John Balentine pretended to write a column about the proper roles of the American government (“Do you still desire freedom?”, June 30). Of course, he did no such thing. He cited the Constitution, although he only mentioned the Bill of Rights, granting us the freedoms we enjoy.
The Bill of Rights was an afterthought. The bulk of the Constitution specifies the regulatory powers of our federal government, the powers to tax, to oversee commerce, to assure the public health, education and welfare.
Balentine ignores those powers to regulate, because they are precisely the powers that allow governors and legislative bodies to act to protect us from things like pandemics.
Indeed, so disconnected is he from the welfare of others, one has to wonder what isolated bunker Balentine inhabits. Perhaps the bunker chosen by a recent ruler frightened by his people exercising their rights.
Balentine cites the Declaration of Independence, too, about the sacrifices made for an independent America. But he ignores the values it lists worth fighting for, values so relevant today.
“The right of Representation in the Legislature.” You know, no taxation without representation. So I’m sure Balentine favors – even though he hasn’t yet said so – statehood for Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, or least voting members of Congress.
The founders opposed rulers who have “excited domestic insurrections amongst us.” So I’m sure Balentine is appalled by a former president’s actions on Jan. 6 and since. Right?
The founders opposed a ruler who “has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither.” So, undoubtedly, Balentine favors immigration from Mexico and Central America and a reasonable path to citizenship.
Anyone who opposes these things, our Founding Fathers wrote, “is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
Peter Monro
Portland
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