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(new index)
Building the Ideal Government
Remnant Saints Inter-Continental Congress
NEWSLETTER
Volume 1 Number 6
February 3, 2002
Joel Skousen, Susan Carter, Cheri (my wife and Susan's daughter) and I met together yesterday for
several hours and came up with a preliminary strategy as to how to implement an ideal government to
protect freedom for all mankind.
The following new core index with its linked pages is one of the results of our meeting.
URL:
http://www.rsicc.org/Form/
You will notice that an entire section, "Forming Government," has been added to the
left-hand navigation column of the website, linking to this and the relevant sub-documents.
Joel has done a great deal over the years by way of composing preliminary drafts, so that we don't
have that much left to do to finalize the various documents that will be involved in this ideal
government.
One of the things we accomplished yesterday was to classify the various levels involved. We came up
with the analogy of a house, going from the footings to the furniture. Joel has basically created
documents to address each facet, and I've tried to pin those down in the above index, posting
excerpts from his work, with his permission.
The footings of a house, for example, are akin to the immutable fundamental rights that would be
enumerated, and once agreed upon, never (or at least rarely) altered. Once those are laid, you don't
move them. Amendment to those would require a 98% vote, for example. They are based on eternal
truths that do not change. That will be one of the first places we will want to focus our attention;
but before doing that it would behoove us to become somewhat familiar with the blueprint of the
remainder of the house that is to be built -- the other documents and their purpose.
The foundation of the house, that sits on the footings, is akin to the Principles of Law and
government. Once established, these also should not be subject to easy amendment, but should require
something like 80% vote to be changed.
The document I mentioned the other day that Joel composed and distributed at his meeting last week
in Salt Lake, basically presents a good portion of those, along with arguments for each, as well as
an introduction presenting the need for such principles, and how the current system of government
does not adequately address them.
http://rsicc.org/Documents/JoelSkousen_Law/
We agreed yesterday that this document would be an important touchstone document to gauge the level
of interest and ability of prospective members of RSICC. I should mention that I finally was able to
read through that whole thing just before Joel showed up, and I consider it to be a fantastic piece
of work.
The next level in the house is the floor, which is akin to the citizen compact, which is basically a
more specific declaration of rights and obligations, and can be suited to the wishes of a particular
community, whether a local neighborhood or a nation or even the world. Such a compact would need to
be within the principles of law and uphold the fundamental rights, but could include such items as
when to invoke imminent domain. Communities could agree upon building codes or sound ordinances.
These would be part of the citizen compact. Because each member of the community signs onto the
compact to become a citizen, the compact should not be easily amendable, but it is not as fixed as
the list of fundamental rights or of the principles of law. The compact could be amended with, say,
a 3/4 majority.
The next level is the walls and the roof, which are akin to the constitution that a particular
government might adopt. They give the basic form and substance to the home, they delineate the
parameters of government. These would require a 2/3 majority to be amended. Joel also has prepared a
"New Constitution" which is linked from the above index as well.
The decor of the house, such as the paint, the curtains, the furnishings, are the specific laws that
a particular government might put into play in their legislatures. A simple majority of the
legislature would be sufficient to enact and amend most such laws. Some laws, though, are more
fundamental and would require some degree of supermajority (akin to the changing of the paint or the
carpet in a home -- something that is not done as easily as moving the couch from one position to
another).
The occupants of the home are the citizens. Joel has some great thinking regarding the requirements
for citizenship. These are also linked from the above index, and are actually included in principle
#10 of the principles of law and government that he delineates in the aforementioned document. In
his model, citizenship is not automatic by birth, but each person, when they arrive at an age of
responsibility, will be required to pass a test and demonstrate adequate competence and willingness
to uphold the citizen compact in order to become a citizen and merit the benefits of citizenship.
One other component that we discussed would be like the architect notes. It would be the elaboration
of the intent of the founding documents by the founders. As an historic document, it would be
unchanged.
At the top of the main index page above, you will see the statement:
"RSICC will systematically approve preliminary drafts, assist in hammering out improved
revisions, and finally present a recommended form of government suitable for adoption by any people
who desired to live under the principles of freedom. Existing governments would do well to adopt any
or all of it. Meanwhile a remnant will begin to live by it as they are able."
Ultimately, for a government and its founding citizen compact to be meaningful, there needs to be
locality involved. At some point, to begin implementing this on a real level, there will need to
exist in some location on the planet, a majority who can choose this as the law under which they
choose to live.
Eventually, we believe, all mankind will wish to live under this government. But it needs to begin
somewhere.
Whether calamities and unrest in the world will have to come first to provide enough impetus to spur
enough people to gather to form the first core, or whether such a gathering will happen by choice,
without the impositions of disaster, is a choice we as a people make. Either way, we want to be
instruments in having something in place by way of an ideal form of government, so that when such a
time comes, it will be ready to go.
One of the things Joel and I did was to go over many of the planks in our current 'platform' or
'Declaration of Principles.' With the above parameters in mind, it became obvious that that document
will be supplanted because it mixes each of the above levels without breaking them into their
appropriate categorizations. Some are fundamental rights. Some are principles of law. Some are
constitution principles. Some would fall under a citizen compact.
In other words, we have a major overhaul ahead of us. But thanks to Joel's groundwork, we have a
great head start.
We don't have to start from scratch.
One other point we discussed was the role of faith in God as part of the government. Joel argued
convincingly that while the members of society are free to believe in God, that the government with
is enforcement power, should never be used to either encourage or discourage a particular element of
belief. Individuals who found the government might have strong faith in God, but they must not use
the government as a tool to require belief on the part of others. Rather, government should be there
to protect individuals to believe as they may, and in the free market of religion, truth will have a
greater chance of prevailing.
Because of this, he questioned the wisdom of having the name of our organization include the term
"Remnant Saints." One possible compromise might be that the overall organization will be
called "Inter-Continental Congress" and "Remnant Saints Inter-Continental Congress
will be like a sub-set party within the congress.
We will need to address issue at length at some point.
There were other things we discussed as well: ideas, strategy, personal belief. It was really a
treat.
Susan and Cheri were not able to stay the whole time, but they were there for a good portion of it.
Joel mentioned how impressed he was with Susan's depth of knowledge and ability to discuss.
Cheri prepared a delicious meal as we sat in the kitchen and talked.
It was a wonderful experience for me.
At one point as Joel was expounding on some point or other, I had the thought, "I imagine that
this would be close to what it would feel like to have an angel before you, teaching you important
truths you need to know." Of course angels have the ability to convey a sermon in a whisper,
but still, I did feel great pleasure in being able to have someone as skilled as Joel expounding
sound principles of law in the comfort of my home.
I'll look forward now to working over the various details with those of you who wish to engage in
this activity. We may try to keep some of the deliberations private or off list to help keep from
bogging down the entire subscriber list with our discussions of the minutia of proper principles of
government.
Please let us know if you have a particular interest in assisting with this aspect of the congress.
Sincerely,
Sterling D. Allan
http://www.sterlingdallan.com
See also
RSICC Newsletter Index
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