What is the Madison Project?
This article is about topics and principles of which we are all familiar though we may not be familiar with the term the Madison Project. I discovered this organization through researching various topics on the Internet and I am glad I did. The information/facts in this article are derived from Madisonproject.com.
Many individuals may not have heard of this project but the objectives are not unfamiliar to those of us who vote. This organization supports conservative candidates through the raising of funds to aid their campaigns. Some of the principles involve limited government and religious freedom. These two principles of themselves are ones with which American are fighting today with the expansion of government and the attacks on our religious freedom under the 1st Amendment.
The name Madison applied to this project is one which may not be understood by some but it is a reflection of the principles of James Madison who is one of our founding fathers in this country. According to this site Madison was a firm believer in private faith and fought against a state sponsored church and is in large part why we have freedom of religion granted to us under the 1st Amendment.
Madison made comments concerning the 2nd Amendment, freedom of speech and our form of government. Specific quotes are noted below as provided on the Madison Project website.
Concerning the 2nd Amendment, Madison said:
“The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; a well armed and well regulated militia being the best security of a free country; but no person religiously scrupulous of bearing arms shall be compelled to render military service in person.”
Madison’s comments about our right to keep and bear arms as identified in Amendment 2 of the Constitution is now at the forefront resulting from instances of gun violence and those who had access to them. Changes in gun legislation are going to occur and have in some states and some are being proposed in Congress. The definition of an assault weapon is not the same when you talk to various individuals at the state and federal level. Currently the ban on assault weapons has been dropped as a part of legislation being considered in the Senate but the content of the legislation being considered is far from being ready for passage.
The Senate and the House of Representatives both have their own versions of what changes need to be made relative to revising gun laws from the federal level. As identified in the statement from James Madison above the right to bear arms impacts the security of our country. True some individuals who have committed horrific crimes have had access to guns which should have been limited either by laws or those who actually purchased the guns in the first place. That being put aside the manner in which our gun laws from the states and federal government change is not yet known at this point. States and the federal government must ensure the privacy of individuals is not violated in an effort to restrict gun access.
We as individuals are saddened by the recent crimes involving mass killings but is there really a way to improve our gun regulations either at the state or federal level. The results in both locations will be a matter of opinion whether the changes imposed are the right ones.
In regards to freedom of speech, Madison said:
“The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.”
Our freedom of speech today is under attack in some cases as there are incidents in the news that appear to be one sided. Some organizations, not all, put their energy into either ignoring comments made unless they are of the same political viewpoint. Freedom of speech as identified in the quote from Madison is one of the great bulwarks of liberty. It is important that our freedom of speech not be restricted to the point that we are reluctant to voice our opinion either in public or in our written word. As writers we all have varying viewpoints on issues of the day and each of us has a right to our opinion and we have the right to express it. This does not mean that others must listen or repeat the comments made.
Voicing our opinion does not mean media sources are required to provide coverage but there are times when opinions being expressed are news events and movements associated with them. It is true that the media cannot cover every news event but sometimes the coverage gives more exposure to events or opinions that should not be raised to the level provided. This is not a criticism of news coverage only that they should look at the criteria they use to cover news events to be more fair to all opinions whether they agree with them or not. In some cases this would be a cultural change in the way news events are covered.
On a republican form of government:
“All power is originally vested in, and consequently derived from, the people. That government is instituted and ought to be exercised for the benefit of the people; which consists in the enjoyment of life and liberty and the right of acquiring property, and generally of pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety. That the people have an indubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to reform or change their government whenever it be found adverse or inadequate to the purpose of its institution.”
Madison’s statement above when you read the words stated say much about our form of government and the intentions when our country first began. The reference to government being instituted to be exercised for the benefit of the people and that the people have an indefeasible right to reform or change their government is important. The political process we have and the current culture in Congress definitely relates to a need for change. The last part of the quote talks about whenever it (government) is found to be adverse or inadequate for the purpose of its institution change is required.
The quotes and references to various aspects of our Constitution and the operation of our government (Congress) clearly points to a need for change. While there are good individuals who serve the constituents well the lack of cooperation between the political parties and the willingness to solve our current problems calls for a change to take place. While this is needed change will only occur if the voters get more involved with the decisions made by their elected officials on whether they are happy with their actions. Government at all levels needs to be there for their constituents not based on what they want to accomplish but what is needed to best serve their constituents. Actions today seem to be more about political parties than taking the best proposals from each party to arrive at the best possible solutions for the state or our country as applicable.
