“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” — Founding Father, Second American President John Adams, 1798

There are two major stories happening in America at this time. We have the current conflagration against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has been 47 years in the making. The other story is about two U.S. Members of Congress, House of Representatives specifically, Tony Gonzales and Eric Swalwell. The latter story is quite easy for the American people to ingest because there is a sense of the sensational. But, it is very interesting that you do have these two Members of Congress who have chosen to resign, and also end their political campaigns, due to moral indiscretions. It was not too long ago that a sitting U.S. President was involved in a similar episode and lied under oath about the matter. However, we all remember the famous line, “it’s the economy, stupid,” and the American people brushed the issue aside.

One of our Founding Fathers, the second U.S. President, John Adams, gave us a very poignant quote that referenced our Constitution, our rule of law. I also like Franklin’s response to Mrs. Powell in Philadelphia when our Constitution was signed. When she asked if we had a Monarchy or a Republic, Franklin asserted, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” But what does it take to keep this, the longest-running Constitutional Republic that the world has ever known?

In essence, that is upon which Adams’ quote elaborates.

America, as we celebrate our 250 years of independence, is a grand experiment in self-governance…as Abraham Lincoln would say at Gettysburg, “the government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” In order for that to happen, there has to be a level of virtue among the citizenry, as well as those the citizens elect. Perhaps, maybe, we are seeing a desire among the American people, by way of the Gonzales and Swalwell cases, to restore a sense of responsibility, accountability, and virtue among those we refer to as elected officials.

No, I am not espousing naivete, because I also am quite aware of the machinations of the political machine. Those who are skipping about acting as if these actions were some sort of revelation that they were unaware of, well, I find that insidious posturing. However, from the days of one President Bill Clinton to now, maybe, just maybe, we are awakening to demand more from those serving, notice that word, in elected positions.

Do I believe that we can legislate morality? To a point, yes. Matter of fact, our laws are based upon some simple maxims that we call the Ten Commandments. I do find it quite unconscionable that we have some who would deny the public display of that which forms the basis of law in western civilization…along with the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” We must come to recognize and understand that individual rights, freedoms, and liberties that we enjoy, as prescribed in the U.S. Constitution, requires a level of mature responsibility, and yes, morality and faith. I do not like the word “religion” because religion is man made doctrine, dogma. If I could recommend a different verbiage to President John Adams, it would be “Judeo-Christian faith heritage.”

Isaiah 5:20 provides us a clear warning, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good, evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (NIV). The Declaration of Independence, which we will celebrate 250 years of existence this July, and I pray the entire year, is critical to understand the formulation of our Constitution. The Declaration is the only document establishing a Nation that elevates the individual to a position of sovereignty, because the individual is endowed with unalienable rights, life, liberty, and property (pursuit of happiness) from the Judeo-Christian faith heritage Creator God. That is the virtue that we must pursue in our lives, the level of morality and faith that is necessary to keep this Republic. When we place our trust and faith in men, meaning mankind, and the institution of government, with the little “g”, we will always be disappointed.

No one is perfect; we all know that, but we should all demand that we expect virtue from those who would sit in positions of elected authority. And yes, I mean everyone, that is truly a bipartisan issue.

Maybe, just maybe, as we go to the polls this year, we will consider morals, honor, integrity, virtue, character, and yes, faith.

Steadfast and Loyal.