LETTER TO THE EDITOR: How do we continue in order to form a more perfect union?

The beginning statement of our Constitution: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

As Benjamin Franklin was leaving the Constitutional Convention on Sept. 17, 1787, a woman, Elizabeth Willing Power, asked him, "Well, Dr. Franklin, what have we got: a republic or a monarchy?" He replied, "A republic if you can keep it." Well, we have for 238 years and will continue to be one. Quote by Franklin: "The Constitution was near to perfection."

As of January 2025, the "January 6 Select Committee Report" was released. It consists of over 800 pages of what took place Jan. 6, 2021, when President Donald Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capital based on the "Big Lie" that the presidential election was stolen.

Based on our new 47th president's conviction of all the "34-count hush money case" in the state of New York, he becomes the first U.S. president with the unique distinction of being a convicted felon. The report listed 11 recommendations going forward, suggesting changes needed to prevent this incident, that it will not and should not ever happen again. Our democracy and Constitution must be preserved, protected and defended at all times. We need to establish justice and secure the blessings of liberty, as mentioned above.

The 11 recommendations, briefly, are: the proposed HR 8873, The Presidential Election Reform Act; accountability; combat the threat of violent extremism; changes to the 14th Amendment, Section 3; the "National Special Security Event;" reforming certain criminal statutes, including to add more sever penalties; giving the House of Representatives civil subpoena authority; threats to election workers; Capital Police oversight; role of the media; lastly, "Discussion of Insurrection Act."

As mentioned, "in order to form a more perfect union" is why we add amendments to our Constitution. Many new proposals have been suggested, such as term limits for all members of Congress; age and/or term limits for all justices on the Supreme Court; and that no person can hold any political elected state or federal office who has been convicted of a felon.

These recommendations and proposals are not only reasonable but should be considered essential in defending our democracy, our Constitution and the "rule of law." It will also be essential that our new incoming administration and the 119th U.S. Congress on Jan. 20, 2025, follow through on all these 11 recommendations and, if possible, these new proposals.

But it is "we the people" of this Constitution that the government must be true representatives of our principles, opinions, sentiments, affections, duties and obligations in protecting our liberties and our democracy as we want it to be.

"We the people" must follow through and be persistent in this pursuit to "form a more perfect union." We owe it to our Founding Fathers, the framers of the Constitution, and those who died in defending our liberty, our democracy and our Constitution of the United States.

If this present administration is not capable of enacting what is suggested with these recommendations and proposals, then we will need to follow through with our patriotic duty at the ballot box in our next federal election. Our freedom of the press will be extremely necessary in helping "we the people" in our pursuit to "form a more perfect union."

Thomas E. Carter

Rio Rancho