Joe Levi:
a cross-discipline, multi-dimensional problem solver who thinks outside the box – but within reality™

Constitution at the Kitchen Table

Some of my favorite and most vivid memories from my childhood are of my family sitting down for dinner around the kitchen table. It gave us a chance to reconnect after a busy day, share stories from school and discuss current events. Something as simple as sitting down and sharing a meal together allowed us to bring our individual and active lives together as a united family.

One of my favorite topics to discuss was the keystone of our great country – the U.S. Constitution. My father, the late Rex Lee, was a great man and regularly included this document in our conversations. It wasn’t until I got a little older that I realized this wasn’t a typical subject discussed universally around the dinner table. As I look back, I truly value those discussions and attribute my great love and passion for our country to those kitchen-table talks.

Since becoming a father, I have made it a priority to keep this tradition alive in my own home. My wife, Sharon and I have wanted our children to grow up knowing about our forefathers, about the purpose of the Constitution, and what it provides us as Americans. We want our children to know that we live in a free land full of opportunity and possibility, and that it’s this document that holds the answers to many of the obstacles facing America today. It’s because of the Constitution that we have the freedom and ability to reach our full potential and truly live the American dream.

The greatness of our country stems from the fact that we live under a constitution that limits the power of the federal government. It is designed to make sure that our government can’t take too much of our wealth or control too much of our lives. This document makes it possible for Americans to earn a living, to pass wealth on to future generations, and to take care of their family’s needs. It’s by returning to the principles set forth in this document that America can return to greatness.

As a father, I want the best for my children. I want them to have all the benefits that I had available to me. By engaging in conversation about the Constitution around our dinner table, I feel that I am giving them the foundation they need to truly understand what it means to be an American, and how they can utilize the gift of freedom that was granted to us with the signing of this remarkable document.

Today our country pays tribute to this document with the recognition of Constitution Day. If at no other time this year you discuss the Constitution in your home, I encourage you to take the opportunity to talk about it with your family and those you care about on this day. Whether you’re a scholar of the document or haven’t read it since your last history class, take a minute during dinner tonight to find out what your children know of the Constitution, and share with them, what it means to you.

If you need help on topics to begin your discussion you can find some great information and resources at www.constitutioncenter.org. Here are some interesting facts from the site to get things started:

  • Written in 1787, the United States Constitution was signed on September 17th. But it wasn’t until 1788 that it was ratified by the necessary nine States.
  • The Constitution was written in the same Pennsylvania State House where the Declaration of Independence was signed and where George Washington received his commission as Commander of the Continental Army.
  • Some of the original framers and delegates were concerned that the original Constitution lacked a description of individual rights. In 1791, Americans added a list describing individual rights to be granted to citizens, which became known as the Bill of Rights.
  • The Constitution was prepared in secret, behind locked doors protected by guardsmen.
  • The Vice President of the United States is designated as the President of the Senate, but will only cast a vote to break a tie. Since 1789, 244 tie-breaking votes have been cast.
  • The Constitution outlines three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial. This system prevents any branch from having too much power. The executive branch is made up of the President, Vice President and departments; legislative contains the House of Representatives and Senate; and judicial is composed of the Federal and Supreme Courts.
  • The first national “Thanksgiving Day,” established on November 26, 1789, was originally created by George Washington as a way of “giving thanks” for the Constitution.
  • Of the written national constitutions, the U.S. Constitution is the oldest and shortest, with just 4,400 words.
  • The Tenth Amendment states that powers not granted to the federal government nor prohibited to the states by the Constitution of the United States are reserved to the states or the people.
  • The length of a single term served by elected officials is outlined in the Constitution. Once that term is up, officials are required to receive the majority vote once again to maintain their post. Term lengths are two years for Representatives, six years for Senators and four years for the President. A president may only serve a maximum of two terms, which was established by the 22nd Amendment in 1947.
  • At 81, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania was the oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention and at 26, Jonathon Dayton of New Jersey was the youngest.
  • The original document can be viewed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
  • More than 11,000 amendments have been introduced in Congress. Thirty three have gone to the states to be ratified and twenty seven have received the necessary approval from the states to actually become amendments to the Constitution.
  • In order to amend the Constitution, three quarters of the states must vote in favor before the proposed amendment becomes law.
  • John Adams referred to the Constitution as “the greatest single effort of national deliberation that the world has ever seen” and George Washington wrote to the Marquis de Lafayette that “It (the Constitution) appears to me, then, little short of a miracle.”

I know my children have learned a great deal about the Constitution in their classes at school. I also want them to gain a greater understanding of what it means to me and what it can do for them. The Constitution is truly the foundation and support structure for the ongoing success of our country. Above all I want my children to see and sense and know that the Constitution contains real, practical, common-sense solutions for the challenges we face today.

After announcing my candidacy for the Senate back in January my first campaign brochure contained this sentiment, “That which we ignore or forget our children may never know, and what our children do not know our grandchildren may never realize.” We must remember the Constitution for ourselves, for our children and for our grandchildren. I invite you to take some time today, or over the weekend, to sit down with those you care about and engage in a dialogue about this extraordinary document which defines and defends the principles and values we hold deal as Americans.

Mike Lee

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3 Responses

  1. joelevi says:

    Constitution at the Kitchen Table http://syracuse08.com/2010/09/constituti… #utpol #tcot #gop

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