Who makes the rules? That is the question we are answering again when we vote for legislators. Who enforces the rules? That is the question we answer when we vote for mayors, commissioners, sheriffs, governors, and presidents. Who resolves disputes about the meaning, application, and violation of the rules? That question is addressed when we elect and/or appoint judges.

But where do these officials go for insight as to the best rules and ordinances? That is the bigger question our founders attempted to answer when they forged the Constitution. On what set of rules did they depend in their efforts to establish “the rule of law” on this continent? Was there an ultimate source in their minds? Who or what would rule the rulers? They had already answered that when they wrote, signed, and fought for the Declaration of Independence. They declared it in the very first sentence: “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.” These are “the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained,” as George Washington explained in his first inaugural address.

Our current disorder is directly connected to the fact that a significant portion of our populace has abandoned these two pillars of law, (the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God), and dived headlong into trusting in our fallen, darkened intellect. So, in the face of rioting, they defund the police. They call the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court the “darkest day in American history.” They call those who love pickups, the Second Amendment and God “deplorables.” They think the solution to the breakdown of sexual morality is to kill the babies in the womb. And then go to the Constitution and find an imaginary clause about the legality of a woman’s right to do so. They see nothing strange about a man wanting to marry another man or a confused male setting state records in high school track and field in the girls competition.

I’ll stop there, but the list goes on and on. We are in trouble. And the root of the problem is we, as a nation, have ignored God and His laws and decided we know better than He about the nature of things. “How’s that working out for ya?” is another question we need to be asking each other.

In recent decades the Democrat Party has become focused on centralization of power, which has always lead to tyranny. The Republican Party is more aware of the need to dispense power to the people and away from bureaucracy. This distinction was the backdrop for Patrick Henry’s famous words, “Give me liberty or give me death.” He was declaring his commitment to the rule of law as the founders understood it.

With the election upon us, it seems clear that one of the major parties has more clarity as to the nature of our problems and how to clear them up.

There is hope if we return to our roots. The current batch of local Republican candidates is an exceptionally fine group of individuals. I see them as people with the viewpoint that can help us re-establish stability and “domestic tranquility.” Jim Walsh is the leader of the pack, having distinguished himself in the House in the last four years. Newcomers are Joel McEntire, candidate for the other House seat in the 19th District. Another in the 19th, running for Senate, is Jeff Wilson. In the 24th are Connie Beauvais, Sue Ford and Brian Pruiett. For County Commission seats Jill Warne and Kevin Pine have stepped up. All are honest, enthusiastic about our society, have strong backgrounds and demonstrate good character.

Devin Backholm

Aberdeen