Chairman's Letter

(la carta en español)
Our founding fathers were moral philosophers as well as political activists.

Thomas Jefferson, whose uplifting political poetry graces the Declaration of Independence, was the philosophical godson of the English philosopher John Locke. James Madison, who more than any other founder is considered the architect of the Constitution, was steeped in the philosophy of the French political theorist Montesquieu.

In ecclesiastical terms, the Declaration decreed to the world that all men are created equal and that government is legitimate only if it has the consent of the people. The Constitution that followed was rooted in the secular notion that because human nature is flawed, no public official or public institution should be given too much authority.

This combination of rights held by the people and limited powers granted to the government defines the American political way.

As we celebrate Constitution day, it is important to underscore that the hallmark of the American political system is separation of legislative, executive, and judicial authority. This separation of powers established under the Constitution at the national level found a triple echo at the state, county and city levels. Distinctions came to be drawn between levels as well as branches of government. Tension was inevitable as governance structures overlapped.

The thrice duplicated nature of our Constitutional framework has had the effect of keeping government close to the people and fostering significant political diversity, some of which has had to be abandoned on fundamental moral grounds. Hence, in our greatest historical blemish, the institution of slavery existed in a significant part of the country for almost a century, making mockery of our founders’ revolutionary commitment to individual rights. In the wake of a civil war,the civil rights and suffragette movements, the Constitution was modified to provide meaning to Jefferson’s eloquent words.

The underlying Constitutional framework, which established limitations on government, has provided the world the most enlightened model of governance ever created. Its capacity to accommodate change and advance individual rights deserves celebration. It also requires constant care.

—Jim Leach