Скачать или смотреть Orestes Brownson and the Future of American Constitutionalism

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Orestes Brownson regarded the U.S. Constitution as the greatest achievement in practical politics the world has ever known. His insights transcend the vision of the Founders. On June 24, 2024 American Family Project sponsored a symposium on Brownson’s interpretation of the Constitution as he described it in The American Republic (1865): - It all begins with God’s purpose of creation. Good government contributes to God’s purpose for men and women. - For every nation, there exists a providential constitution before any written constitution. The U.S. Constitution is not the result of a social contract but of the culture of the original 13 colonies. - The government of the United States is the Federal government for general matters and the state governments in particular matters. There is no “balance of powers” or competition for power since the Federal and state governments have a horizontal relationship, not a vertical one. - Brownson describes this as a territorial democracy: it matters where you reside. - Sovereignty. There is no divided loyalty since neither the Federal government nor the State is sovereign. The sovereign is the UNITED States, or the States United. These are just the most important aspects of Brownson’s extremely rich thought. As Professor Bartky points out, in 1870 Brownson warned of the crisis we are in today if we are not each vigilant in our dedication to the U.S. Constitution in practical affairs.