Responsibilities of Citizenship

As we move into the election season, we have a responsibility to prepare ourselves to exercise our precious right to vote. First of all every citizen should decide, right now, that he or she will cast a ballot in every primary and general election they are eligible to participate in. This should not even be a question. Secondly, every citizen should promise themselves that no ballot will be cast without a thorough understanding of the issues and the positions of the candidates. Thirdly, understanding the issues and the candicates requires a fundamental understanding of the Constitution in federal elections. Therefore, if we have an imperfect understanding of the Constitution we should correct that prior to deciding how we are going to vote. The Constitution is not a difficult document to read although the language is a bit archaic. The ideas are not archaic at all and in fact transcend time. They are self-evident truths intended to preserve our liberty and our way of life. Finally, the Constitution is not, and was not intended to be, a "living document" that could change based on changing times and ideas. It is rather, a foundational document that can be changed if need be, but only by a tedious and deliberate process not through interpretation and judicial activism. If we all cast informed ballots based on Constitutional principles we will have done our duties as citizens of the greatest nation, under God, on earth!