What is Constitutional Government?

by Woodrow Wilson

My object in the following lectures is to examine the government of the United States as a constitutional system as simply and directly as possible, with an eye to practice, not to theory.

And yet at the very outset it is necessary to pause upon a theory. The government of the United States cannot be intelligently discussed as a constitutional system until government; and the answer to that question is in effect a theory of politics.

By a constitutional government we, of course, do not mean merely a government conducted according to the government with which our thoughts deal at all has a definite constitution, written or unwritten, and we should not dream of speaking of all modern government as "constitutional." Not even when their constitutions are written with the utmost definiteness of formulation. The constitution of England, the most famous of constitutional governments and, in a sense, the mother of them all, is not written, and the constitution of Russia might be without changing the essential character of the Czars power. A constitutional government is one whose powers have been adapted to the interests of its people and to the maintenance of individual liberty. That, in brief, is the conception we constantly make use of, but seldom analyze, when we speak of constitutional governments.

Roughly speaking, constitutional government may be said to have had its rise at Runnymede, when the barons of England exacted Magna Carta of John; and that famous transaction we may take as the dramatic embodiment alike of the theory and of the practice we seek. The barons met John at Runnymede, a body of armed men in counsel, for a parley which, should it not end as they wished it to end, was to be but a prelude to rebellion. They were not demanding new laws or better, but a righteous and consistent administration of laws they regarded as already established, their immemorial birthright as Englishmen. They had found John whimsical, arbitrary, untrustworthy, never to be counted on to follow any fixed precedent or limit himself by any common understanding, a lying master who respected no mans rights and thought only of having his own will; and they came to have a final reckoning with him. And so they thrust Magna Carta under his hand to be a signed, - a document of definition, which must henceforth be respected, of practices until now indulged in which must be given over and remedied altogether, of ancient methods too long abandoned to which the king must return; and their proposal was this: -Give us your solemn promise as monarch that this document shall be your guide and rule in all your dealings with us, attest that promise by your sign manual attached in solemn form, admit certain of our number a committee to observe the keeping of the covenant, and we are your subjects in all peaceful form and obedience; -refuse, and we are your enemies, absolved of our allegiance and free to choose a king who will rule us as he should.-Swords made uneasy stir in their scabbards, and John had no choice but to sign. These were the only terms upon which government could be conducted among Englishmen.

That was the beginning of constitutional government, and shows the nature of that government in its simplest form. There at Runnymede a people came to an understanding with its government which we now call "constitutional," ’ the ideal of a government conducted upon the basis of a definite understanding, if need be of a formal pact, between those who are to submit to it and those who are to conduct it, with a view to making government an instrument of the general welfare rather than an arbitrary, self-willed master, doing what it pleases, - and particularly for the purpose of safeguarding individual liberty.

The immortal service of Magna Carta was its formulation of the liberties of the individual in their adjustment to the law. The day of Magna Carta was not a day in which men spoke of political liberty or acted upon set programs of political reform; but the history of constitutional government in the modern world is the history of political liberty, the history of all that men have striven for in the reform of government, and one has the right to expect to get out of it at least a workable conception of what liberty is. Certainly the documents of English history and the utterances of the greater public men on both sides of the water supply abundant material for the definition. "If any one ask me what a free government is, I reply, it is what the people think so," said Burke, going to the heart of the matter. The Declaration of Independence speaks to the same effect. We think of it as a highly theoretical document, but except for its assertion that all men are equal it is not. It is intensely practical, even upon the question of liberty. It names as among the "inalienable rights" of man the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as does the Virginia constitution and many another document of the time; but it expressly leaves to each generation of men the determination of what they will do with their lives, what they will prefer as the form and object of their liberty, in what they will seek their happiness. Its chief justification of the right of the colonists to break with the mother country is the assertion that men have always the right to determine for themselves by their own preferences and their own circumstances whether the government they live under is based upon such principles or administered according to such forms as are likely to effect their safety and happiness. In brief, political liberty is the right of those who are governed to adjust government to their own needs and interests.

That is the philosophy of constitutional government. Every generation, as Burke said, sets before itself some favorite object which it pursues as the very substance of its liberty and happiness. The ideals of liberty cannot be fixed on the generation; only its conception can be, the large image of what it is. Liberty fixed in unalterable law would be no liberty at all. Government is a part of life, and, with life, it must change, alike in its objects and in its practices; only this principle must remain unaltered, - this principle of liberty, that there must be the freest right and opportunity of adjustment. Political liberty consists in the best practicable adjustment between the power of the government and the privilege of the individual; and the freedom to alter the adjustment is as important as the adjustment itself for the case and progress of the affairs and the contentment of the citizen.

You Can Find Out About Emergency First Aid

by DAVID SIMMONS


The primary objective of emergency medical treatment is to prevent the condition of the person involved from deteriorating and to save their life if possible. A great number of folks are involved in accidents each year and many of these are seriously injured or die. However, these people could be rescued if more people would train themselves concerning emergency treatment methods.
It is a skill that puts someone in a secure condition before emergency EMS workers arrive. You need not hold a degree in medical triage to apply the fundamental principles of this skill, but you should have the willingness to learn what you can. Often the difference is made by using elementary training that can ultimately provide a second chance for the individual you are caring for.

When emergency first aid is applied promptly and competently it can make the difference between someone recovering completely from their ordeal, having to deal with a permanent injury or meeting death.

As stated previously, the basics of emergency first aid can make a big difference, however it is likewise vitally critical to have access to the right medical items and supplies.

Of course there are several compromises that should be considered as the necessary items will not always be accessible, but if you keep the appropriate materials nearby the whole process will be much easier. Keeping the right supplies and equipment on-hand could also, in some cases, influence whether you save the life of the injured.

Emergency first aid training and treatment can be accomplished in both minor and critical cases. Minor injuries include small cuts and bruises which can be treated with an antibacterial spray and bandage. The key goal is to keep minor wounds clear and do not have any contaminants which can be the source of infection.

Extreme instances may be treated temporarily by stalling blood loss and usually is the result of an accident. In such an event, the aim of emergency medical procedures should be to stabilize the person's vital life functions until professional emergency workers arrive on the scene. Ensuring that the wounded stay awake by asking them questions can ease the stress of the situation. Ask them questions regarding what is hurting or on simple things to determine their mental state. Your report will be helpful to the EMS workers.

Sometimes, your patient could be somebody in cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is required. If a CPR mouth barrier is available the entire procedure can be much less problematic and you will have the additional benefit of being protected against any biological viral transmission.

An additional benefit of gaining these skills, supplies and equipment is the satisfaction and feeling of being in command of any situation.

If you have ever been involved in an emergency situation and were not sure of what to do, imagine for one second the difference it would make and the lives you could preserve. Don't undervalue the importance of these skills.

If you feel the impulse to learn this skill, do not procrastinate. Bite the bullet today and make a new goal to learn emergency medical procedures in depth.

Organize today for an emergency. Find more concerning emergency medical procedures, purchase first aid bags and other emergency gear at www.SurvivalGearFirst.com.

What to Put in Your Cooler – 5 of the Best Beers You've Never Tried

by: Kavin Yardly

America's big-name beers are great, but if you've been drinking them as long as we have, you just might be in the mood for something different. Also, Americans tend to drink a lot of lager and light beers, which, while cool and refreshing, can lack that bite that you need sometimes in a beer. Here we present 5 beers that you've never tried that you can stock your cooler with next game day:

1) Duvel

Duvel is the flagship beer of Duvel Moortgat Brewery in Belgium, and it's available all over the world. Duvel is a golden ale with a lot of flavor. It's great served lightly chilled straight out of the bottle. Be careful though, because Duvel has a high alcohol content of 8.5%, hence the name Duvel, which means 'devil' in Brabantian!. Duvel tastes best when consumed refrigerated. Duvel can be refrigerated through diversity like counter top fridge, portable mini fridge and sport coolers.

2) Miller Genuine Draft

Miller make Miller Genuine Draft using a special process that prevents some of the beer's flavour from being lost like it is on many mainstream beers. It has won a couple of awards at the World Beer Cup and has a sweet aroma and a mild bitterness.

3) Stella Artois

This is a lager, again from Belgium, but one with a stronger taste than most American brewed mainstream lagers. It has a 'sparkling' appearance and a nice level of bitterness. It’s taste increases if it is consumed chilled with the help of various refrigerating techniques like portable ice maker, rolling cooler, backpack coolers. If you like lagers but want a bit more taste, give Stella Artois a try!

4) Trumer Pils

This one is an Austrian pilsner. Pilsners tend to have a very light color and a distinctive smell and flavour. Trumer is full-bodied and has a loooong aftertaste as well, so it's perfect for washing out the bad taste in your mouth caused by your team losing on game day!

5) Becks

Reportedly a favorite of David Beckham's, Becks is a German pilsner with a pleasing nutty flavor. It's a beer with a crisp flavour and an easy drinkability which is great on a hot day. It also combines well with BBQ food – perfect for game day!



About The Author

Kavin Yardly
Site Representative
Online Retailer for Rolling Cooler & Sports Cooler-http://www.Superfancoolers.com