Lesson 4 Assignment 2

Student Responses:

“In separating the powers of the different branches of government as outlined in the constitution, the framers of our country effectively gave us a way of protecting our rights as individuals. First, no one body or person has complete authority or dictate to force his will on the people. Second, the specific responsibilities of the government are set forth and very carefully defined and proscribed such that the government knows what it should do and what it should not do. Third, with different responsibilities belonging to the different branches of government, a structure was set up so that they checked each other and kept a balance with each other so none of the branches could take power that was not prescribed to them in the constitution. Fourth, and most important, individual rights are listed, and the list was purposely left incomplete. This provides for the people, the ones who grant unto the government authority to govern one final check the keep those who govern within the parameters of the constitution.

Even if one branch tries to take more power than it is granted, the others should reign it in, if they are following the constitution. All it takes for this to breakdown is one branch of government to shrug off its responsibility through apathy, or through willful disregard and the individual rights of the people become scarce commodities. Once this starts to happen it becomes easier and easier just to allow it more and more until you get what we have today – a government that has the audacity to try and regulate every aspect of the life of the individual such that what we call freedom has been curtailed and we have an increasing number of “flaxen chords” that have been wrapped ever more tightly around our liberties until we wake up one morning and find that we are completely enslaved by those we thought we elected to protect our rights.

All it takes, really is apathy from the people – not government, because we are the ones that must put the best candidate in office to govern and protect our rights.”

         —Blake Tuddenham