Thank you, Mr. Alexander, for once again clearly defining the issue. Our future is in our hands as well pull the lever Nov. 6, 2012.

WE must do this through organization and effective response teams to both the politicians who attck our Constitution and to those who want to stand in the gap.

An oath is only as good as the person's integrity/character taking the oath. Unfortunately our elected officials, for the most part, take the oath because it is a part of the process in which they can finally get into the game. They feel no obligation to honor the oath like they feel no obligation to be honest...

Oaths should be binding. But how can you expect and athiest to honor an oath to protect God-given rights? "If there is no God all things are permitted." (Dostoyevsky).

We've got a problem, here! Eh?

There should be a provision allowing a civil lawsuit against any public employee or elected official who violates the provisions of their oath. Currently the oaths are not considered civil law binding as far as punitive consequences are concerned. In addition we should insist that Congress pass a "Constitutational Impact Statement" that requires that every proposed law have a Constitutations Impact analysis attached. We did it for the environment, but without the Constitution, all the evironment activities will be wasted when we lose our country.

Oaths are binding while holding the position. It's not about the person, it is all about the position and the duties assumed. That's why we respect the position of United States President or United States Senator, but no necessarily the person filling the position. If oath not being fulfilled, remove person from the office. Why have an oath if not binding. More government bureaucracy? We have too much filler and not much substance (like a cherry pie without luscious cherries).

A man is only as good as his word. His word is no good. He is no good. Words good. He's good.

if the oath is not binding, then why take one?

Any officer should be removed for violating this oath.

To our generation (born shortly after WW II) an oath is a sacred promise. I grew up in an era when a man's word was his bond and people would not deal willingly with a man who would dishonor his word. In a few days I will have been married 45 years and I honor that bond and I expect when an elected official swears to uphold, protect and defend the Constitution, he or she should do so.

I will readily admit that when I raised my right hand to swear to protect and defend the Constitution all those years ago upon entry into the military, I did not understand an "oath" as I do now. Recently, when I watched my son take the same oath, I was moved by its simple, unequivical content. Oaths are declarations of intent. You should not speak it unless you mean to live by it. Period. Oaths are not just platitudes to be mouthed for political expediency.

Yes, oathes are binding. but it seems that members of congress and others forget them as soon as they enter office. I took and oath many years ago - May 15, 1965 - "to defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic" and if called upon again, I will honor that oath and once again bear arms!

What good is the Constitution? Democrats, especially Obama, ignore it or go around it and the balless Republicans do nothing about it. There is no strong effort to impeach the President, there is no significant legislation in process to block the violations, the voters don't care and are likely to re-elect all the transgressors. There is no concerted effort to publicize violations and educate the public. Supreme Court extremist judicial appointments are not blocked. It is hopeless. Or can the Tea Party get control of the Republican Party and turn this around?

They are! But they are only as binding as the person that takes them. What good is an Oath from a Liar? Who is the bigger fool. I think that it is the one who gives a habitual liar an Oath and expects him to keep it! We must pray for God Fearing Leaders to step forward so that we may elect them and scrape the SCUM from the top of the political pond!

Great article, as usual. It makes me wonder how politicians and the courts have so blatantly gotten away with violating the Constitution and not been called to task for their actions. It’s now an uphill battle; so many people rely, in one way or another, on hand outs from the federal government or they just do not understand the proper role of the federal government. How can we fix this situation?

I do have one point of confusion. If, as Alexander Hamilton says “[T]here is not a syllable in the [Constitution] which directly empowers the national courts to construe the laws according to the spirit of the Constitution…”, then who or what is supposed to fill that function? If Congress passes a law that violates the Constitution, does it just stand? In a perfect world, I guess they would be smart enough not to pass such a law.

I agree totally with one exception. The viability of ANY constitution or compact amongst men lies in whether it can be enforced against particular members that violate the compact or agency relationship given. Enforcement against the whole is vain without enforcement against the usurpations by its individuals. Elections, especially popular ones which promote candidates based upon the ability to purchase name recognition through, are totally inadequate to ensure fidelity. At a minimum, the 17th amendment needs to be repealed, with a new system of governance enduring fidelity instituted ensuring that an official that diverts $25 billion suffers as well as the common robber that steals $25 dollars.

From time to time the tree of liberty must be refreshed with the blood of Patriots and Tyrants, or something to that effect.

Unfortunately, the time has come to heed our forefather’s warnings and refresh the tree once again.

We must very soon establish a citizens, states and national militia with suitable leaders, capable of unimpeded communications, chains of command, to deal with actual present-day threats and be prepared for when the proverbial crap hits the fan.

There are certainly enough of us active, reserves, and retired military members, as well as trained civilians, to establish an effective, resilent, and ready militia to deal with the impending threats.

I took the oath on June 19th, 1970. I have never renounced it. Like S. L. Mays above, I stand ready.

Barack Obama, for all his faults, did not kill the Constitution. FDR did that back before WW2 and no president, in either party, has done a thing since then to revive it. Did either Bush go to Congress to get a declaration of war before attacking an enemy? No, and neither did JFK or Truman. Which part of the Constitution enshrines a 55 mph mandatory speed limit, or a Dept of Education, or a mandatory drinking age? Presidents and congresses have learned that they can do whatever they want without regard for the Constitution and we the people have not enforced our rights. In so doing, our rights have atrophied and died.

Oaths are only binding if you believe in God.

One other "nail in the coffin", the amendment that changed the appointment of senators to the election of senators. This gutted the power of the states to influence Washington and ushered in the federal leviathan that it has become today.

Why bother to even have an "Oath" for incoming officials if it is not binding?????

We must hera what our elected officials have to say at a swearing in ceremony and require they hold to that Oath!

Yes I think we can keep our republic and freedom It will have Nov 2012, at least I pray this will be the turning point. Good Essay. My son this year in History will learn about the Constitution. I am so glad that he goes to a school where they can teach this still.

The oath I took when I entered the US Army is the same as our elected officials. However, they have placed themselves by law above the law and we, sworn to protect and preserve the US Constitution against all foes, foreign and domestic, are prevented from acting by Congress. We are facing the single most fatal threat to our country in our history from our elected officials! The frustration caused by their actions against the US Constitution and our country is almost overwhelming! How do we act to recover that which is already lost?

Dam right!

Your signature on any document (lease, mortgage, loan, agreement, etc.) is an oath to repay, take necessary care, etc. for what ever it is that you are signing. Therein lies the answer. Those not adhering to their oath are in breach of contract, be it verbal or written.

If oaths are not binding --- why should we bother with them?

An Oath ??!!! What a joke !!! You mean it actually means something ? / like in marriage /

of taking an office / of providing evidence in a court of law / or to affirm your statement as a notary public / or to certify something is as stated as an accountant or engineer ? You mean all of that actually MEANS something ? Maybe the Oath of President is different, because it is spelled different - Oath instead of oath.

I remember taking the oath to serve when I entered the USAF. There was no doubt in my mind as to the seriousness of that oath. My oath of marriage before God was even more binding. To our representatives I say beware of taking an oath, especially one invoking God's name, and breaking that oath. The consequences will be terrible.

There are only two things in this world too big to fail...the Bible and the United States Constitution. Our future elected officials in Washington need to understand this clearly or we are finished as the country as we know it.

Can we preserve our republic? I am beginning to wonder. We do not seem to have the discipline to fight for what we do believe in and/or don't know how to fight. Rioting in the streets is not an option for most of us. What do we do?

An oath is a sacred trust and if someone breaks that trust they should be removed from office by the appropriate means. Mr. Obama has broken that sacred trust on multiple occasions and has shown a complete disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law. There is no gray area about his transgressions.

Is the Oath of office binding?!!The Oath taken,by all elected to office,to support,and defend our Constitution,is absolute.It is our rule of law!

You are correct if thinking the Oath of office,is indeed binding!We should bring all elected officials,abandoning their Oath,to trial.Treason!

In this "post-modern" age, where honor and oaths have little meaning, it is necessary to insert some "teeth" into the Constitution. Should we succeed in electing conservative majorities to Congress, it seems to me it would be vital to amend the Constitution to say that violation of one's oath of office would be grounds for immediate suspension and/or removal.

Of course it is binding, but how are those who violate their oath to be prosecuted? By the Justice Department? Ha!

You bet they are binding! Or else, why have them? We have to hold our constitution 'high and lifted up' for the world to see!

The oath of office should be adhered to under penalty of criminal prosecution (including the death penalty).

The oath of office for all elected officials is binding for two reasons; the first, if you take an oath and fail to keep it, or purposefully disregard it is perjury. Perjury is a felony. Second, by placing one's hand on God's Holy Scripture and invoke His name with the words, "So help me God," and the oath is not kept it is a violation of the 3rd Commandment given by God.

One cannot claim a belief in God and then so blatantly violate His Law; there are spiritual consequences as well as legal ones.

I say the Constitution,is the backbone of our liberties.The Constitution,is the supreme law,of America!

They should be considered legally binding. However I feel that most are just saying words and really have no idea of what they said. Encluding our "holy" one mr. Obama.

To the Left, oaths are what words are to the Queen of Hearts, they mean what they want it to mean.

And far too many MOCs have all but said that the Constitution they swore to protect and uphold is fluid, ergo, their vote.

Perhaps a loyalty oath which carries penalties (Article III, Section 3?) should be mandated for all elected federal representatives.

To an honorable man his oath is a bond. To an unhonorable man (ie Liberal) his word and oath is nothing but wind in the trees.

All members of congress are GUILTY of not upholding their oath to defend the Constitution. They allowed elections to go forward although 2008 nominee Obama is not eligle to even run for the office of POTUS because (this is such an easy one, Obama told all of us this FACT) his father was not an American citizen- THEY SHOULD ALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. No need to even question place of birth or phony birth certificate. They disgraced themselves and and betrayed every hard working, honest, tax-paying American citizens, their constituents. WILL CONGRESS UPHOLD THEIR OATH TO DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION NOW THAT THEY WILL BE GIVEN ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THEIR OATH?

I recommend a question to all candidates during the election process: When, how, and how often, will we see confirmation that you take your oath of office seriously?

Find me a candidate who truly believes that first sentence and I won't care much what other crazy stuff he or she believes.

Still looking for one, though.

I believe we can; I hope it does not come to an armed insurrection. As you quote from our Founding Fathers, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

When the words,meaning and intent of the US Constitution come into conflict with political advocacy, then party with the political clout (duh!) renders rules of law stipulated by the Constitution impotent.

Are oaths binding? What would happen when you get caught telling a lie while on the stand in a court of law? The answer is the same in both cases.

If you talk-the-talk, better darn well walk-the-walk!

You omitted Bushes' awful response to 9/11. Instead of standing firm as a confident American, Bush rushed to implement the "Patriot Act" and start a war on two frontal with an unseen enemy. Rather than close our borders and seize all Arab countries' assets and deport all Arab nationals, forcing the Arab world to capture Bin Laden and depose Sadam Hussein, instead we have bankrupted our nation and spilled the best blood of a generation while surrendering our liberty and submitting to tryanny, setting the stage for the Great Recession and Obama's horrendous reign of terror.

I think that many years have gone by usurping and encroaching on the citizen's liberties, mostly without the bleeding hearts realizing, that getting it back will take just as long. You see, what the "great ones" have done is take the time to brainwash the citizens with class warfare and the government providing life to all from cradle to grave, over many years. This is where it has brought us. Now, getting our liberties back will be very, very difficult. If our government run public schools had taught civics and social studies as it should have, generations of people would known what the government was up to. But because the government decides what is taught, we are breeding more bleeding hearts that know all the ways of having sex, and with the same gender. We need to get back to the basics and take government out of education. Then we have a half a chance.

Yes! One hundred times "Yes." Our constitution is the sole authority!

The Oath of Office prescribed by the Constitution is a personal and binding promise to the people that the individual taking office will abide by the Law of the Land, to follow the specific protections and limitations stated in the Constitution in all their official dealings. To violate this oath for convenience or personal gain is crime against the people they represent and should be grounds for removal from office with loss of all benefits thereof.

Oaths are definitely binding. At one time a man's word was considered binding in a court of law. Certainly an oath is binding, both to man and God. The only question I have is, what do we do to those who break their oaths?

When I entered the United States Army Air Corps in 1943 I took the Oath of Allegiance required of all Military. I again took the Oath when I was commissioned a Second Lt. in 1945 and when receiving a Regular Air Force Commission in 1954. All Officers holding a Regular

Commission are still in the service for life in an inactive status upon

Retirement. I retired in 1970. I will honor the Oath until death. How

our President and Congress will in large part not honor the Oath they took is treasonous. They should be removed from office.

It will be difficult to keep the Republic primarily due to the condition of the electorate. They have discovered that they can vote themselves largesse from the public coffers, and Senators and Congressmen are more than willing to trade taxpayer money for votes.

The American Constitution.Can we keep it?

With all of the "reality"shows,on T.V.garnering great popularity,in their display of stupid antics,shows the real mentality,of young voters.

America needs it's moral conservatives,to stand up,and vote for returning back to our Constitution.The Tea Party started it.Lets keep it going.VOTE!

Oaths should be binding. An oath is a declaration based on an appeal to God for assistance in carrying out the declaration. I fear for those who fail in carrying out their oaths for God's mercy. I believe that there are too many congressman that merely pay lip service to their oaths. If the members of congress are not ignorant or stupid then maybe they are willfully disobeying.

Of course oaths are binding. A man's word (or a woman's word, for that matter), is his bond, and he is on his honor to keep to his word. Anyone that is not willing to keep their word is like any other liar, and should not be believed.

The CONSTATUTION must be adhered to, Most do not give ample credit to the men who penned it,

it was written by learnerd men , Men who studied HISTORY "before those with a agenda rewrote it, Men

who studied all forms of goverment, MOST OF WITCH HAVE FAILED, Men who believed in THE PEOPLE and the RIGHTS of people to be indavidules, NOT PUPPITS,

And most important"ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUIL"

After your CREATION, the rest is up to YOU!

What you do with your life is YOUR RESPONSABILITY

it is NOT the Goverments

""WE THE PEOPLE"" means SO MUCH more than any anti educational "PUBLIC SCHOOLS" system will give it credit, the blind and stupid believe the goverment is the answer, Wrong it is a BIG part of the PROBLEM

G

I would say, we can't, due to the word "Self".

These days oaths are about as binding as sports contracts, specially in government. The current President took the oath and he has done everything but preserve, protect and abide by the Constitution. In fact he has done exactly the opposite.

Society today has few left that can make a commitment and stick with it. Our population has been watered down by illegal immigrants, those that have come here for personal gain and those that could care less about our country save that for their personal gain and that has resulted in a people that have no real allegiance to or respect for our great nation.

No, oaths no longer matter and we seem to have plenty of proof to that effect.

ECCLESIASTES 5:4-6 SUMS IT UP VERY NICELY. ONE WHO DOES'NT KEEP THE VOW IS A FOOL MAYBE THIS IS A VERSE THAT SHOULD BE POSTED IN EACH CHAMBER IN OUR CAPITAL. THANKS FOR YOUR GOOD WORK.

How wrong can the liberals be? They are liers as they keep trying to change our CONSTITUTION and discount it. These liberals are in both of the parties and that's why we need the TEA PARTY! Look at what Calif. has become because the lilberals don't honor the constitution in so many ways. A man is as good as his word. This coming election will have the liers getting the illegals voting and covering up- just like they are letting Sharia creep into government. Something that is built on lies and a false religion. A loyality oath that carries penalties might help. Look how the liberals again gerrymandered the boundaries in CA again. I haven't heard a good word for this act. The only time when the conservatives demanded a change was with Prop. 13. Which gets blamed for all the out of control spending in this state. I will be listening to the debates not the same old lies that come before it.

I agree it's ursurped and is not as originally intended and we need to do something about before more of the wrong types of power get contraoll.

An oath is not something that can be modified, changed or broken. It is or should be a binding legal document by which the elected offical should be held and if violated, removed from office.

Yes, the oaths are binding, that is what an OATH is all about isn't it?

All who enter the U.S. Military take an oath as well. We, as veterans are never released from that oath, I would not want to be it is the core of being an American.

The time may be at hand for all who have taken this oath to protect and defend the Constitution from all enemies both foreign and DOMESTIC.

I served 24 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and I took an oath that was serious. If you were not living up to that oath, it was punishable under the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice). I believe that obama could be impeached for the laws he has ignored, or directed the Justice Dept not enforce. I also believe that he will never be impeached because Congress doesn't want to be called racist. In failing to act, Congress is as guilty as obama.

MGSgt USMC (Ret)

Religion does not have a monopoly on morality.

If hellfire and damnation in death is the threat required for man to be honorable and moral in life, one has a pretty cynical view of man's nature.

It is in, and required by, man's very nature to be free, since that is the only way he can truly use his reason/rationality.

Faith is the abeyance of reason and goes against man's basic nature. Religion's requirement of subordinating one's reason to the 'higher being' (in the execution of 'faith') is the toxic root from which man's power-lust stems.

The Founding Fathers were indeed moral men, and their thinking was rooted in Christianity in the Bible. It may look like it was/is *required*, but actually it's part of man's critical flaw: why he drifts back into power-seeking.

I respectfully refer you to Ayn Rand's essay on "Faith and Force" as inevitable corrollaries.

Brother; you ask if we can keep our republic. My answer is "absolutley not!" We might win a few elections and delay the inevitable, but our population continues to become more God-less and a heathen people don't deserve a free country and don't know how to maintain it. Come Lord Jesus.

Yes, this Constitutional authority does matter. Unfortunately, an authority ignored is really none at all. Like many of the laws we have Constitutional authority goes unenforced. Who should enforce this? The people should. OOOPS, guess we are back to ballots or bullets.

Oaths are taken to attest to one's faithfulness to a task, no matter how mundane or sublime.

If a politician's oath of office does not bind the oath taker to meaningful accountability, then the oath is meaningless, and pointless. For seven or eight decades there has been no such accountability because cultural prosperity has dispensed with any need for it. Now, hopefully, the culture is at long last awakening to the grave consequences of decades of betrayed oaths. Let's hope that accountability to the constitutional oath becomes a renewed public standard.

I am an insurance broker. My word is my bond. An oath is a solemn promise that cannot be broken or ignored. Maybe it is time we all reaffirm our allegiance to these United States of America.

Can we keep it? Short answer is yes. Unfortunately, I doubt there are enough real patriots left that would actually put action to their words to keep what we once had. 2012 will be a pivotal year in our history for many reasons. This is just one of them.

The Rule of Law is the cornerstone of our Republic. If the Constution is not followed to the letter and spirit of the document, then we have the rule of man, mob rule, and tyranical goverment. The Republic can not be continued or saved by ignoring the foundation upon which it is based. Persons who violate the Constution and try to enforce an illegal form of goverment on the citizens of the U.S. should be arrested and tried for the crime of Treason.

Oaths are absolutely binding. I served 27 years in uniform and every time I reenlisted, I was asked to reaffirm my oath to "obey the orders of the officers appointed over me and to protect and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemys, both foreign and domestic." I cannot imagine who would be a domestic enemy, unless it is someone that violates the tenets of our constitution. My oath as a service member charged me to defend our constitution from these "enemys" and I take that oath to be both legal and binding.

Of course! An oath is sacred. God takes no pleasure in fools who violate an oath.

Yes, when I take an oath, I commit myself to do what it says -- no more, no less. If a situation arises where I can't abode by that oath, I will resign.

In the case of government officials, they only commit to "uphold and defend the Constitution...." They should be held to that!

YES, no explanation needed.

Not only should oaths of office be binding, those who violate those oaths should be prosecuted for false swearing, and upon conviction should be removed from office and installed in the penitentiary. Likewise those who seek to change the constitution by diktat or legislation, rather than as provided in the constitution, should also be so treated.

Only if ALL of the voters who have voted for the present immoral and illegal laws on the books wake up and return to the foundations of our country. It will require the uninformed, the lazy and the asleep citizens to get off their duffs and stand up for the Constution and the Republic. A tall order to be sure....

YES, no explanation needed.

Absolutely oaths should be binding! If they were not, we would call them "comments" or "opinions". An oath is, by definition, a promise and promises are meant to be kept.

Perhaps that is the old Connecticut Yankee in me speaking, but I was brought up that way and I believe it still.

Prosecute the oath-breakers in congress and the White House to the fullest extent of the law, then double the sentence.

On their first day of office, each of our elected leaders and representatives swears allegiance to the Constitution, but for too long many have freely ignored that oath and instead worked to subvert the Constitutional limits on their actions.

While the policies of Obama and his willing minions have thrown our nation into economic chaos, they have at least hastened the day when it will no longer be possible for liberal politicians to pretend even to pay lip service to the Constitution, but will be forced to declare openly their derision for the principles that made America great.

When I served as an officer in the Navy, I too took an oath, but unlike many currently serving in government, I meant it when I swore to support and defend the Constitution. Although I am no longer in uniform, I feel that sacred charge even more keenly today.

The time is fast approaching when each American will have to make the clear choice between a further decline into Marxist feel-goodism and a restoration of limited government of, by, and for the people. When you meet with your fellow Patriots at the Tea Parties or other gatherings of like-minded conservatives, consider reciting this pledge:

"I pledge allegiance to THE CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, as originally written and ratified by our nation's founding fathers, and as legally amended by the citizens.

I solemnly swear that I will support and defend THE CONSTITUTION from all enemies, both foreign and especially domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and that I will endeavor to hold accountable those who would subvert or distort its meaning.

To this end I devote my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor, that the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA will forever remain one nation under God, a free people."

Oaths are binding. If not, why can we prosecute people for perjury? If not, how can we prosecute those who desert from the military? You get the idea.

No, an oath is no longer binding. Thank a lawyer for that.

The very act of, and reason for, taking an oath is to state publicly ones personal pledge/promise as a participant in any civil society of your commitment to and support of a principal or duty.

An oath is not an oath but merely a publicly stated lie if you do not believe it is binding! Then it becomes the tool of an un-civil person and/or society to be used for personal gain!

Absolutely; Look at what is done to a person, who is a traitor in the Military.

Constitutional authority mater; how could it not?

The oath taken on entering service to this country be it executive, legislative, judicial or the military commands it. You take an oath when testifying in court or to the congress and in both cases to break that oath comes with consequences, and there is the rub with regard to politicians. There is no easy straight forward judicial and punitive process to meet out justice for those that break their oath. Thus we can expect as Jefferson and Madison feared; that lesser men would stray from the path and twist the words to their own ends. Is there any surprise? Having personally taken the oath to defend and protect the constitution upon entering the military I reflected on what that meant and I took it quite literally.

The root problem is that the terms of the constitution are not as well defined as are necessary when dealing with less than honorable men.

Anyone not honoring or fulfilling their oath of office and defence of the Constitution should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

The FIRST assault on essential liberty was included within the constitution when the framers equated (certain) people as property. That eventually mandated the War between the States and the erosion of state's rights. The war was caused by a fundamental flaw in the Constitution.

The Federal Government can and should be able to protect individual rights against encroachment by state government. The Constitution MUST limit the power of the federal government or the system will fail.

Oaths of office are absolutely mandatory if we are to survive as a republic. Those elected officials who abandon their oaths for political expediency show themselves to be nothing more than wandering and toothless beggars.

In as much as the Oath of Office was written into and required by the Supreme Law of the Land, of course the Oath is binding. Unfortunately, the Oath must be enforced by Congress itself essentially by the impeachment process against any who fail to uphold it and to impeach one would necessarily lead to the impeachment of most. Congress however, has a long history of standing shoulder to shoulder against limiting their own desires against the constraints of the Constitution. This would hold particular, when deciding whether to limit themselves to what is authorized by the Constitution, or accepting what lobbyists have to offer in exchange for " a little flexibility in interpretation of the law".

The size of extra-Constitutional government and depth of corruption is so great that it probably is not reversible through the ballot box in one generation, and some are no longer willing to wait that long. I believe we mat be walking a tightrope anchored between canyon walls whereby the only way off is to fall to the side of Socialism and the Rule of Man, or to jump to the side of armed conflict to force the return to the Rule of Law.

John Adams was correct. The Constitution was made ONLY for a moral and religious people. To a large degree we have cease to be such a people. We have since abandoned our Judeo-Christian foundation. We have in many circles declared war on it. Our motto is, "If it feels good or sounds good, let's do it."

The days of closing a deal with a handshake are long since past. The question is: Can we rediscover our need to once again be a moral and ethical people, or will we spend our future mourning all that we have lost.

Yes, oaths are, or should be, binding. How could business be conducted if signed agreements, or oaths, could be ignored at will. There was a time when a handshake sealed the matter. No more. The solemn oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution should not be taken lightly.

If an oath is not binding, by definition it is not an oath. In our current society we have a lack of commitment to anything. That is why when politicians and others take an oath, they do not have the foundational basis of commitment and therefore do not feel obligated to abide by the oath.

Excellent Excellent piece. Do you have a list of all the breaches to the Constitution thus far?

Yes, constitutional authority still matters. Our country has no foundation without the Constitution, and without the foundation, it will crumble. The Constitution is absolute, and without absolutes, anything is acceptable.

Yes oaths are still binding. As a soldier in the US Army I swore an oath to defend the US Constitution from all enemies - domestic or foreign. For 12 years (4 years active and 8 years reserves) I put my life on the line to bear good faith and allegiance to the oath I swore. Even though I am no longer in US Army - I still consider myself under that oath I swore.

Mark,

Once again you've penned an excellent essay and posed some very timely questions. I believe we are, (and have been since the mid sixties), gradually coming apart as a people with respect to our political leanings. There are leftist liberals who are socialistic in nature and there are right leaning conservatives, (and libertarions), who believe the Constitution is and should be the ultimate law of the land. In the middle is a vast canyon and it seems to me that canyon is getting wider and wider. When someone asks Nancy Pelosi where the Constitutional authority is found for Obamacare and she replies "are you serious"? you know the Constitution means nothing to her. The media fawns all over these socialistic types because they are cut from the same cloth. To your question, can we keep this Republic?? I believe we can but we face a tremendous tsunami of opposition in the process. When you can't even talk about a reduction in the increase of a program without getting slaughtered by the left and in the press it becomes very apparent that we face a nearly impossible task. It will take a huge effort of educating the masses and The Patriot Post is exactly the kind of tool we need to begin to accomplish that. The light may be dim, but it's not out!!! Stay Strong and Stay Hungry!!

All The Best,

Warren Wohr

Capt. USAF (Ret.)

President, Iron Knights Marketing Co.

For me my word is my bond, my signature my seal. Yes, a oath is a bond ... it's my word of honor. I think possibly that these values are lost on the current generation. And with that loss a civil society is lost.

There was a time when "a man's word was his bond (or guarantee)." Thta was a day when personal integrity was held in high esteem. Only when you have that type of spirit is the "oath" of a man deemed valid.

Only if the country returns to Christian ways.

Yes they should be binding, we are on the road to hell, people will sale their soul for a few dollars, and a position to control people. I will not lay down and let them take any more from me. Also I have never in my 50 years been treated so racially as I have these last two years, I am white and some my very best friends are black and they say the same thing.

A witness in a court situation takes an "Oath" to tell the truth and whole truth. When found to violate that oath, consequences are invoked. Yes, Oaths are binding. "Swearing in" and taking the oath are the same.

abosolutly

If an oath is not binding, then what is? Not very long ago, oaths were associated with Deity, and considered the strongest and most binding forms of promise and commitment. This was true regardless of religion or belief. What I am witnessing today is sad, and nothing short of criminal.

The strict observance of constitutional authority is the sine qua non of this or any other republic. Our nation suffers from both an electorate and too many elected officials who have never considered this critically grave question. Thus we suffer from too many uninformed citizens electing too many uninformed officials. The rampant disregard for our Constitution and its rightful and central place of authority in our republic places our nation on an extremely dangerous precipice. It just may be that should the numbers of uninformed or ill-informed among us continue to grow we or our descendants will be forced into armed conflict within our borders. What a tragedy that would be given the fact that the general answers to our varous problems are contained within the very document which formed this republic in the first place.

Heavens yes. The one I took 1-26-1980 on enlisting in the US Navy is still binding as well.(It did not contain an experation).

Of course oaths are binding. Otherwise one might as well say, "I might." or "Maybe." or "I'll try." Or whatever. One should not even take an oath if he/she has no intention of keeping it.

Any oath taken by anyone, should be legally binding. YOU are only as good as your WORD!

Absolutely! How do we begin to hold those accountable who are obviously not adhering to their oaths? This has been going on in greater measure ever since the New Deal era. I would love to hear ideas on how to hold those accountable (from the president on down) who are blatantly ignoring their oaths.

Our Republic is lost. Almost all the things our founders warned about have come to past. It is just a matter of time now before the collapse. We are in lock step with the Roman Empire and it's demise.

I wish it wasn't true.

yes oaths are binding and the constution is the law of the land. so you people better heed the warning that if you do not shape up you will be fired in november. i will keep my freedom and my guns and you can keep the change.

Please help me understand and therefore explain the quote from Jefferson about the Court being the "despotic branch".

I certainly recognize that the US Supreme Court has bought into the "living constitution" over the decades, but if the Court is not intended to judge the constitutionality of the actions of the other branches of government, just exactly what is it there for?

Just like any other free citizen, I can read and interpret the Constitution, but if I judge the Congress to have violated the Constitution in passing a certain law, what power do I have to challenge that? Is my remedy not the Court?

You haven't even touched on one of the most damaging usurpations--misuse of the Commeerce Clause. Even before the infamous 1942 Wickard v. Filburn stupidity and many times since, Article II, Section 8 was first pushed by FDR and has been since used to assert unconstitutional Federal authority over almost every aspect of American life. Article II, Section 8 gives Congress authority to regulate foreign, Indian and commerce "between the states". Clearly intended to maintain regularity in dealings between the states, it's now used for anything that "might impact interstate commerce. One of my pet peeves.

The stipulations made by John Adams are as relevant today as they were when first written or voiced by him. Thus, the answer to your question is "Yes, we can keep our republic with its constitutional integrity in tact by observing over and over again the thoughts expressed by Adams to wit: "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. ... The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People. ... [T]hey may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty. ... A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever."

All members of congress are GUILTY of not upholding their oath to defend the Constitution. They allowed elections to go forward although 2008 nominee Obama is not eligle to even run for the office of POTUS because (this is such an easy one, Obama told all of us this FACT) his father was not an American citizen- THEY SHOULD ALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. No need to even question place of birth or phony birth certificate. They disgraced themselves and and betrayed every hard working, honest, tax-paying American citizens, their constituents. WILL CONGRESS UPHOLD THEIR OATH TO DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION NOW THAT THEY WILL BE GIVEN ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THEIR OATH?

We, as a people, are judged by our oath to tell the truth as in a court of law when we affirm such as when testifying. Failure to do so in court, a person can be held in contempt. It should be no different for our Executive and legislative branches of government.

Oaths are made to be binding, if on is not going to follow whatg one has jsut pledged, one should not serve!

There has been to much blood shed over the last 235 years to give up now. The patriots of the past gave a lot, if not all, for this Republic. The patriots of the present and the future must never let the Constitution go by the wayside. It must be defended by whatever means are necessary.

All members of congress are GUILTY of not upholding their oath to defend the Constitution. They allowed elections to go forward although 2008 nominee Obama is not eligle to even run for the office of POTUS because (this is such an easy one, Obama told all of us this FACT) his father was not an American citizen- THEY SHOULD ALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. No need to even question place of birth or phony birth certificate. They disgraced themselves and and betrayed every hard working, honest, tax-paying American citizens, their constituents. WILL CONGRESS UPHOLD THEIR OATH TO DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION NOW THAT THEY WILL BE GIVEN ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THEIR OATH?

A taken oath, or given word, is a person's most valuable credential. If not kept it ranks the forsworn person as beneath the regard of decent people. A person's death is the only permissible reason for not keeping one's oath or given word.

How can we prosecute these criminals if they control the system in which they should be prosecuted? Agreeing with Mr. Bateman's post I'll add "my people die for lack of knowledge". Since the abandonment of the Word of God (AV1611), knowledge is now what YOU want it to mean. The Devil was right, "ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil". So, let's judge the words of the living God and straighten him out!

To men and women of honor, oaths and Solemn promises are absolutely binding.

Obviously, we have elected many people without honor

Both my kids are recent college graduates, and both adamantly state it is a "living document," because that's what they've been inculcated with. I'm conservative through and through, and I hope that washes through them. Of course, the best thing to "re-conservative" them is the hard knocks of real life.

Perjury is the act taking an oath and "willfully and contrary to such oath states or subscribes any material matter which he does not believe to be true." If you take an oath to "uphold and defend" the Constitution of the United States of America when you do not subscribe to or believe in the tenets of that constitution you have committed perjury. The penalty for perjury is generally a fine or jail sentence, as perjury under state and federal law is a felony, conviction make a person ineligible to hold public office. Anybody making statements in public that they believe in the "Living" Constitution has publicly stated that they do NOT subscribe to the tenets of the US Constitution and if they have sworn an oath to uphold it they have committed perjury. Try them, convict them and jail them.

The Constitutional definition, ArtIII,Sec3,"Treason against the US, shall consist only in levying War against them, or, in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason...testimony of two witnesses, or confession in open court. The Congress shall have power to declare punsihment of treason, but no Attainder of Treason..." is either too lenient or is often misapplied as in the case of spies, for instance various spies (often US federal employees) have been convicted, imprisoned , or executed in times of peace, should not failure to abide by the Oath of Office be Treason.

All members of congress are GUILTY of not upholding their oath to defend the Constitution. They allowed elections to go forward although 2008 nominee Obama is not eligle to even run for the office of POTUS because (this is such an easy one, Obama told all of us this FACT) his father was not an American citizen- THEY SHOULD ALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. No need to even question place of birth or phony birth certificate. They disgraced themselves and and betrayed every hard working, honest, tax-paying American citizens, their constituents. WILL CONGRESS UPHOLD THEIR OATH TO DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION NOW THAT THEY WILL BE GIVEN ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THEIR OATH?

So will Mr. Alexander be endorsing the one presidential candidate who has taken his oath of office as a flight surgeon and congressman more seriously than any other politician alive today? The Constitution is very important to uphold and defend, and that is why Ron Paul is the only serious candidate for anyone who says they respect the Constitution.

An Oath is a Sacred pledge based on one's honor.

Those who take an oath and then go against it have no honor and can never be trusted again. Considering the way our current congress and senate behave and lie I believe none should ever be reelected.

the oths of office mean nothing to them anymore. most are skulls and the others are "tapped" by illuminati so oths mean nothing. all are puppets for a tribunal that controls every politician. everything they do is to form their 1 world gvt. elections mean nothing, obaqma was given states with less than 25% of votes in. others with less than 50% in.

Mark - oaths are absolutely binding. However, in this day and age of relative moralism, we will find any excuse to wiggle out of an oath. We've been taught that if our spouse doesn't please us, or we're unhappy in our marriage, our oath be damned - just get a divorce. Never mind that I pledged before God and man to love her until death do us part. I'm not happy, so I want out.

The overwhelming majority of those in political power today believe this same way, and back it up with their actions. They may have paid lip service to this oath, but in the end, their happiness (and re-election) are all they are really concerned about. Besides, they set themselves (and the rule of man) up as the supreme law.

Reminds me of the line about the man who represents himself in a court of law has a fool for a client. In this case, the one who believes in the rule of man has a fool for an author. We are NOT the authority - the Constitution of the United States is the final arbiter of what is and is not permissible in this great land.

My Fellow Americans, I come to you today to ask you to tell me when the Constitution of the United States was declared to be unconstitutional? The last time that I knew; NEVER!!! So I would ask you just how is it that our elected officials from the city council member all the way up to the President of these United States of America have failed to live up to the ideas that our founding fathers have written? All of you sworn to "protect, defend and honor the Constitution of the United States of America and have through neglect or though deliberate actions on your part and have not lived up to the oath that you took before engaging in the office to where you were elected. Who gave you this authority? Where is the law that you passed disannuling the Constitution. For you that our in our Supreme Court; Why haven't you issued an arrest warrant for those who willingly violated their oath of office to do what they wanted to do despite what our constitution says were the powers that were ordained by the people of the United States of America? In my opinion all of you have failed to live up to the oath that your took in order to be in that office. So what should you do now? Declare that the Constitution is no longer valid? Say that you are "the priviledge class" and it doesn't apply to you? Or just resign from your office today (9/1/2011) and let us start over from scratch! There you go, I vote for the last one!!! You might say that if you would resign from office that would be damaging to our nation. You would say that: I will stay in office until my term is through and then leave. But I will tell you that you need to quit NOW and I beleive that we could have a totally new government that would be: "Of the people,by the people and for the people" in enough time to make the nation to go on as it should. You might just dismiss this letter as just another "NUT" writing what he believes and doesn't really "know" the "way things are" and you will continue to do as you please; then you my mistaken leader will have to face those who love this country and do whatever it is to take it back to the way that this country is meant to be. I feel that I will do what I need to do in order to defend this country from the likes of you.

People who break the law are open to the consequences proscribed by law. I don't have the privilege of getting by with consequences if I an a criminal.

No one taking the oath to defend the Constitution of the United States is free to flagrantly break that covenant. I didn't when I was in the military.

The president of the US does not have the right to refuse to enforce the law nor the does the head of the Department of Justice.

Determining to break the Constitution is a impeachable offense and should be dealt as such. However when many politicians are shredding the Constitution it becomes easier to do as time goes by and no one will step up, Republican of Democrat.

Everyone who has taken the oath to uphold the Constitution has also made a pledge to defend it.

God help the United States of America, because He is the only One left.

Constitutional authority is the basis for all our laws and freedoms. Destroying this, as the democrats are currently trying to do, will certainly lead to socialism and destruction of the American way of life. This will also eliminate All freedoms as they are guaranteed by the Constitution.

I have taken a 'few' oaths in my life..... aside from the marriage oath, the other three (Navy & two Police Departments) have had me swear to uphold & defend the Constitution and the laws of The Commonwealth of Virginia. I'm at a tough place now as I see our constitution being trampled on. What is one to do? I have voted in every election since I was eligible to vote BUT that doesn't seem to be enough in todays' climate. I want ALL representatives in the U.S. Government (& state governments also) to have a 'working knowledge' of the laws of our land. If they don't.... they should be gone.

A Republic? These days?

Sorry but the Republic has been "Going" since Lincoln, "Going, going," since FDR/LBJ and GONE with the current Regime which PROMISED to "CHANGE AMERICA AS WE KNOW IT," and has done so in two short years. Most of us had NO idea the sort of change in his Socialistic Mind even though his writings and speeches were, "On the wall."

If there is a way to restore the Republic Mr. Alexander is a better source of ways and means than many of us.

The ballots may or may not be correctly tabulated in 2012 which should be a major concern. IF the current king is re-anointed, then a revolution will be necessary in the future given the destruction/bankruptcy into which he has delivered us by 2016.

All regimes fall---some more quickly than others and corrections will have to be made.

Mark - oaths are absolutely binding. However, in this day and age of relative moralism, we will find any excuse to wiggle out of an oath. We've been taught that if our spouse doesn't please us, or we're unhappy in our marriage, our oath be damned - just get a divorce. Never mind that I pledged before God and man to love her until death do us part. I'm not happy, so I want out.

The overwhelming majority of those in political power today believe this same way, and back it up with their actions. They may have paid lip service to this oath, but in the end, their happiness (and re-election) are all they are really concerned about. Besides, they set themselves (and the rule of man) up as the supreme law.

Reminds me of the line about the man who represents himself in a court of law has a fool for a client. In this case, the one who believes in the rule of man has a fool for an author. We are NOT the authority - the Constitution of the United States is the final arbiter of what is and is not permissible in this great land.

YES, we can keep our republic. The American Voter must wake up to the lies and damage that has already brainwashed many of our youth. All must be encouraged to really pay attention to the issues, the rhetoric, and the speakers then vote with their hearts. If the abuse and government incursions continue then the only answer is armed revolt.

Everyone Must fight to Preserve and Protect our Constitution especiall since our elected officials have gone back on their pledges and are destroying everything that made the USA great.

Yes, and those that violate the oaths are liars and thieves and should be removed from office.

If constitutional authority is not the foundational issue here, then the Constitution itself carries no authority. A document has no inherent authority: it carries only that authority over citizens which are granted to it BY those citizens. OR, it carries the authority of force pressed onto the citizenry by governmental force (ultimately, under arms). Now only one of those two options is the case. Either WE approved by ratification the limited authority of the original document; or it carries authority merely because our current government demands it; or it as NO authority.

If the first, then only those specifics authorized in the document are justifiable by government; if the second, then when you try to enforce it bring your own army. Because we're going to bring ours, called the Militia and composed of every able and armed citizen in the nation. I suspect that will also include most of the Standing Army (all branches) of the nation.

There is no such thing as a non-binding oath. An oath in its very nature is binding; otherwise, just a few (meaningless) words on paper.

Definitely; if not honored an "oath" becomes a mere "comment."

They are bound.

If "we the people" let the desires of the liberal left social progressives continue we will lose our liberty. We need to demand our legislature uphold and adhere to our "rule of lew" the Constitution of the United States

I don't think we can keep a Republic unless we vote

out the worst socialist Democrats who think they are

above the law, including our worst President ever,

Barack Obama. The damage he has done by ignoring the Constitution is so extensive we are on the brink of bankruptcy.

I would like to see him impeached, and his like-minded Cabinet removed, along with Nancy Pelosi,

Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, for starters!

Then, we can return to a Constitutional Government, with a conservative President and save our crippled

nation.

"Should oaths be binding?"

What do you mean by that? Morally binding? Legally binding? An oath is only binding if there is a consequence for breaking it. If there are no consequences then the question has no meaning.

Since there appears to be no penalty, so far, for breaking one's oath then the people in charge will continue to disregard their oaths of office.

Ballots or bullets? If people continue to lose confidence in the ballot then they will start to think the unthinkable.

Good Afternoon;

Without the Constitution the United States would not have survived the first 100 years. It is a totality different document that was crated to guide our new nation. There had never been anything like it before.

Only by going back and supporting the Basic Constitution can this country continue to exist as a hope and light for the world.

Mr. Alexander,

Our Republic was most likely lost with Lincoln's War and if not then, surely upon ratification of the 17th Amendment. Much constitutional vandalism can be attributed to judicial fiat, however, in the truest sense of the word, "Republic", and the absolute definition of the word, "Democracy", removing Senatorial appointment control from the states and allowing for a popular vote of U. S. Senators was the last we saw of our beloved Republic and/or any pretense of Federalism. Any attempt to restore our Republic must be prefaced with a repeal of the 17th Amendment.

Re: Wed post: For the person who says, I'm unreadable, follow the logic. I know what Tea Party stands for. I also know when a river catches on fire, you can't live at Love Canal, the Tea Party says deregulate so we can have another 2008-2009 Bubble, when they get caught, (Both sides) building dossiers on individuals they do not like, it is no longer about taxes, it is about free speech, the right to assemble, your representatives answering the tough questions..

We have a safety issue, like the Ohio River burning, Love Canal, a pond of acid on my wife's land. Complain about spending but who is spend the money a copper mining corporation made on my wife's land? them? heck no. Thanks to deregulation they walked away.

Let me give you an example, I owe the mineral rights to your land. I will go in and blow a two acre hole into he ground, fill it with acid and say, your problem, you clean it up. Your cattle drinks it, they are dead, oh yes, wear a respirator or die. Sooner or later it will leach into your water supply. When we have tap water that burns, we have a problem.

When Bachmann says "exercise your 2nd amend rights," it is no longer about when Mich has no rights, it isn't about taxes or the constitution we hold so dear. You want to complain, complain about Mich having no rights, being a communist/socialist state. Taxes, it is about assassination of elected officials we do not agree with.I heard death panels by Palin. Arizona has death panels. You may not like what I have to say but these are problems we all have to deal with.

I've read, take "up your weapons boys." Civil war is not about taxes.

My taxes will go up for this is what the GOP/Tea Party wants. My taxes, your taxes while the rich receives still another break. and still no jobs. Is this clear enough stance for you?

When I stated fight the battles you can win thus wining the war, for this 3 wave assault in your face against 71% of all American people irrespective of political/spiritual belief, can never win against a well fortified enemy.

I hear deregulate everything. That will make coal mines safer. The Tea party has branched out into other areas. When we want to defund hurricane satellites, fine with me, I don't live near there but I would like to have a major storm warning.

I've always stated I love how Southern people band together as a group during this springs storm and got the job done. I also know they needed help. It's this independence the rest of the nation lacks, it's this helping neighbor, this nation lacks. It still doesn't negate major problems this nation has.

I've asked the question, it's what size government we need and its role, not no government as some has advocated.

I've stated this before and I'll state it again. If you want respect, give respect, if you want respect, then earn it.

Like it or not these are only a few problems we as a nation have to address.

Can we keep it? Not without the contributions of EVERY citizen--poor or rich. No one can have a free ride (robbing Peter to pay Paul who, incidentally, doesn't work or doesn't budget properly to prepare in advance for hard times). Gambling, poor (or non-existent) budgeting, lying, stealing, killing, debauchery--these are not virtues that cause a nation to rise, anymore than they create "good" neighborhoods out of "bad" ones.

The reason our elected officials get away with violating their oaths is that we the people do not hold them accountable. We are too busy with entertaining ourselves or just trying to feed our families and pay the bills and taxes that we are not watching the people elected to serve us. This is part of the slow erosion of our liberties as our government has continually burdened the hardworking, honest Americans with the task of supporting the lazy and incompetent. All the while the latter continue to elect those same politicians who in turn slowly erode our liberties. It is time we stand up to these leeches in government and remove them from the office they have used to ravage this nation of its wealth, pride and morals.

I am saddened that those men and women who serve in our military and who do uphold their oaths are forced to serve the faithless thieves and liars we elect. It sickens me to think that they fight and die protecting the same constitutionally protected liberties the filth in Washington continues to take away.

This is an interesting question. When I enlisted in the U. S. Navy, I took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. When I was employed by the Federasl Government, I took the same oath. To me my oath meant something. I wrote a blank check payable with up to and including my life. Of course that was in the 1950s. Now it seems like the oath just means a ticket to get on the gravy train.

As a child I was taught that when you make a promise, you have to keep it. And if you are not sure you will be able to keep it, then don't make the promise. An Oath is a Promise, with God as my witness. When I became an American citizen I declared, on Oath, to uphold and defend the Constitution and the Laws of the United States of American. There was no expiration date on that promise. From the White House down to the local burgh here in the Ozarks oaths are taken and ignored. No wonder this beautiful country is in such a mess.

God says it is better to not vow a vow than to vow and break it. A vow is a covenant. In this case, it is with the people of our nation. To vow and not uphold it is, as said before to break covenant, and God hates Covenant breaking. God calls a man a fool who breaks covenant, and to swear on a Bible is in actuality swearing before God.

Numbers 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

Deuteronomy 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

Ecclesiastes 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

Dr. Roger Price

I swore the same oath, and so did many of my comrades who gave their life to defend the constitution. I flew fighter aircraft in two wars, and I detest those who quibble with the wording of our base document. They must go!

Of course an oath is binding. If not how could one ever prosecute someone for purgery. The very basis of the charge is that you broke an oath freely taken. All military officers take a very similar oath whenever they accept a commission (from the first time and every time they are promoted after). Enlisted members take an oath without which their contract is not complete.

"just words..." Barack Hussein Obama

Elected officials swear on the Bible when being administered the Oath of Office, and it therefore becomes paramount in everything they do as representatives of the PEOPLE!!!! The Oath is a Sacred commitment in every sense of the word.

God Bless America always....and forever.

Oaths taken shall be binding and shall be punishable if deliberately broken. Those persons shall ultimately be held accountable for their actions.

Yes, oaths are binding. On October 21, 1954, I was sworn in at Macon, GA into the United State Marine Corps. Arrived at Parris Island, SC the next day.

I am a member of Oath Keepers.

The present resident of the White House should be impeached, tried in the Senate, and kicked out of the country. God bless the United States of America!

An oath, as with a law/statutue/regulation, is binding only to the extent it is enforced. In the case of our elected officials in particular, the nobility of the Oath of Office has been ignored, trampled upon, and/or dismissed as irrelevant for the sake of blind obedience to a particular political ideology. Until we, the people, decide to make their oath binding by voting those who betray it out of office, it will remain nothing more than some lofty, "sounds good" verbiage which means nothing in reality.

ABSOLUTELY! Presidential, Congressional, Cabinet Members and military oaths to defend, protect and preserve the Constitution are not being honored by this current President,Vice President nor most of Congress (mainly Democrats and some Republicans). Theser individuals are not fulfilling their oaths of office and should be impeached. How do the people go about impeaching an entire government with out using force to overthrow the current Govt.?

They know it woud take years to do it at the ballot box so they'll continue to thumb their noses at us until we finally get enough people with courage to revolt with the support of the military. No courageous leaders have stepped up as yet. Why is that?

If oaths aren't binding why waste the time with make believe? They are indeed binding to all people of honesty and good spirit, however too many of today's politicians and others are not people of either honesty or good spirit. They lie, dissemble, and prevaricate at will and with no bad feelings about it.

I have to agree with Mr Tyre's comments as well.

Very definitely the oath of the office of the President of the United States should be honored and followed according to the Constitution. How this oath has been allowed to be ignored and violated is appalling, if not treasonous.

The sole purpose of taking an oath is to clearly state the duty and/or obligation of the person taking the oath. A person who ignores his oath of office should be immediately removed from that office and barred from any other governmental office requiring an oath.

If Constitutional authority doesn't matter, and Congress and the Administration can do as they please without regard to our founding document(s) they lied when they took their oaths of office and need to be impeached. RIGHT NOW!

Absolutely oaths are binding. Most of our Congress, and all in the current White House should be tried for treason. Yes, we are a REPUBLIC and not a democracy, and out current leadership seems to ignore that fact. I was born into this country, and in school, learned the Constitution.

It is an amazing document, but often ignored by our so called leaders. The only thing missing

from our Constitution is a clause that would limit terms of office for senators and house members.I believe in two terms for each member of congress with no exceptions. I also believe in the total authority of the US Constitution. Any deviation should be considered a criminal matter, and tried in a court that adheres to the Constitution.

All persons that have made comments on the taking of

Oath of Office seem to agree on the precept that if

this oath is ignored, the person should either be

removed from office or impeached. What are we going to do about it?? PEOPLE, stand up and demand that our representatives adhere to this oath or they will

never see the offices they inhabit again! This will

apply to all public employees. This is my opinion only.

The oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States is binding on any and every politician, until he stops serving in an official capacity. There is absolutely zero room for "personal interpretation" or any other "wiggle room" for ANY person to do anything or propose any law that is not in keeping with that sacred oath. Any person who breaks that sacred oath should immediately be stripped of his or her position and prosecuted to the fulest extent of the law. There can be absolutely no exceptions to the oath of office.

We must adhere to the constitution, word for word, letter for letter, and punctuation mark for puntuation mark. Even the margins are an integral part of this sacred document.

I have the Declaration and Constitution hanging on our wall. I support only those who follow the Rule of Law.

Yes, oaths are binding and that is all that I have to say!

Breaking the sacred oath of office that the President and members of congress take should be considered treason and punished accordingly.

An oath is the expression of one's solemn word. If an oath is broken, one's word is also broken. In the case of the sacred oath of office, when broken -especially time and time again - the oath giver cannot - must not - be trusted. When there is no trust, there can be no honest representation. When anyone breaks their oath of office, they should be expected to resign, or We The People must insist on their removal from office. No exceptions.

Are oaths binding. In the minds of our founding fathers they were. In the oath you are calling on God to hold you responsible if you break it. The founders believed (as do I) that He would. In this day and age I don't believe that people taking these oaths understand that much less believe it. In court however you take an oath to tell the truth and it not only has God holding you to it it also has the penalty of perjury. I believe we should enact legislation that places a severe penalty on those who take these oaths and break them.

Mr. Alexander,

I generally find myself lockstep with your thinking, but on occasion - particularly when you write about Abe Lincoln - I find myself scratching my head. It seems you think him to be first of the Progressive tyrants in your "four events" above, but oddly omit Wilson who by many accounts (see Goldberg) is the first socialist POTUS who, by my reckoning, most accords with BHO's brand of fascism/socialism.

Candidly, the states rights argument lacks power when, in fact, it was the states who seceded over a Declarational right being given to their human chattel. The state - like the federal government - is also a source of coercive power, and in this case, was being used to deny human beings their natural rights. The Constitutional Compromise recognized this and limited slavery's political clout early on; when that sentiment started to shift to the northern states repudiation of slavery, the southern states seceded, even before Lincoln assumed office! And, as Jaffa (a southern "convert" to Lincoln) points out, the proximate cause of the Civil War WAS indeed the peculiar institution of slavery (not tariffs, right of secession, etc.), which was 1) supported by southern Dems, 2) seen as a preemptive, strategic move by the South, and 3) cited as the primary reason why the union split by CSA VP Stephens (see his famous Cornerstone Speech: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornerstone_Speech). States' Rights - as valuable as this doctrine is prima facie to Federalism - is in my mind misapplied.

Like I have said, I am always bewildered as to the animus toward Lincoln as the first, fundamental Progressive. Please share the worldview evidence for such a charge.

Respectfully,

Bubba

I fear for our country because there are way to many with a entitlment attitude that want to be taken care of. The rule of law has been thrown out by our courts and to often judges forget that there are ways to remove them as our politicians back them up. Socialism doesn't work and neither does democracy, only a republic. Rise up americia and take back our country before a revolt occures. fight against the dumming down of our children and educate them about our constitution and our founders before it is to late.

I think the Constitution is the standard set by our forefathers, not unlike the Bible being the standard for life set by God. During the last 30 years the American people have allowed both the Constitution and the Bible to be eroded and replaced with more "politically correct" jargon and laws. There have to be standards in politics and in life that are upheld as true or we are all doomed to failure. How can we change the country for the better? We need to elect men and women that will uphold the highest standards in politics (Constitutional government) and in life (the Bible).

Personally, I believe all elected officials should take their oath of office while hooked to a polygraph.

Many, by their voting record, should be impeached for violation of that oath. Many more, by their voting record and history of written and oral statements, could be convicted of perjury for lying under oath while taking said oath. The next congress needs to take this issue seriously, and clean out the seditionists.

I beleive an oath to be as a covenant bound to one's moral being. When a person violates an oath he or she should not be entrusted with the public trust.

It is absolutely necessary for all Americans to follow and abide by the Constitution of the United States. The oath taken by those required to do so is not only a measure of their worth to those the represent but their required sacred honor. Anything less is a ridiculous joke on the American people

Hopefully, through the education and the learning of our Constitution by our friends and neighbors and by not being afraid to take a stand on a position whether it is deemed politically incorrect or not.

Absolutely Oaths are binding.Why else even bother administering them?Why are witnesses in a court of law sworn to tell the truth,the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,so help me God.If it is ok for that individual to then turn around and commit perjury,why even make them swear an oath in the first place?

Richard Ryan

Lamar,Missouri - Birthplace of Harry S Truman

Oaths are binding. If you take an oath to hold an office then on violation of that oath you should be expelled from that office. If you cannot knowingly follow that oath because of an oath to God (the only one I can think that should supersede it) then you should immediately step down when the conflict presents itself.

If the violation is so extreme to warrant persecution for treason, then persecute.

Yes, Yes, Yes!!! The Constitution matters and was and should be the basis of our government.

The oaths are binding. Each Congressman, Senator and President that voted for the Stimiulas plan should be charged with mis-appropreation of Federal Funds. Also any of these people that are brought up of charges and go to jail should lose their retirements, just like any retired serviceman does if he is found guility of a fraud crimes. GOD PLEASE BLESS AMERICA.

Obama and all of his Partners need to be wearing

Orange Jump Suits and government housing

I believe we can keep it, but it will be hard. We have so many that get most of thier income from the government now, for what ever the reason. In my case I recieve social security, and military retirement (from reserve component). But to get the ship up right again we may have to give up some of these benifits. Those that did not earn may need to give up all of thiers. Not going to happen is it?

Perhaps the greatest failing in the oath(s) of office is where it states that the candidate will swear to uphold the Constitution to the greatest of their 'ability'. Our current elected officials have found that their ability to uphold the Constitution (and their honor) is not that great. And when you have a president that enters office stating that he intends to radically change America, we the people should have been forewarned. The principle & trait of integrity is a long forgotten or dead entity of man!

Sadly, I believe we have already lost our republic. We have a communist in the white house who is hell bent on making this country over into a European socialist type country.Unfortunately,the congress and courts are peopled with either people of the same mind, or spineless bastards who will not take a stand against the shredding of our constitution.

Richard Ryan

Lamar,Missouri - Birthplace of Harry S Truman

I absolutely believe Congress was complicit in allowing Obama to be sworn in. I am a regular concerned citizen but I might add also pretty informed, I knew enough before Obama was coronated that there were enough questions of his radical background and cloee friends and family members to at least question his background and do some investigation, How did all we knew as early as 2003, something contrary to what we believe was going on and now we are wondering what hit us, covering up one disaster after another, while he has trampled all over the consitution and most of the time, it's been in your face Congress. Now do you understand America what he meant, when he said, "in five days we are going to fundamentally transform America." America is fine Mr Obama, you ae the problem.

The constitution is everything. A lot of good men died establishing and maintaining the constitution so all of us could enjoy our freedoms. The constitution, for example, is the very reason we do not have religious wars in the US.

they most certainly are why else would they be rule of law they are there for a purpose no oaths-no laws being upheld by the duly elected person if we don't soon (NOW) get rid of this bully wainywaist arrogant "president) maybe yours-not mine - it only gets harder & harder to keepthis country free i like my freedom=how about you? god bless america - a christian country

I agree with your choices of the presidents who have hurt the USA. I believe Woodrow Wilson letting the Federal Reserve get its hooks in the financial well being of the USA and the beginning of the income tax were negatives right up there with the trashing of the constitution by Abraham Lincoln!

Article 2, Section 1 of our Constitution states that the President will defend the Constitution. Sec. 3 states that LAWS BE FAITHFULLY EXECUTED. Article 4, Section 4 of the Constitution states "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; ......"

Webster defines Invasion as c. a penetration or occupation by an outside force or agency. Specific: the penetration and gradual occupation of an area by a population group of different socioeconomic status or racial or cultural origin than its original inhabitants.

Should not Articles of Impeachment be brought against the President for extreme violation of his Constituional duties or maybe the U. S. Supreme Court could order him to perform his duties? But, his administration only files law suits against States who are trying to protect themselves from Invasion. (By Illegal Immigrants/Criminals)

if not authority-then chaoes you can't have both of the 2 authority has to win we must have true patroits back or we are lost god bless america have you ever thought about running??? would sure beat anyone but sara & machelle the rest are demos acting like republicans

When I was growing up I was taught, that a mans oath,or promis,and a hand shake were like a contract and not to be broken. To be a man you would not break any of these. A person who breaks any of these is not worth respect.

The great words of our founders and others, and the way Mark Alexander presents them to us, truly brings a shiver up and down my spine. I am so disgusted with the so-called ruling elite that I am just beside myself. The socialists and communists that are currently trying to take control of our gov't can not, will not win, or I will die trying to stop them.

Should an oath be morally and perhaps legally binding? Certainly morally binding and I think we should endeavor to make it legally binding as well. What about subjecting political speech to the same legal scrutiny to which we hold advertising speech or an oath taken prior to testifying during a trial? Wouldn't that make fact-checking fun.

If the American People have got any back bone things can be saved

I'm not sure we can keep our Republic. There are no longer statesmen willing to do what the people need and not just what they want. The question, is this Constitutional?, has become laughable. The media argues that nothing is or is not Constitutional until the courts declare it so... Really?

People, by and large, are apathetic and/or needy in turn. The lazy, uninformed, and socially progressive seem to be in the majority. I'm not sure there are enough people left who truly care.

I'm sorry to say this, because I have served this country in the military and continue to do so as a civilian, but I'm definitely worried. Our best polling Republican is a man who was a Democrat and has been touted as "too conservative" even though his record is infinitely moderate. Are we all dumb enough to swallow this? Maybe we are...

Any elected government official, IE, senator,representive, or president, that does not follow the oath they gave when sworn in, should loose that position and all entitlements for not following the constitution as "rule of law" as it was intended and written. To do otherwise is breaking the trust of those who elected them and they should be replaced by ones who would keep their oaths.

We lost our republic with Lincoln and started down the road of socialism with Roosevelt. We are still a democracy so the majority of citizens (having relinquished essential liberty to be cared for by the government) are electing representatives that take us further down the road of socialism. Unless we experience a profound change in the ability of our citizens to accept personal responsibility for their success or failure and become willing to provide for themselves, they will continue to demand that the government force those that are successful to proved for those who choose not to be.

Only if the people of our great country wake up to what is really happening today, can the Republic be saved. Those of us who are awake have to be the ones to sound the alarm, loud and clear, to the sleeping masses. I wish we could get The Patriot Post in the hands of every American. To some this would not do any good, but it is my hope and prayer that there are enough sane, God fearing individuals left to achive this turn around. May God Bless you and the folks at the Patriot for your efforts to save our Republic.

Words having meaning:

Oath noun, plural oaths

1. a solemn appeal to a deity, or to some revered person or thing, to witness one's determination to speak the truth, to keep a promise, etc.: to testify upon oath.

2. a statement or promise strengthened by such an appeal.

3. a formally affirmed statement or promise accepted as an equivalent of an appeal to a deity or to a revered person or thing; affirmation.

4. the form of words in which such a statement or promise is made.

5. an irreverent or blasphemous use of the name of God or anything sacred.

6. any profane expression; curse; swearword: He slammed the door with a muttered oath.

Idiom

7. take an oath, to swear solemnly; vow.

The only oaths we get from oafs (politicians) are usages 5 and 6

“Today, tyranny is hovering on the immediate horizon.” No. It’s already here. Party hacks appointed as “czars”, and government offices issuing edicts that affect all the inhabitants while those elected to represent them stand mute letting their own powers be eroded; e.g. EPA regulations to correct a non-existent problem.

We are and shall remain a Constitutional Republic!

Robert C. Funk

Oaths ARE binding and should be taken seriously. Someone above suggested that there should be a mechanism for addressing those who violate their oath to uphold The Constitution, and perhaps that would make a difference. I am extremely worried about our country, and while I think the 2012 election is even more important than 2010 was, there's so much "baggage" that needs changing or removing, I do wonder if it can be done no matter who is elected. And I'm concerned about whether or not the right Republican candidate will be picked who can defeat Obama--in spite of his current low public approval. And will the election be fair--will all those who vote actually have the right to vote? I pray that this "tree of freedom will NOT have to be refreshed by blood!" God said, "When My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray, I will restore their land." Let us pray for our nation.

The problem with the American society is that they have been dumbed-down to an amerikan form of socialism. Charlotte Iserbyt really demonstrated the truth in her book, that is free online, The Deliberate Dumbing-down of America. Ninety-nine % of the populace have never read the Federalist Papers, the Second Federalist, or the Anti-Federalist; or even any of the letters that the Founding Fathers passed back and forth before the Constitution was accepted; and enacted.

The totally, controlled media and (mis)education system has done a great job in creating a muted society!

I believe that an oath should be binding; if not legally, then morally. I also believe that an oath is an extension of one’s word. I’m from an era when one’s word, or a handshake, was as good as a contract and I’m sometimes offended when I give someone my word and they want more as proof that I’ll follow through with the deal. Unfortunately, values today are not as they once were and I understand why people are apprehensive about taking one’s word. An oath, as is one’s word, should be associated with honor. And that attribute is becoming rare these days.

Above, Frank called us a democracy. Geez, we have never been a democracy since we are a limited and restricted Constitutional Republic whereby the States have the authority to overrule whatever illicit and illegal nonsense that the fed creates!

"A republic, if you can keep it." The question for American Patriots today: "Can we keep it?" No, not the way things are going. It requires more than just Patriot Post readers to recognize the very real threat, and the urgent need to return to the principles of Essential Libery, When a prominent and powerful politician like Leahey can blatantly show a disregard for the Constitution (along with Pelosi et al ), and Burt Prelutsky can point out that, “even now 40% of Americans believe that Barack Obama is doing a bang-up job”, you know we’re in very deep trouble !

When anyone swears an oath of office wether it be for dog catcher or the Presidency of our couuntry, The United States, or any office in between, that oath is a binding contract between the people and the elected official, and that is why it is critical to elect only men/women of the highest moral and ethical character to any public office and why we have the first amendment such that the press can dig deep into a candidates background.

When the oath of office is broken by the elected, IMO, severe penalties should be imposed on that individual.

To break the oath of office is TREASON.

when they put their hand on a bible and swear to uphold the constitution It should be a sacred act.

but it looks like the folks today do not mean it.

WARNING - POLITICALLY INCORRECT: I have to weigh in on Jim's side. To violate their oath to defend our Constitution is an act of TREASON. I believe that it is established law that to commit treason in time of war is or can be a capital offense. Is there any doubt that we are at war on several fronts? I rest my case.

Most Americans have no idea the difference between a republic and a democracy let alone a constitutional democracy/republic. This is due to brainwashing by our government run public schools. School voucher programs should become SOP across the country and would go a long way toward remedying this problem. That said, you ask if an oath is binding. Answer, absolutely and forever. This oath is one of the guiding principles of my personal life. Upon joining the US Army in 1969 the first thing uttered was the oath to protect our Constitution. Perhaps, upon the attainment of majority status in our society, all of our people should take that oath.

The Oaths they take are binding but there is no enforcement. The same applies to the eligibility requirwmnt for the Office of President...there can be no question that a natural born citizen is a person born to two citizen parents.

According to Article II, Section 1, Cl 4, of our Constitution, “No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President…” It is immediately obvious, based on the foregoing text, that the words “natural born Citizen” and “Citizen” were not intended by the Framers to convey the same meaning. All “Citizens” at the time of adoption of the Constitution are no longer living and therefore only a natural born Citizen is eligible to the presidency.

If you do not know what a natural born citizen is you have only to look to the Law of Nations, the 1758 work by Swiss legal philosopher Emmerich de Vattel, with which the framers were clearly familiar. So much so that they considered it important enough to cite in the Constitution and make punishment of offences against it one of the enumerated powers, along with all of the others included in Article I, Section 8 (see Cl 10). Is it not, therefore, entirely logical to conclude that what they meant by the term natural born citizen was that defined in that same Law of Nations, of which Book I, Chapter XIX, Section 212, specified that a natural born citizen is born of two parent citizens and makes it clear that the father's citizenship was a loyalty issue. This definition is further supported by the following:

The U.S. Supreme Court in MINOR v. HAPPERSETT, 88 U.S. 162; 21 Wall. 162 October 1874, wrote in pertinent part, ”At common-law, with the nomenclature of which the framers of the Constitution were familiar, it was never doubted that all children born in a country of parents who were its citizens became themselves, upon their birth, citizens also. These were natives, or natural-born citizens, as distinguished from aliens or foreigners.”

The Founders' chief concern, as demonstrated in a 1787 letter from John Jay to George Washington, was that the commander-in-chief not have dual loyalties. Jay, who later became president of the Continental Congress and the first Supreme Court chief justice, wrote in that letter: "Permit me to hint, whether it would be wise and seasonable to provide a strong check to the admission of Foreigners into the administration of our national Government; and to declare expressly that the Commander-in-Chief of the American army shall not be given to, nor devolve on, any but a natural born Citizen."

The definition of “natural-born citizen” approved by the first U.S. Congress can be seen in the Naturalization Act of 1790, which regarded it as a child born of two American parents. The law, specifying that a natural-born citizen need not be born on U.S. soil, stated: "The children of citizens of the United States, that may be born beyond sea, or out of the limits of the United States shall be considered as natural born citizens: Provided, that the right of citizenship shall not descend to persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States."

The first U.S. Congress included 20 delegates to the Constitutional Convention among whom were eight members of the Committee of Eleven that drafted the Constitution's natural-born citizen clause. While the act was repealed five years later, it nevertheless, represented the will of the Congress that the U.S. not be led by someone with dual loyalties.

The U.S. Senate resolved in 2008, that Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, was a natural born citizen, because his parents were American citizens. The non-binding resolution, co-sponsored by then-Senator Barack Obama, stated that McCain – born to two American citizens on an American military base in the Panama Canal Zone in 1936, "is a 'natural born citizen’ under Article II.”

Mr. Herbert Titus, an attorney who has taught constitutional law for nearly 30 years and was the founding dean of the College of Law and Government at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., reportedly also agreed with that definition completely. "That's precisely what a natural-born citizen is," Mr.Titus said in a YouTube video, "one who is born to a father and a mother, each of whom is a citizen of the United States or whatever other country they're claiming natural-born citizenship in." Ratified June 15, 1804, Amendment XII, requires the vice president now meet the same eligibility requirements as the president.

Can we keep it? Yes if we would choose to do so. Will we keep? That is highly unlikely considering the current state of affairs. The majority of our citizens entitled to vote do not understand the principles you outline so well, nor are they inclined to make the difficult decisions to restore Constitutional law. While I abhor the agenda of the "liberal, socialist, progressive" mindset, it is not only those who bear the blame for our current situation. Too often I (we) have voted for those who spoke in campaigns as conservatives, only to have them succumb to the DC mentality and take on the liberal mantle of equalizers of result rather than opportunity. As many others have implored, may God, our creator, have mercy; for by that only will our great republic survive!

An oath is binding as long as it is witnessed. If it is witnessed, they should be held to it.

I was sworn into the US Air Force on December 8, 1969. I still believe I am bound by that oath. We have a domestic enemy in the White House right now. I believe the ballot is strong, but the person we elect must be strong and believe in this country. My grandparents came from Poland in the late 1800s. They left Europe, I don't want to be European. I am an AMERICAN!

I am trying to teach my grandson about this country, what his school misses. I am currently reading The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers. He will be studying the revolution this year. I want him to know the truth, not what the text books lie about. He has been to Mount Vernon, Valley Forge, Independence Hall, seen the Liberty Bell, West Point, Annapolis, Ft Sumpter and many other notable sites in the Country. I am influencing the next loyal generation.

The future lies in our children and granchildren. We must teach them about Honor and what it means when you swear to an oath. It is not something to be taken lightly.

I am not a fan of oaths. I was required to swear an oath of allegiance and obedience at least four times over a 24 year career within the Army as I changed from enlisted to officer, back to enlisted, then back to officer. I felt my first oath would suffice and my service thereof be proof of the same.

HOWEVER... oaths for those entering into EACH public office SHOULD voluntarily be administered an oath of allegiance and fidelity to the office and the people whom they will serve.

IIN addition, there SHOULD BE some form of painful persecution (financial or physical) EACH time a person has failed to support the oath which they voluntarily took to their office and people.

There currently is no recourse or punishment for those who fail to live up to their oath of office. So WHYy should an unfaithful person worry about it? It is akin to abolishing capital punishment. There IS a correlation to the increase in crime and the missing death penalty factor. Prisoners live better and have MORE protection of rights than many Americans!!!!

The question you ask is 'Can we keep it'? The republic, that is. Based on the recent ramblings of the Congressional Black Caucus and others of their ilk, the progressives think the republic has already left the building and no one cares. They hear the word 'constitution' and immediately go crazy, attacking everyone and everything associated with it. Having been involved in one war, I hesitate to prognosticate on future events. However, the events of the day and what may transpire in the not too distant future, do not bode well for an orderly outcome. The rule of law must hold forth if the republic is to survive.

I have a question. To whom do we point the gun? There are so many now, that we would run out of bullets long before we solved the problem. The Oath of office has been so often broken that it is impossible to even know where to start.

Lets just start with the top and work our way down. Prosecution of the offenders are only words when spoken by us. Those words take on meaning when those who can, do.

The ballot box is a joke when the people are ignorant. All the comments to date ignore the fact of an absolute athority who will not be ignored. Only someone who is held responsible for their actions will be careful what those actions are. Today there is no responsibility, therefore no accountability. People go an their merry way doing what they want because they are not held accountable. When the top people are held accountable, the rest will think twice before acting against the Constitution. God bless the USA.

We MUST keep our Constitution in tact. If we forsake it, we will no longer be the wonderful U. S. of A. that we have been. To do otherwise is totally unconscionable. Mary M. Madsen Tallahassee, FL

Oaths are legally binding. When you take an oath in court to tell the whole truth and nothing but.." and are caught doing otherwise,there are strict penalties. The old adage "A man of his word" meant a man who stood by his word. Anyone who takes a sacred oath on the Bible, as the elected official do, are even more liable if the oath is broken.

If a man swears a lie, what good is he? You cannot believe any thing he says because he lies in the worst way, on oath.

Our elected government officials are almost all guilty of breaking their oath. They do not take an oath regarding their representation of the people but they are duty bound to represent and vote the opinions of those he represents..whether he likes it or not. EVERY elected official is GUILTY of voting what they want not what the citizens he represents wants.

THEY WILL ONE DAY PAY THE PENALTY!

Both sides of the isle are guilty of this and we keep electing them over and over. Find a politician who will charge them in court with breaking their oath and support him.

Barack Obama will sink to any low he can to be re-elected. He's a sneak, a dirty politician, and has filled his administration with socialists that are very much like him in their hopes for shredding and eliminating our very Constitution. Obama does not hesitate to openly lie, as he is immune from any prosecution. He has managed to infiltrate the SCOTUS, and is holding our elected representatives captive by use of fear, probable blackmail and sheer intimidation. His "executive order amnesty" is a glaringly apparent attempt to woo the Hispanic vote as he wants to be re-elected at any cost. It is my fear that we will not be able to field an opponent that can beat Obama in the election. The GOP is failing her members and America, and the Tea Party is being assailed non-stop by the liberal media and the dishonest press. This is the fight of our lifetime, and I am fearful of the outcome. The press/media MUST be open and forthcoming, but I can't imagine that ever happening. This coming election might be our last election for some time. It might come to open revolution, something I would pray our nation would not have to take up.

The U.S. CONSTITUTION governs the laws of the land, and no part should ever be violated or rescinded. We are a "REPUBLIC"!

I believe 'oaths' should be binding...

EVEN THOUGH THE CURRENT POLITICIANS (OBAMA PRECISELY) DOES NOT SEE HONESTY OR OATHS AS IMPORTANT

These required oaths are binding, never to be dismissed. I have taken the oath of a military enlisted man, an Army officer, as a city councilmember and as a city mayor. These oaths remain a part of my life and being - whether I am active or retired. The words contained therein CANNOT be parsed. God bless the U.S. and the Constitution upon which this country stands.

i wish i could say yes but we have allowed too much corruption in our government to take hold. Too man socialist programs. Too many communist organizations funded by the likes of George Soros and now Williman Buffet. Too many blinded Patriots.Too many feel we are America and we can't fall. Everything will work itself out.The Roman Empire thought the same thing and the conditions that caused the fall of Rome are in America today. They ignore things like Agenda 21 and REX 84. Television, video games and sports are more important.The warnings from our founders go unheeded.too many afraid to speak out because they are afraid of being critized.They choose to remain silent.They will critize others who do speak out. "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be...if we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the duty of every citizen to be informed. Thomas Jefferson The third president of these United States.

Remember The old saying "A man is only as good as his word". If an oath means nothing then failure to tell the truth on the witness stand,officers and soldiers service in the military is changable on a whim, with no penalty.Our privacy in general isoften subject to written agreements(oath) so evidently without faithfullness to oaths the RULE OF LAW is meaningless.

Obama and Holder need to be prosecuted.

Franks, Dodd, Pelosi and Reid also should be prosecuted. They have defied the Constitution and have spit in the face of the American people.

I might also add that all law enforcement and military people need to review their oath. Join the Oath Keepers.

They are going to be given orders by the Federal Government to do WACO like things to the citizens of this country. Just say no and stand on the oath your took.

Any oath of office should be binding. To ignore it is criminal.

Both the "FEDERALIST" and "ANTIFEDERALIST" papers list the evils that could befall us if the Constitution was ratified. It is provable through history they were correct. power corrupts absolutly so I am beginning to believe perhaps we should rethink the terms of our present officials jobs and some wording of our Document to put absolut caps on federal authotity and the type of people who recieve an appointment to office.

To your question of "can we keep our Republic?" the answer is quite simply, "No." The Democrats do not have the desire, the Republicans do not have the will. And too high a percentage of the nation does not care.

If the Constitution is binding, then its oaths are binding.

Yes we can keep it and i am willing to die to do so. These corrupt congress persons, current President and his cabinet/cyzr's are proof that we are in trouble, big time. We need a ballot box revolution and if that does not work then another revolution that is more violent. We are going to have riots soon anyway.

We can only keep it if we take serious and concerted action NOW to remove those from office who disregard their oaths. Furthermore, we need to administer significant punishment to those who violate the public's trust or there will be no real deterrent to others.

Oaths are not binding. It's real simple: You are forgiven for not fulfilling your oath if you die trying to fulfill your oath. You owe your creditor 100 hours a week, death from starvation, and your remaining estate before you dishonor your debt. If you vowed to protect our Constitution, the price, again, is your life.

Of course, oaths are binding. Otherwise they are not worth giving in the first place. Many of our Legislators should be impeached but I don't expect enough Americans will join in that. Too many complacent people or they are already on the dole.

Of course they are! Why else would one take an oath?

Your defense of liberty and the Constitution, while praiseworthy, would be far more consistent if you had applied the Rule of Law to George W. Bush - a man who claimed that the President (which means any President) has the right to have anyone (even an American citizen) imprisoned on the President's word and that alone, with no course of appeal, that said individual is an enemy combatant. This is clearly unconstitutional. And yet, where was your protest of this act? You and the Tea Party have much diminished moral authority for this lapse.

The oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America, once taken, is for life. IMHO it is treason to go against it. Semper Fi

if one is binding so is the other.

on reuters:

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Latino activists held a protest outside President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign headquarters on Tuesday to ask him to end a criminal deportation program they say is snaring large number of illegal immigrants who have not committed crimes.

"Illegal immigrants who have not committed crimes". . . hmmm

Taking an Oath only counts when it,s not taken by a lier, It seams Washington is full of them.

Oaths are binding even to the point of giving ones life to defend/honor the person, country, and/or to the only True and Living GOD (Jehova)

Yes, oaths are binding. I never make an oath unless I fully intend to faithfully carry out that oath. With that oath I have made a promise that I will do exactly as I have thus sworn to do by making that oath.

Apparently our so called Commander in Chief only makes supposed oaths so that he can break them or ignore them.

Oaths are still binding to many of us who have taken them! The problem appears to be lack of "honor", for those who have taken an oath and then failed to fulfill it. Sadly, there appear to be few if any "Mr. Smiths" in service of our country now.

Who, besides our elected representatives in congress are going to stand up against all forms of trashing of the constitution? Just about everything that the Federal government does is not constitutional. We hardly every hear any of them going public with any criticism. I have heard it said that many in congress are very happy to "not make waves" and ride it out until they can collect retirement and other perks they have voted for themselves.

A man ( or woman ) is only as good as their word. If they can't keep their sworn propositions or keep their word then I equate them to be LIARS. The next door neighor to THIEVES. As such they should be taken out and put out of our misery. .45 works for me but if all you have is 9mm then that will do.

Since the beginning of the Vietnam war, liberals have shown their true colors. Politicians in general have walked along treasonest paths, and are taken as liars if their lips are moving. They are a disgrace to our nation and should be held accountable for the harm they have done to our nation. From the Supreme Court, the President, both houses, state and local government....liars and thieves are overwhelmingly among them. If someone started prosecuting them, maybe we could slow it down. Not a real patriot among the whole bunch.

You are absolutely correct that we must return to the Constitution as written and ratified. The first thing to do is to demand that each bill that is to go before Congress pass the Constitutional test - is this something enumerated by the Constitution to the Federal Government and necessary? The next thing is to limit Congressmen to one bill-one topic - No riders and no omnibus bills. It isn't much, but it's a good start. There is so much more that needs to be done. The Founding Fathers never intended that politician be a career. It was their idea that elected officials would do their job for a bit and then return to their homes and lives. We need absolute term limits. The president has term limits, why don't Congressmen? Then there are the outrageous salaries. Becoming wealthy at the expense of the citizens. Great idea. Where in the Constitution does it say that Congressmen can draw a salary that is many times that of the average citizen? Personally, I would also question the need for the Legislature to be in session year 'round. The less time they spend in Washington, the less harm they can do to the country. Time to get rid of all the Czars and most of the Cabinet offices. Oh, there is so much that needs to be fixed, but the whole thing is like a row of dominoes - fix one thing and many more things will collapse. It's hard to know just where to start, but something MUST be done and soon or we will lose everything that is dear to Americans. We must absolutely return to the proper context of the Commerce Clause. At least do that. It has been tortured and twisted to fit so many egregious uses that it needs to be defined according to the original intent.

Oaths are absolutely binding. If there was any doubt, the very 'definition' of an oath should clarify the matter. The American Heritage dictionary defines an oath as "a solemn, formal declaration or promise to fulfill a pledge, often calling on God or a sacred object as witness".

...of course they are. Look up the definition...

Breach of oath and trust? At the very least.

What has happened over the last several years is closer to treason (in my opinion) and should result in an offer for a blindfold, cigarette or both.

If there was any difference at all between the Republican Party and the Democrats Party, America would not be in the mess it is in today, and actually has been for many decades, long before George W. handed to Obama the mess he created while Commander in Chief! While Republicans now tend to load every evil in America upon Obama, by doing so, they actually show how guilty they are for actually been fully asleep, while Democrats destroyed America, in a figure of speech! By the way, I voted for Ron Paul in the last election, because he is the only aspirant to be President that is not an Imperialist! Yes, he has always followed the US Constitution in his words and actions. Yes, all the rest aspirants quote the constitution, but in reality do not follow it in their words and actions like Ron Paul does. He as President is the only salvation of America to keep it from going straight ahead to hell, for a better word.

There should be no doubt in any reasonable person's mind that the Constitution means what it states; otherwise, why was it written?

Absolutely binding. If you don't intend on living up to your word then don't take the oath. A person is only as good as their word.

Absolutely, oaths should be binding. Otherwise, the person who is about to enter into a contract of performance, or a fiduciary relationship can simply comply with any sense of obligation, and say "O.K. I think I can do that", or "I'll give it my best shot, but understand, if things should go haywire, remember, I gave it my best shot; don't hold it against me, ya hear!!

What a loaded question!

An oath is a promice. A promice kept, or not kept, defines a man's character. An oath can be 'for good' or, 'for evil'. Specifically, the oath to uphold the constitution of the USA should be honored, or punished, to the extreme.

Any person assuming a position of control over others by swearing such an oath-should he be determined in default- should be quickly publically executed.

Honor will automatically harald the one who keeps his oath.

far too many people have given their lives

for the US Constituition not to matter.

When a politician breaks their oath to defend the Constitution, they are breaking a promise they have made to each of us as individuals. I had to ask, who are they swearing to? They swear to you and me. They look us in the eye and promise, with hand on the Bible, that they will uphold the Consititution. Then, they ignore that promise. This is a clear lack of character and shows personal ambition above a heart of a servant. We the People established the Constitution as the rules and laws to limit those in government to specific issues. Yes, breaking their oath should be punished.

The Founders waxed eloquent to define the limits of the govt shared by the separate States to perform those specific functions. Protecting that Constitution, preserving it, defending it, means abiding by it and relying upon it. If allowed, the natural course for govt is increased burden and control. Federal govt has no place regulating individual human persons.

We can keep it, but only by the grace of God!

Oaths are binding, as evidenced by the Oath we all swear to when we enlisted. The same is true for all officers. Additionally, when you are sworn to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, you take an Oath before man and god. I believe our Founders all swore alligence to our country and god, and expect that those that follow them to do the same. We are a god fearing nation and I would hope we remain so.

If our elected officials cannot look the American people in the eye and proudly defend their policies based on Constitutional principles, then all IS lost. When did abiding by the limits of the Constitution become "radical"? The fact that many Americans think that politicians that fight to maintain the Constitutional integrity of our republic are "radicals" scares me more than anything...leaders that have the ear of the public need to defend the Constitution and put the real anti-Constitutional radicals on the defensive.

The conclict between the taxing power and commerce clause under the Coonsitution and the Bill of Rights was one wel considered in the ratificatin proceedings. Rhere were those who fresaw that the limitless poer to tax combined with the commerce clause would inevitably reduce state soverqwignity to a nullity. The fact is that the ambiguities and conflicts in language were built in with the predictable result that the supreme court would decide the issue on a case by case basis. The Supreme Court in deciding cases under these provisions has been like a heard of camels dancing on the head of pin. And that is all what we will have absent a constitutional amendment- perhaps one that in one way or another prevents the Federal government from collecting taxes or going into debt or otherwise making debt financed block grants to states at Congress whim,

It is not so much that the Federalists had to say but what the anti federalists thoughts were in the ratification proceedings.

The Oath is binding for ethical people and obviously the Marxist-Communist democrats lack ethics

Where have all the real people gone?

My wife and I wonder if there are any out there that think of anything but themselves?

Where have the generations of Americans who believed that "A PERSON IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THEIR WORD"

Yes an oath is binding if it is not why have one.

An oath is absolute, no getting around it. I am 69 years old. When I joined the Navy(by choice) I still believe in the oath I took, and I am ready to defend the Republic and the Constitution which established it to my death.

If they are not binding, what good are they?

It would be nice if our public schools spent more time actually TEACHING the contents of our Constitution and their purpose instead of running our students through it in a couple of weeks. *I know as I'm a public school teacher who has witnessed this travesty year after year.)

I'm also so sick of hearing a "living Constitution" that I could scream. The men who were inspired to write such a wonderful, awesome document said what they meant and meant what they said. PERIOD!!! They left nothing up in the air.

It is exactly for times like these that the Founding Fathers included the protections of our liberties in the Constitution.

Now is NOT the time to allow these protections to be redefined and/or "interpretated" with a Liberal bent.

It is more important than ever that these protections be used (as they were intended)to stop the usurpation of power that has been building over the past decades to where it is now threatening the very fabric of the American Way of Life.

YES! I believe that anyone who does not live up to their oath to defend the constitution of the U.S.of A

should be impeached !!!!!

Jesus said to the scribes,when asked about eating with dirty hand, ITSNOT WHAT GO IN A PERSONS MOUNTH BUT WHAT COMES OUT. So let the politicians suffer their sins.

A man is only as good as his word.

IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO REMAIN FREE.THE PEOPLE MUST EXPAND GOVERMENT MUST SRINK

Between now and the next election I would like to see you publish a list of all incumbent members of Congress that do not follw their oath. This election must eliminate these people as we are running out of time to make any correction to the way our government is being served.

Of course an oath is binding. If not, what would then be the point of administering it. The oath is to be "taken", not just spoken. It's a contract. If not agreed to, you don't get the job.

NOT WITH THE CADREE WE HAVE NOW, NBC,CBS,CNN,ABC, THE DEMOCRATE PARTY, THE LIBERAL ELET,THAT IS NOW INCHARGE.THE PRESADENT SHOULD BE EMPEACHED BEFORE HE DOES ANY MORE DAMAGE.DON'T FORGET SOROS THE BILLION DOLLER GONE.

When one gets up before the presiding judge and the court, he is sworn in (takes an oath) to the court procedings. He agrees (takes an oath), to tell the truth to the best of his or her ability. Without this oath taking where would our court system be? In shambles, and would not exist as we know it today! Oaths are binding. We have numbers of persons in office today in this country who have refused to take an oath for their office in which they hold. They should never have been premitted to hold the office in the beginning if they refused to take the leagle oath of office! They in effect are saying, to hell with you, I have been elected to an office and I will do as I damn well please! An oath was established by our founding fathers many hundreds of years ago when they wrote our beloved constitution. Todays constitution was never meant to be "A Living Constitution", no,not ever. I personally believe that the framers of our constitution that these dear souls were inspired of GOD Himself. Not one eye or title should ever be changed, except by constitutional guidelines. These men said what they meant and meant what they said.

May GOD have Mercy on this country!

CAN we keep it? Only if the people WILL keep it. CAN? Perhaps the question is WILL? Our lives our fortunes and our sacred honor is all that is at stake.

As a Butterbar I took the same oath, I would not take it today. It's not because I'm not a Patriot, it's to me, this nation is now a foreign nation of the 60's-70's of the Iron Curtain variety. We complain about Obamacare, taxes, virtually every form of the government. This is a feint designed to mask the real intent.. I previously mentioned several EO's signed by Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Bush, supported and expanded by Obama. What you argue about it the white elephant, What the Tea Party candidates argue about is the white elephant, what FOX News and Conservative blogs and papers support is the white elephant. In the past I said read the Patriot Act, I implore you to do so again. Powers once granted exclusively to CI, DIA, CIA, NSA,NA, AI, CO's, are now in your backyard. I've read on this post several people who lean towards civil war. In the world of shadows, you are guilty by association. Those who advocated such things on this sight and others, are now marked as seditious and are considered "Enemies of the state."

The white elephant is Oboma, is he a citizen, FOX News for saying, this is what you should complain about by utilizing the rule of 21. The danger is the Patriot Act with warrentless searches, wiretaps, I could go on. As long as you look at the elephant and say Global Warming, we have to vote against it, the Patriot act becomes stronger.I mentioned FOX for FOX is part of News Corp and News Corp stance is we need it. We blindly follow for what does it mean to us? I can guarantee you that talk about arms is sedition against the state and your phones and computers have been tapped. everyone you talked to, have in your computers address book is compromised for you have their names. Talk about oaths, scream about FEMA, but you have been coerced not to look at the real danger. It's not socialism, the DNC, liberals, it is you for allowing it to continue under the guise of protection. Hitler terrified the general populace and put the exact same Laws in place. They are called the Juden laws, read them and compare them to the P. Act.

I'm afraid the enemy is us for our focus is elsewhere. If you want to take an oath, say, bullets...they can lock you up without any and I do mean any civil rights. Your family will never be informed, you are not allowed legal council and those things which were considered torture by G. Washington, all the up to now and are the books as torture, well I hope you like to be water-boarded for under the P. Act, you have no rights. So keep looking at the white elephant.

Oaths ARE biding IF you are a red blooded American citizen - however, in the case of our current president, more & more "evidence" points to him being a Muslim - hence "oaths" are convenient for the moment.

Without an unyielding respect for Constitutional authority, any elected official is a tyrant in the making. The lefts' myth of a "living Constitution" is nothing more than creeping despotism. With each affront to that sacred doccumnet that is allowed to pass into law our freedom is destroyed.

4 more years?

It won't take that long to clasp the shackles on our wrists and end once and for all the dreams of our forefathers. This election is life or death, heaven or hell, salvation or apocolypse, essential liberty or slavery. Choose wisely!

Thank you for correctly identifying Abraham Lincoln as having unconstitutionally interfered with federalism. Most commentaries argue that the ends justified the means in the war between the states.

Do Oath's Matter?

Does the Constitution Matter?

With every fiber of my Being I cry out,,, YES, YES!

If persons elected to OFFICE did NOT want to swear by Oath, they should have Honest Enough to say so. If they do NOT want to adhere to the Constitution, then change the Constitution by law as it was designed to be changed.

Does Honesty Matter?

Does Integrity Matter?

Our Country must have Bed Rock Principles and Laws that we adhere to. That is WHY we have the Constitution. How can people who keep telling us how very smart they are, BE SO DUMB?

Once a pack of communists take over a government, the only way to remove them is to drive them out and kill them. They will never relent in their lust for power and utter control over the serfs. With most of America still asleep or unable to understand what is really being done to their country or in denial that anyone could be so evil in our country, the reality of the situation will come too late for them to fight it. If this pack of maggots loses the election in 2012, you can expect a major catastrophe to occur somewhere in the country which will give them the excuse to declare martial law and disband Congress and not seat the new members so as not to relinquish power.

An Oath is not an Oath at all if the Oath taker intends to pervert it. That gentlemen is called a lie.

Can we turn back 150 years of Constitutional erosion, the most recent instance occurring almost 50 years ago? Unfortunately, I have to concede the answer is probably no.

I fear we're like the Japanese soldiers who were being found in the jungles years after WW2 ended, unaware their side had lost the war, still thinking victory was possible.

Upon entering the U.S. military as an Air Force officer, I took an identical oath. I kept that oath close to my heart, never forgetting the trust placed in me by a public who believed I would lay down my life to uphold it. It was a privilege to serve my country. I hold the young men and women serving in our military today in high esteem. Unfortunately I cannot say the same about numerous members of the House and Senate, and sadly the office of the President as well. I am greatly dismayed by elected officials who have not only forgotten the meaning of the oath they took, but who scoff at our Constitution.

I believe any elected official found in contempt of their oath should be removed from office. I believe in America and its citizens. I believe we can overcome this apathy towards rule of law and the continued attacks on our Constitution and we can do it without a call to arms. Before 6 Nov 2012, you simply need to look at your representative's voting record and ask yourself, did they vote in the best interest of our great nation, their constituency, with rule of law and the Constitution in mind? If the answer is no, then vote them out of office...period.

Unlike RK Sprau, I would gladly take that oath again and hold it just as near and dear to my heart as when I was a butterbar.

Absolutely, and without question! Many, if not most, of our Representatives and Senators are in direct violation of ther oaths and should be removed from office and prosecuted for official corruption.

Absolutely, and without question! Without proper delegated authority the national government has merely usurped power and inflicted tyranny upon our People!

We can, but the time is nigh!

Should we allow this moment of opportunity for restoration to pass, there may not be another chance!

Look to Justice THomas to lead the way in the legal community. THere weill be many in the political family, but it is incumbent upon us to actively support and promote saiud restoration for the benefit of our posterity.

If we don't stand up now, they will curse us for all generations and all time!

As a Viet Nam Vet and being in the Military for 12 years I had to take an similar oath when I enlisted. If I broke that oath I could have been court marshaled and sent to prison or shot. Therefore, I firmly believe that anyone who brakes their oath at the very least should be impeached and thrown out of office.

The question was asked if an Oath is bindi8ng. My response is that if an Oath is not binding nothing is. We must have rules we all are willing to abide by or total anarchy happens. All my life I have been taught that the U.S. Constitution is that set of rules which we must obey to avoid total anarchy.

When we begin to drift away from obeying the Constitution we are treading on very dangerous ground and I'm seeing way too much of that in Washington these days.

The Bible says its better not to make an oath than to make an oath and not keep it. In my opinion, its the same as telling a lie or theft from the people you make the oath,

Oaths are a solemn promise & are absolutely binding for those of us who understand honor. Obama should be impeached...He is a dictator & should be ousted ASAP.

So you can perjury yourself and not get punished if you should be found out? Of course an oath is a binding "contract", I personally think this is a "no brainer".

When the constitution was framed,vows,as those given in the bond of holy matrimony, were respected. Today they are not. We cannot expect oaths and vows to be kept when our primary education system creates moral confusion and chaos in the minds of young Americans. Once our foundational training is restored to moral schooling and personal responsibility we will see a change for the better. Don't hold your breath.

We are all bound by our word. It was once a given that a man's word was his bond. As individuals we have let our own words slip and therefore we have leaders who do worse. These oaths are a bond. These men and women have volunteered to serve, so it is far worse. And, yes let us hold them accountable.

I took the oath in April of 1965. I stand by it today. It is my personal belief that ALL persons

required to take the oath in order to hold office

be held accountable per the UCMJ ( Uniform Code of Military Justice ) Treason is punishable by death.

I can think of several past & present members of

CONgress that should be doing life @ hard labor in Leavenworth....

In answer to the question "Are Oaths Binding?", it is so simple to answer. An oath is an Affirmation to the honor of the person that gives it. It simply means that you will keep your word. Which is very important because you live by your word. You are judged by your word. Every Police Officer, Firefighter, Marine, Sailor, Soldier, Airman, Coast Guardsman, and yes even politicians give their word when they are accepted into the service of their country. What is your word, it means you can be trusted to carry out the assignment you were given. When you give your word you are on your Honor to follow through. I know that I am talking archaic history to some people out there, but when a man gives his word to someone, that means something. Not many understand that. They think that they are just words. Throughout time immemorial a man's word was his bond. I think that all should stop and think about the oath of office the POTUS takes. I myself took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, Foreign or domestic.... I still maintain that oath I took in 1970 and will until the day the Good Lord Calls me Home with a job well done. Oh btw, Marriage Vows are considered an oath as well. Think about all the oaths that are out there then ask yourself are the oaths binding. By God they are...

The Oath should come first to all Politicians. We now have to impeach all those politicians in the House and the Senate so we can get enough true Ameicans to impeach Pres. Obama. We do not have enough power or time to accomplish what needs to be done at this time, therefore the next election is going to be a make it or brake it for this Great Country.

God Bless America, we sure need your help.

Ask my Congressman if he believes the Oath of Office is binding, and does he adhere to it, and he will reply, "Yes, of course!" Ask him why then did he vote for Obamacare, TARP II, and all of the other other garbage Mr. Obama wanted, and he will tell you they are perfectly legal under the "General Welfare", "Necessary Powers" and "Commerce" clauses, and that the General Welfare clause gives Congress authority to do whatever it deems necessary.

You see, he subscribes to the opinion that the meaning of these had to change with the exigencies and "necessities" of the times, in other words, the so-called "living Constitution." He also denies that it is his job to weed out unconstitutional acts - "that is for the courts to decide." This is pernicious; even if one can afford to get into court, one must first prove that he is personally subject to measurable harm as a result of the illegal act. Often the courts rule the issue is simply political, thereby passing the buck back to Congress.

But a "living", i. e., unilaterally changeable contract or compact is in fact a dead agreement, for then no agreement exists. Who would be foolish enough to sign a "living mortgage" with terms that are subject to redefinition by the lender? Yet we are being told we must abide by a national compact subject to frequent redefinition by the courts and now by the "President" to suit their personal preferences at our expense.

This is the frustration - many liberals "support" the Constitution, but they speak a different language than the rest of us, so "Constitution" does not mean the same thing to them. For these people, it is perfectly legitimate to play Calvinball with the Constitution, so long as one's intent is noble (whatever "noble" means).

If one does not believe in absolutes, then ultimately the Rule of Law means absolutely nothing. That is another reason why John Adams said our system was wholly unsuited for any other than a religious people, for religious people do believe in an Absolute Authority to Whom they are personally accountable.

An oath is as binding as the belief of the person who gives the oath in the authority backing the oath.

Unfortunately there is no clause in the Constitution that makes an oath of allegiance, or any other oath a binding contract under the law.

As one or more of our founding fathers stated: Our Constitution is only good for a moral citizenry.

Can we restore the Constitution? Well Mark, that depends upon our ability to eliminate the atheists from the government and especially from the judiciary.

I think that right now that is a toss-up.

In my humble opinion all Oath's are binding without discharge, unless specified in the oath.

The oath I took when entering the United States military is just as binding now as it was on the day I stepped forward to affirm it. Where the idea that an oath only applies when you want it to is backward thinking. I believe it comes from those who hold nothing sacred,unless it fits the their current belief or situation.

Reference Mark Alexander Essay of 9-1-11.

First, regarding your comments that Lincoln violated the Constitution and States Rights by waging the Civil War. The Constitution doesn't abrogate the Articles of Confederation. It creates a "more perfect union" but doesn't change or eliminate the "perpetual union" nature established by the Articles of Confederation. Thus unilateral secession by a State from the perpetual union would be a violation of a still effective by-law of the United States. Lincoln clearly believed in the inviolability of the perpetual union.

Second, you might amplify on the Thomas Jefferson quote that the Courts are not the final arbiter of what is or is not constitutional. I believe that quote comes from the Kentucky Resolution of 1798 where Jefferson also prescribes state nullification as the proper remedy where States consider a federal law to be unconstitutional. The Bill of Rights is the only place in the Constitution to actually address such a power. It begins by stating in The Preamble that the purpose of The Bill of Rights is "to prevent misconstruction or abuse" of constitutional powers and concludes by stating in the Tenth Amendment that powers not delegated by the Constitution to the national government "are reserved to the States respectively (read: individually) or to the people."

The power to prevent misconstruction or abuse of the Constitution is equivalent to the power of final arbiter.

The Oath is absolutely binding on all who take it. I took the Oath when I entered the military. I took the Oath freely without any reservation. I believe that I am still bound by that Oath unless or until I personally renounce it.

Absolutely no ifs ands or buts about it. It was binding on me 59 years ago, when I was drafted into the army and it still is binding on any who takes it serve either in the military or any office.

Oaths are binding and are an affirmation of the persons integrity. Without that you have nothing which is what we have in the White House today a group of people without integrity. It is over for us.

If America, and all that it used to stand for, is to remain that "Shining City on the Hill" we must return to our Constitution and the Rule of Law.

Absolutely. Several members of congress as well as our president are, I believe, guilty of impeachable offenses.

If oaths are not binding then there is no rule of law. If oaths are not binding then there can be no perjury in any situation including criminal and civil cases in a court of law. If oaths are not binding on our elected officials, then they are not binding on citizens either and anarchy reins.

Can we keep our republic? Yes, I believe we can, but it won't be easy. Major changes in the basic thinking of those in Washington and the general populace is required: away from the entitlement mentality, back to self suffiency. So many have become used to the government teat that weaning them will be very difficult. But, it must be done.

Thanks Mark. Your articles are great but this one is the most important for our time.

People, if we can't get our representative politicians in OUR government to get this, live this, we all can believe with all certainty that the end of our republic will be at hand. We are being called to destiny. As we have been given, we must pass on our heritage; if we fail, we will forsake the honor and sacrifice of our founders.

Oath of office is absolutly binding. If they do not uphold that oath, they should be removed for the office

The Constitution of the United States is the only thing that matters.

There is only one person who has operated consistently within Constitutional boundaries allowing the most room for citizens to exercise their own choices, retain more of their income and participate in the governmental decision making process.

MOST OF ALL she operates on principle - not on the current political wind or climate.

Sarah Palin.

If she is nominated, she will win.

If she lives, Sarah Palin will by her VERY DAILY ADHERENCE to Constitutional principles will begin the restoration of balance.

WE THE PEOPLE are ultimately responsible for continuing to recognize similar candidates and get them into office to continue and support the Republican form of Federal government that our founding fathers envisioned.

If ANYONE ELSE in the republican field is nominated, Obama will win.

Why would anyone elect someone from the same political establishment with lighter skin over the cultural icon?

...With that mandate, the continuing destruction by the Executive Branch, of consitutional priniciples, along with the flaccid acquiescence of the House and Senate will slowly by 10, 100, a million cuts will complete the devastation of our rights by the government.

From those ashes will rise the stateist dictatorial big daddy government of the No Longer United States.

My question to those pontificating over all these little sideline issues IS THIS:

Why listen to DC political analysts and machine operatives who have presided over the ongoing failure for the last 40 years, to reduce the spending and the size of this bloated, beastly, confiscatory Federal government? WHY?

You KNOW better THAT THEY DO!

YES! PAY ATTENTION to the man behind the CURTAIN!

KICK him/her out of OFFICE one precinct at a TIME.

This is your "...republic, if you can keep it."

Oaths should be binding absolutely. If an oath was not intended to be binding, why would the founders have required it?

Should an elected official, or anyone else, take an oath without any intention of keeping that oath, they should certainly be prosecuted. What happens if you are found to have lied under oath on the witness stand?

If an individual or group does not like the rules of the game, either don't play...or...get the rules changed. (See Constitutional Convention)

When an elected official breaches his oath of office, he should be immediately removed from that office and tried in a court of law. If convicted, he will be sentenced.

My opinion on such matters is that a mans word is his bond. To the extent that he chooses to not practice such commerce, he shall not only compromise his word, but eventually, may have compromised his very life.

In answer to the question are Oaths binding,the answer is a resounding YES.While you are here on Mother Earth you accumulate wealth, or not.You come into this world with nothing and leave with nothing tangible. Hopefully,(some of us) as we journey through this life, we develop Character and Moral Values. We learn what is right and what is wrong. These refinements are all that we leave this life with for what you learn here, your life lessons and values, no one can take away from you.YOUR WORD IS BOND BECAUSE IT WAS GIVEN FREELY BY YOU! This all would mean nothing to anyone who lacks character, moral values,and basic human compassion.

Oath taken 16 Oct 86 and remains enforced. I love my country more than any man or office.

That is why they are called oaths. That also is the reason they are imposed on candidates that are elected to political office!

Impeachment is trhe answer to anyone that takes the oath and breakks it!I would not be surprised to see a long line of those on both sides of the aisle.

I believe that taking an affirmation oathe has to mean what it says and should be grounds for removal from office whether it is members of congress or the president. This president should be held to task on this as should congress.

For a person with integrity, morals and ethics, Yes an oath is binding.

The oath is binding. Everyone who make an oath is affirming that they will honor their oath. Only a fool would make an oath and not keep it.

The Constitution has only been changed by the admendments. The original words still mean the same today as they did when it was written and approved by the original 13 states. Even a colege professsor should know that especially if his main subject is constitutional law.

Certainly the authority of the Constitution is most important and valuable. Not only does it serve as the basis for our country and our very existence, but it is based upon laws and principles that employ common sense and logic, and emulable by all nations.

AN OATH IS YOUR WORD OF HONOR.

HONOR IS SOMETHING THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE BORN WITH, BUT VERY FEW DIE WITH IT INTACT. MOST OF OUR POLITICIANS ARE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF SELF DESTROYING ONE'S HONOR.

It may be a stretch, but I believe that such oaths are sufficiently specific to create a promissory estoppel situation in which, it can be argued that, the person making the oath (the promisor) could foreseeably induce each US citizen (each promisee) to rely on that oath. It's seems to me that we (the promisees) have reasonably relied on those oaths to our detriment (economic detriment...loss of certain freedoms under the US Constitution, etc).

We can, but probably only when more citizens really understandd what our founding fathers said...what was intended. But despite the views of our founding fathers, consider what Chief Justice John Marshall said in MuCulloch v. Maryland. Marshall pointed out that the Constitution was "intended to endure for ages to come, and, consequently, to be adapted to the varying crisis of human affairs." Mmmm.(Perhaps he meant that under the Necessary and Proper clause, Congress can exercise its best judgment in selecting measures it deems most appropriate but ONLY for the execution of its enumerated powers.) In any event, as Marshall said: "Let the end be legitimate, let it be within the scope of the Constitution, and all means which are appropriate, which are plainly adapted to that end, which are not prohibited, but consistent with the letter and spirit of the Constitution, are constitutional."

Apparently not

John Adams hit the nail on the head. Our Constitution was created for moral and religious people and I don't know where they are these days. It is as vital as is was the day it was written and we need to live by it.

Our Oaths are binding and should be enforced on those elected. All our military personnel take an oath and it IS kept by them and the Articles of the UCMJ are used to enforce them. Everyone from the president on down are supposed to be bound by oath. Our Founders wrote that down to be followed by all. Is our present day administration exempt from their oaths because they are superior to the Founders; NO and most have broken their sacred oaths and should be tried and relieved of their offices as well as marked and never allowed to hold ANY office of trust of the People at any level.

Where honor does not exist, an oath is like a cruel joke.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, AN OATH WAS A PROMISE TO BE KEPT NO MATTER WHAT. OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM IS SO WEAK NOW THAT THERE IS NO ONE TO ENFORCE THE CONSTITUTION.

Puh-leeze. I would guess that you can count on one hand how many public officials actually believe what they are required to pledge. Oaths have been empty for so long that no one hardly gives pause to read about yet another power-holder who has ignored his/her promise to uphold the law. It's a "what-EVer" world we live in, and we have the government we tolerate. God help us.

As a Notary Public for 33 years - I have had only one person "question" what is the reason for an oath...which is still shocking when the person persisted in challenging that he could say anything he wants and I "could not prove it - so what's the use of swearing an oath?" With our adulterated bureaucrats/legislators, I have come to believe they have this same attitude...they can "say" they will uphold the Constitution, et al , but when it comes to passing muster they are shallow individuals wanting a big payoff for their future. Our FAMILY structure that fell apart in the 60's / 70's and good part of the 80's is a primary reason for generations not brought up in truth and discipline and humility. Let us pray that future legislators will honor their OATHS and teach the necessity of family core teaching.

An oath is a contract. when I entered the military in 68, I took an oath to defend the constitution from all aggressors, foreign and domestic. I re-affirmed that oath every time I re-enlisted and when I received my commission to the officer ranks. That oath is still valid and I think about every day as I know in the not to distant future I will have to honor that oath, which may or may not cost me my life and my family. It would be better for me to pay the ultimate price than see my country destroyed and see my children and grandchildren have to live under the rule of a bunch of despots. Even at my age.

There are these old-fashioned, antiquainted concepts called honor and integrity. At least, that's what most folks these days seem to think. I don't. Without honor and integrity, you have nothing at all.

I mourn the death of our country. It's being stabbed to death daily by people who lie, cheat and steal rather than serve in an honorable manner in public office.

Regarding the sentence "This Constitution shall be the Supreme Law of the Land", One must immediately understand the import of it, or (As the government likes to do) it means nothing.

Does the current government* understand that NO treaty can ever abridge the Constitution, and that all Treaties MUST be in compliance with it, not the other way around? Example: Clinton signing the U.N. anti-gun treaty is void based on the fact it violates the Constitution.

*When written, We the People were the Government and those elected worked for us as we bid them to. Read St. George Tucker letter to George Mason on the "Duties" of the elected. It is published in Blackstones commentaries (1803).

Do the elected in the states realize that the Bill of Rights is written in stone, and cannot be changed to meet what they wish it said? That ALL the states Constitutions must acknowledge the Constitution that created this fiction* (Federal government)?

*All Government is a fiction, created by the mind of man. A "Created" entity. A fiction cannot create other fictions (Municipal Corporations), yet they all have (And placed us in servitude in doing so).

Do they understand that the Constitution states the ONLY way to change the Constitution is by Amendment*?

*As originally written and understood, We the People VOTE for changes, not the legislatures. All Amendments ever passed that did not have the People voting first are void (our vote yea or nay enables the state legislatures to vote yea or nay), as they happened outside the method of instructing our representatives (We are a Republic as stated in article 4, section 4).

Do they realize that many people actually took the time to read and understand these distinctions, so when they commit Fraud we know it? Of course being able to do something about it is another story, what with corrupt courts helping to sell us out.

Finally*, as the Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land, when we say "No, that is unconstitutional and you cannot make me do it" (9th Amendment among others comes to mind), yet they still force us to do it (Whatever "It" is), do they CARE that they are acting in a treasonous manner?

While Treason is listed in the Constitution (And is punishable by death after a trial where at least Two people say treason was committed), the early Supreme Court said "Treason is simply this: Making War upon the People."

IS Disregarding the Constitution and forcing people to do what the state/federal governments tell them to do, rather than they doing what the people tell the state/federal government to do, considered Treason? As the Supreme law of the Land, why is it that they defend each other when Treason is so obviously being committed, when they (the elected) should be putting them (the guilty elected) against the wall? Is that not also treason?

As the "Supreme Law of the Land", this sentence states it clearly. This is what you can do and what you cannot do. Nothing else! When we the people, in compliance with our Republic, want something (And it does not violate anyones Rights), we will say so. Until then, do nothing, or risk being a traitor.

*FYI, All the Amendments from the original 13Th (Or the currant 13Th if you do not understand that the original Amendment, (which was properly ratified and proof was found that it was) was deliberately removed) is VOID. Also, the Constitution states ONLY landowners can vote in national elections. As it was written into the Constitution by the founders, how can it be "UNconstitutional" unless changed by Amendment?

So, Supreme Law of the Land really says it is that way when Government says it is. Then and only then. Walin

Are oaths binding? Absolutely. What worth is any man who's word is undependable? None. At what point do we trust a liar? If an oath is of no value, what then can you expect of the oath breaker? Only to break other oaths. In the context of governance, nothing is of more significance than one's word put into action. The oath breaker is liar, not a leader.

Are oaths binding? Over the course of my 20 years in the U.S. Army, I took an oath several times - to defend the U.S. and the Constitution from enemies without and within. It is with a large degree of frustration that I see so many enemies WITHIN and can only "defend" my nation at the ballot box. Instead, I must see oaths taken by politicos with their hands hanging over the crotch.

we can if God and Ronald Reagan are at the helm. i am optimistic about the new class of legislators and their commitment to liberty vs the country club. besides, it never pays to be negative. Bill Bennett tells the story of posing an issue to RR one time and RR said "what is the right thing to do?"when BB said it was something that wasn't being considered because of political expediency, RR said well do it anyway. Simple. Now we just need a candidate with some balls!

Yes, we can! No, we will not! Obama's class warfare and the fact that a very large proportion of our population is on the dole and the coming poll tactics of intimidation will assure America's demise. There is hope now only in prayer.

Oaths are a sacred vow to uphold. Unfortunately in our society today, individual responsibility and respect for vows and laws have suffered extensive abuse. Until a return of individual responsibility and respect for the law are established, our society and elected officials have scant regard for any of our fundamental and constitutional principals.

Absolutely it matters. It is the only bulwark between liberty and slavery to Socialism!

Apparently not if you are a member of the Democrat party. The Democrats wear breaking their oath as a badge of honor among themselves. I'm not saying Republicans don't break their oaths however, if an oath is broken, 9 out of 10 times its a Democrat doing it. To me, when you take an oath, it's your word, your honor, and your name placed on the line. Break it and you lose everything.

I was raised with the teaching that if you took an oath, that you gave your word, and that a man,s word was everything. You keep your word or oath no matter if keeping it becomes hard or inconvenient, this is how people determine who you are. Taking the oath to defend & support & keep the constitution of the United States is secondary only to the oath that you make with God our creator. I find it shameful and reprehensible that our president and certain members of congress take this oath so lightly when our brave young men and women are fighting for this oath every day and sometimes paying the ultimate price defending the constitution of the United States. Every American should get on their hands and knees and ask God to bless this nation and to guide us through his wisdom to elect Godly men and women to serve as servants to the people of this country. I beleive that the constitution of the United States was written by men thst were inspired by God to write this most inmportant and honored document, Yes keeping your oath to the constitution is really that important.

Unfortunately there are many Republicans like Hatch, McCain, Luger, Shays, Weber, Swarzenegger, Bush I and II, Dole, and anyone close to Nixon as examples who have as much prostituted the Constitution as the current White House occupant, Obungler. And unfortunately should the White House and the Congress come under Republican control, they will take up where they left off IMMEDIATELY as a light version of socialist Democrat party policies. The Tea Party should supplant the Republican Party as it has reached its full Whigism long ago.

If rule of law means anything; if contracts entered into without duress are considered legal and binding; if swearing an oath as witnesses have to under penalty of perjury before giving testimony in a court of law is legally binding, then our voluntary, elected officials who are required by law to take an oath supporting and defending the Constitution should be held legally responsible for abiding by that oath. Any elected official who betrays their oath of office should be required to publicly demonstrate how they didn't commit perjury when swearing that oath. All proposed legislation must be required to reference where in the Constitution that authority is granted, otherwise their sponsors should face charges of malfeasance.

Elected officials are required by law to take an oath supporting and defending the Constitution! Any elected official who betrays their oath of office should be jailed and prosecuted as traitors one and all.

It seems that disregard of one's oath to maintain and uphold the rule of law should be considered high among those High Crimes & Misdemeanors which are impeachable offenses.

Whether an oath bears any meaning depends on the individual taking the oath, unfortunately.

An honest man would never consider forsaking an oath. But that doesn't mean much nowadays, looking at the divorce rate.

Unfortunately, honesty is taught to children between 4 and 10 years of age. If they don't get by then they never will.

Just my thoughts on a degenerating America.

The question you propose is "Can we keep it?"

Yes.

The real question is "Do we want to keep it?"

I'm not sure the younger generations are aware of what is at risk today. Freedom, once lost to a variety of Socialism or Communism, cannot be regained without a bloody revolution. It is not just a matter of ballots or bullets. The ballots can still be effective today, but if the elections are lost to Socialism and the 'nanny' state then we have to start all over again. 1700's style. Or worse, Afghanistan style.

Cogent and compelling!

Ballots may be effective only if those ballots have not been tampered with. The electronic voting machine may not be trustworthy.

Then there is SEIU still under scrutiny for voter fraud.

This administration, when taking the oath of office had their fingers crossed behind their backs and have demonstrated reckless abandon when it comes to the rule of law. Hence, regulations passed under the radar screen without the approval of Congress.

We now have a generation of college graduates that have been influenced by liberal professors. Conservative students don't stand a chance of speaking conservative thoughts without reprisal.

We had damn well better try as hard as we can to keep

our Constitution.

Their oaths are binding only if and when we the paople destroy the corrupt existing party structure and start electing people who will take it seriously

Constitutinal authority does matter. The only way anyone can change the constitution is through the amendment process. That said, in today's climate the only way "we the people" can make the constitution matter again is kick out the current bunch of polliticians and elect only those that swear, and then show, fealty to their constitutional oath. (That is short of pitchforks, guns and a literal invasion of the capital.)

we must uphold the rule of law and follow our Constitution. We've allowed the politicians to do whatever they wanted in their search for wealth and or power. We the people must insist on voting only for those who will follow the Constitution and will state the authority for any bill put forward.

Yes, and only by obedience to our Sovereign God and His Grace will we be blessed with LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

The oath of office is just as binding on an elected or appointed "public servant" as it was upon me during 30 years of military service.

If oaths were binding Obama and Holder would not be the only two udergoing an impeachment process.

Only one more example that we do not enforce our own laws. We need to enforce the laws or change them

I believe that the Oath I took when entering the Marine Corps was and still is binding. I believe I swore alegance to the Constitution of the United States and not to the President.

"All enemies, both foreign and especially domestic".

John

You're dad-gum right they are binding, and they are not subject to the interpretation of a single individual president, or member(s) of their cabinet. And, there should be a special judicial "Constitutional Compliance" arm of the USSC to QUICKLY adjudicate attempts by presidents to bend/break/ingnore their presidential responsibilities with regard to upholding (ergo: doing your friggin' job) and defending (making sure that others -- especially those you appointed to your cabinet and their entire staffs don't screw with the Constitution) the Constitution. IF you can't do that you can't be president. If your cabinet is too big for you to stay on top of, you have to get ride of people to make the size of your own personal presidential government manageable.

I'm sure our founders understood there would be occasions where we the people would engage in battles like this every so often. No government has ever had 100% agreement among the governed, and they knew there would be times when the 'dark side' would try to take control - perhaps even win at times. They gave us the founding documents to remind us we don't have to live under tyranny, and to legitimize our defense of our freedoms.

Im afraid we have already lost it

Imagine if lawyers, politicians, and yes, even many judges, actually read the Constitution and it would be available in law school and every elected officials office? Recommendation: The Constitution Made Easy By Mike Holler not only offers a modernized version for easier reading; it actually makes the meaning of the original seem to jump off the page! Using a side-by-side format prevents readers from having to continuously jump back and forth to keep up with the Constitutional changes. Even the citizenry would know the law of the land. Well "we the people," perhaps not "We the sheeple."

Mark - That is one of the finest essays you've ever penned. Thank you for your clear, unmangled view of our constitution and the founders' original intent. I'm saving this essay as I have done a few others. I review them from time to time when the overwhelming urge to scream at a liberal strikes. As you may have guessed, I've been reviewing these frequently since Barack Hussein Obama was elected.

Keep up the stellar work on behalf of all freedom-loving Americans!

An oath, by the meaning of the word, is binding. What is lacking is the moral fortitude to abide by and defend the oath once it is taken.

A large majority of our society lacks the historical perspective and courgae to stand by an oath, once sworn.

Difficult is not strong enough to describe the challenges ahead. It will be painful and extremely hard to reign in the judiciary and Congress but, it can be done. The hardest part will be awaken the people surviving on the government dole. They have to be shown the light and errors that have been made. I will agree there are some things we do outside of the Constitution we need. However, they are few and far between and easily given up. It is going to be hard and a lot of work to get back to where we belong. It is a task worth undertaking.....

For people of character, an oath is binding. So, what kind of people do we have in Washington? Low, base, mean, vile, greedy--certainly not good character. By their actions you know what is in their heart. Heaven help us; we surely need it. Pray hard.

Your oath is your bond. It makes or shames your good name. A wise man will give his oath with prudence: A fool will give his oath on a whim: Beware of the latter as that oath if full of excuses.

I thought your essay, "The Essential Question in Any Political Debate" was outstanding political debate was outstanding, and I agreed with your list of the four major assaults on our Constitution; however, in fairness, I think you need to include George Bush's assault on the Constitution with the instituting of the prescription drug program and the homeland security department. He oversaw the largest expansion of the federal government in forty years and set the stage for the election of Obama. While the homeland security department is not unconstitutional per se, it contributed to an already behemoth federal government as well as to a growing police state.

Of course it does. WIthout the Constitution, what happens to the Rule of Law. Everything this America has become, prior to Obama, is based on the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights.

It is time we got back to the basics of our Constitution and get the Federal Government under control, and out of our lives.

The presidency of Calvin Coolidge is a prime example of the executive branch staying out of the private sector. 2% unemployment and one of the lowest tax rates in history. The Roaring Twenties were some of the best years this country had in revenue and successful businesses.

It is Roosevelt and his minions that kept this country in the Great Depression. This is a president who thought the Constitution needed to be "revised" and becoming a "living" document to reflect the liberal, socialist ideas of his presidency.

Go figure who was right and who was wrong.

Founding Father, John Adams said: "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

America's current struggle is not with a bad President or dishonest legislators or even corrupted bureaucrats. All of these people are drawn from a common pool and are unfortunately only empowered because the, quote: "Moral and Religious People" no longer understand their DUTY to participate and administrate the government which would otherwise, protect their LIBERTY and FREEDOM!

Oaths are binding only to the extent of the swearer's honor and integrity --- That explains a lot when you consider what's happening on our watch.

So what do we do about it? Organize and prioritize, then act to get the intended results. Get out and vote! What will you use to cast your vote?

Oaths are definitely binding. A man's word should be a man's bond. I try to always do what I say I'm going to do. It's how I was raised. Way too many politicians don't seem to live by the same morality. If I were king for a day... Just one day... Oh how I would clean house. I would have the criminals in the House and the Senate prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Ah, I'm dreaming. I wouldn't want to be a tyrant. I just don't want to keep being tread upon by evil men and women who love power for power's sake.

Can we keep our Republic? In my view the elected members of our House & Senate (with few exceptions) are the most damaging to our Constitution. Bad thing is Americans put them there by voting them in. The law makers of this land are subverting the constitution & currently with the blessing & sometimes the help of the POTUS. In fact the POTUS is running end runs around the Congress & getting away with it with their blessing. The Constitution might have had a chance for restoration if those elected had only been interpreting it as a living Constitution. The problem is those elected are beginning to completely ignore the Constitution to the point it is becomming irrelevant and meaningless. If Constitutionalists are not elected into office this next election in large enough numbers to make significant changes in the way business is done in Washington, I'm afraid it will take in Thomas Jefferson's words, the blood of tyrants & patriots to rectify the problem in Washington. The character of people elected to office should definitely be taken into consideration. Personally I think it has gone past the point of no return without bloodshed. My advice is---Keep your powder dry!

Oaths should be binding and if you violate the oath you took I feel its grounds for immediate IMPEACHMENT

Im afraid that we have lost it. We have given up our authority as parents to the government schools to indoctrnate our children and grandchildren to the state. they are no longer educated they are indoctranated.Then we send them to a government funded college or university for more indoctrination to be subjects of the government.

We have elected an enemy of the USA who wants to discard our Constitution and create another one that is restrictive and makes us wards of the Federal Government. Obama promised change and we are going to reap what we have sowed.

Better read the Bible to see if oaths are binding...the Lord said "let your yay be yay and your nay be nay".....not hard even for a politician to understand..............I think!

Not YES! but hell YES!

Unless you want to be a slave to the government constitution means the difference of freedom or slavery to the government!

Only tthrough information about the framers intentions when they crafted it can it be restored.

This will not be taught in the governmentschools, it will have to be taught at home

Of course oaths are binding for if they are not , then the operative document, The Constitution, no longer means what it says and certainly the framers did not risk their lives and fortunes and sacred honor to create a Constitution without meaning.

Of all things an oath is sacred, and if you utter the oath you are duty,honor bound to defend what you have made an oath to, it is a verbal and binding contract! Our Government officials take the oath and laugh all the way to the bank as they stab we the people in the back!

Get rid of them all and start over with "Our Constitution!"

Seems like the gov is trying to get rid of it . Hopefully the 2012 election .will turn that around. if it wernt for the 2nd ammend,they would have us down already. C.T.

Are Oaths Binding? Yes, if one can swear to tell the truth in a courtroom and be in trouble if he does not, politicians that swear an oath should also be liable if they don't hold to their oath.

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