“A mere demarcation on parchment of the constitutional limits of the several departments is not a sufficient guard against those encroachments which lead to a tyrannical concentration of all the powers of government in the same hands.”
James Madison, The Federalist, No. 48
There are two points in Madison’s statement above:
1) The words alone of the Constitution have no efficacy in and of themselves — to be effective, they must be enforced; and
2) maintaining the constitutional limits of the different branches of government — the separation of powers — is crucial to avoiding tyranny.
In this TNA video, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly, an outspoken constitutionalist who is currently running for another opening on the court, focuses on both of those concepts. Speaking at an event hosted by the Fox Valley Initiative, a local tea party group in Appleton, Wisconsin, Justice Kelly explains the importance of the people being responsible for electing state officials who will uphold their oaths to support and defend the Constitution, and who will faithfully, every day, carry out what it says. He further expounds upon the functions of the three branches of government; what can be done when that separation of powers is violated; and how to evaluate and choose the best candidates for office.
This is a clear, entertaining, and highly informative presentation by Justice Kelly — don’t miss it!
