Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice
Instructor - Mr. Danny Steffenauer (dsteffenauer@pasadenaisd.org)
Defend, serve and protect....just imagine!!!!!
The vast majority of our politicians do not even seem to know what kind of country the United States was designed to be. Virtually every reference made to the United States by our civil magistrates is that we are a "democracy". Someone should have told our Founding Fathers because they emphatically rejected the concept of creating a "democracy" in favor of creating a constitutional republic.
The Pledge of Allegiance does not say "And to the democracy for which it stands". It says "And to the republic for which it stands". the fear of what happens to freedom and liberty under democratic rule is what prompted Madison and the rest of America's founders to labor so hard to create what they did: a constitutional republic. Benjamin Franklin when asked "Well, doctor, what have we got... a republic or monarchy?" responded "A republic...if we can keep it." It is our allegiance to the Constitution that has preserved our liberties, our peace and happiness, our security, and our very way of life.
What every elected officeholder is expected and required to do is very simple: they are required to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. They work for us, not the other way around. They are not charged with saving the planet, the potted owl, profits of the international bankers, the perks of corporate lobbyists or Freddie and Fannie. What they are charged with, however, is preserving our constitutional republic.
Most Americans have always been distrustful of governmental powers, they rely on government for many of their needs, and however, trust in government and the belief that individuals can influence government have been in decline. The present generation has allowed itself to become confused and to lose its way; in practice, it has strayed or totally abandoned the traditional principles.
It is not our elected officials who are most responsible for the republics preservation; it is "We the People". It is the responsibility of the people to govern themselves. We must hold our elected officials accountable to us! It is our duty as Locke stated "to throw off" any system of government that does not secure our liberties and protect our Constitution. It is "We the People" who are the "Powers that be", the source of authority.
It is the objective of this class to examine the Basic American Principles that were well understood and faithfully supported governmentally by all generations of Americans. The present generation has allowed itself to become confused and to lose its way; in practice, it has strayed and abandoned these traditional principles.
A. P. Government and Economics Course Summer Activities
Registration: Simply complete an Career & Technical Center application and turn it in to your grade level counselor.