Government of Laws, High Principle and Lofty Ideal

From yesterday's post:

"I am an American because I believe in a government of laws and not of men, and in national allegiance to high principle and lofty ideal instead of to a personal sovereign." -- J. Reuben Clark

I've been thinking about this today. What a difference there is between striving to live according to "laws, high principle and lofty ideal" and being at the mercy of leaders who, at their own whims, would lead blind followers around by their noses.

Principles never change. People change. If as a nation we make decisions and laws based on proper principles, then we will not go wrong. We will remain free and strong. If we put our "hope" in any human being, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment at best; tragedy, or worse.

In the news just this week was Mark Sanford, governor of South Carolina. A good man, a true fiscal and social conservative. Someone who we needed to lead out with these principles in these times. But he has fallen from grace. He made some very poor personal choices and has drastically altered the course of his life, like it or not. He is a sad disappointment to countless people, not the least of whom are his family and close friends. In this instance, the change was a personal one, not one that directly will affect the nation as a whole, other than we lose a man who could have been a great leader. Men are human; they make mistakes, sometimes very serious ones. Sometimes their mistakes affect only themselves and the people closest to them, but other times, their choices will affect nations.

Another example of change: Obama. He campaigned on change. We surely need it as a nation. We need to change the way Washington works -- the graft, the deceit, the self-serving politicians. Yes, there are many things that need to be changed. But I don't think changing the very principles and foundations of the country is what most voters had in mind. Our core national values and principles are sound. I doubt very few voters had or have any idea where Obama's vision of "change" will take our country. Some still don't care -- they love the man, they love his empty words and lofty deceitful rhetoric. They can't see that his words and actions are not the same. They will follow him, like a herd of lemmings, to the edge and beyond.

Our Founding Fathers carefully constructed our government in a way that best protects and preserves our personal and national freedom. The closer we strive to base our laws on the Constitution and personally live moral lives, the safer our country is from tyranny. Putting our faith in any man leaves our nation vulnerable to his whims. The rule of (righteous) law, unwavering unbendable law, and man's striving to live lofty ideals will not lead us into the abyss. A corrupt sovereign will.