Bill Lee: “significant, the very first clause of the very first section of the very first article of the Constitution consists of…”

“significant, the very first clause of the very first section of the very first article of the Constitution consists of the words ``all legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and the House of Representatives.'' The Founding Fathers wasted no time in getting right to the heart of the matter, which is to say that the legislative powers within the Federal Government--that is, the power to make law within that Federal system--would themselves be exercised only by the branch of that government most accountable to the people at the most regular routine intervals. This system of government, of course, involved three branches--one that would make the law, one that would enforce the law, and one that would interpret the law. That system of government relied, necessarily, and quite appropriately, on the fact that each branch of government would operate within its domain and would jealously guard the powers reserved to it, neither exceeding the powers granted it, nor accepting a diminution of those powers. It is with that topic in mind that I rise today, reluctantly, in support of the resolution before us.…”