"...do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."

"For the good of the Air Force, for the good of the armed services and for the good of our country, I urge you to reject convention and careerism..."
- Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Maxwell AFB, April 21, 2008

"You will need to challenge conventional wisdom and call things like you see them to subordinates and superiors alike."
- Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, United States Air Force Academy, March 4, 2011

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Justice Scalia and Justice Breyer Debate Our Constitution


I agree very much with Justice Scalia's approach to the law as professed here.  It's the professional approach, and the necessary approach of the public servant.  It's the same way I approach my public job, where I must act in accordance with the Constitution and not what I personally agree with or have a taste for.

Public servants are often painted as being mindless drones.  And a great many are exactly that.  But the goal of the public servant should be to master being a mindful drone.  That is, a person who thinks deeply enough to ensure that they are doing the will of the American people as dictated by our law, including our nation's supreme law of the land.  Drone.  Servant.  Same thing.  Obey those who employ you to do their bidding.

Justice Scalia above uses the term "faithful to the statute."  Being faithful is the key.  Not just doing our jobs as public servants, but doing so faithfully.

There is much in the Constitution that isn't very good, or not good enough, or actually very bad as far as I see it.  There is also a great deal of the sublime in the document.  As a public servant, it doesn't matter.  Our job as servants of the American people, is to support and defend our highest law regardless of our personal preferences.

We in public service need to re-cage and re-adjust to ensure that we are faithful public servants.

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