I have written this editorial in honor of Constitution Day last Friday. The most important document we have in this country is the Constitution. It keeps all despots and dictators from overthrowing the government. But those are just the obvious terrorists. There are much more dangerous threats to the United States; threats that are within our own government. The two-party system in our Congress: the Republicans and the Democrats.

As we are discovering in the political world of our country, there seems to be only one political party: those who are very liberal, the Democrats, and those who are only slightly liberal, the Republicans. From the outside, they seem to be on opposite ends, but on this inside they are almost exactly the same.

So as Americans we really don’t have a choice of two opposing party systems. It’s what everyone refers to as “the lesser of two evils.” Enter the Constitutionalists: those United States citizens who recognize our rights in the Bill of Rights as well as the Constitution as the supreme law and apply those rights to all persons including all official agents at all levels of government. Whether it’s federal, state or local government, any treatment or actions towards any other person or law made by anyone in office should follow the Constitution as a guide.

From the words of a constitutional scholar David Fellman, “… the central element of the concept of constitutionalism is that in political society government officials are not free to do anything they please in any manner they choose; they are bound to observe both the limitations on power and the procedures which are set …” in the constitution.

Our government has a limitation to its own laws and it’s called the Constitution of the United States. So any political party running for any office would have the country’s best interest in mind if they keep as close to the Constitution as possible in all decision making. There would be no hostile take over or undermining of what the American people would want. We would be safe from too many laws on the books and our freedoms already established by the Constitution would be safeguarded. That is why I am a constitutionalist.

We are so far from what the original intent of the Constitution was written for in our country. There are many in government today who do not respect or want to follow what the people had decided so long ago. It is as if the Constitution was ripped to shreds and hanging by a thread. It is barely being held together by the few remaining in government who will not feel the need to change it drastically or take advantage to destroy it.

That is why I am a constitutionalist. I want to restore our government to the original intent of our United States Constitution so government will work the way it was meant to work: by means of the people, by the people and for the people.

Loxley resident Valerie J. Steimle is now the author of four books. Her latest, "Dogs, Blogs and Hobbits: Writings from a Widow's Perspective" is available on Amazon.com. Contact her at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com or visit her website at www.stregthenyourhome.com.