. It was the origin and source that generated our laws. As the basis supporting our existence(our Declaration of Independence) it works to establish the essential structure and function of our government in the way that the founders envisioned. We declared our existence and then said this is how it will work.

It deals with the essential structure and function of our government. Essential, as in, absolutely necessary. If we take away the constitution, we are left with nothing. The meaning of central importance can't describe any better what the constitution means to our country, not only the founding, but the basic survival. No law, agency, politician, position or party even comes close to being as important as the Constitution is to the US.

It is the life-blood of America. It is a written representation of what our founders saw as the characteristics of what a country steeped in liberty should be. It literally mirrors the characteristics of the founders at large. They fought and died for the belief that we, as human beings deserved to live by our God given rights that are described in the Declaration and defined and expounded upon in the Constitution. Not only they, but many more since have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution and many have done so to the point of death in defense of it.

When you think of America and apply the word fundamental to it, you are left with these two documents. They are bound to each other. They cannot be separated without taking away part of the other. They function together as the reason and capacity for our existence as a nation. They are the cornerstone of this great United States of America. Without them, we as a nation, are doomed to become but a memory of what once was.

With this in mind, I want you to think back to October 30, 2008, when Barack Obama said "we are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America".

Looking back on the last 5 years, there can be little doubt what he meant when he said that. If has kept any campaign promise, it was this one.

The presidential oath of office as spelled out in Article II, Section I, Clause VIII of the Constitution of the United States of America says this:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Clause VI speaks of the president's inability to discharge his duties. As far as I can tell, that would be his only defense of his gross dereliction of duties to uphold and defend the Constitution. In that defense, I would not argue with him at all. He seems supremely in-able.

Any questions?