52 Words: The Preamble, A Vision And Mission Statement For America

I wrote this short piece on Constitution Day two years ago. I wrote it to celebrate the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. We should celebrate that document in general, but, even of greater importance, we should celebrate more specifically, the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.

The Preamble is only 52 words long, yet it succinctly captures the vision and mission of America in one longish sentence with six desired goal statements. I try to read it as often as possible because it is so well written, and it brings to my mind the greatness of America.

I admire excellent writing that is easy to understand and short in length. No written statement to my knowledge comes close to the Preamble in clarity, precision, and depth of meaning.

The men who created the U.S. Constitution were indeed remarkable individuals, and the men who crafted the Preamble were extraordinarily gifted. The Committee of Style and Arrangement, comprising only five delegates, wrote the Preamble. I believe the leader of the Committee was Gouverneur Morris, a delegate from Pennsylvania. The other members were Alexander Hamilton (New York), William Johnson (Connecticut), Rufus King (Massachusetts), and James Madison (Virginia). We owe them much. Their task was slight in intent but so consequential in the outcome.

The Preamble is unique because of its length. Let us look at three other great pieces of writing that are exceptional as well. They are the Ten Commandments (either 297 or 313 words, depending on the version), the Declaration of Independence (1,337 words), and the Gettysburg Address (272 words). So, the Preamble at 52 words is quite remarkable because of its short length.

I want to close with two final points. First, the Constitution is an extraordinary document that has stood the test of time in spite of all the nonsense spouted today by the pundit classes and certain elements of the so-called political elite. Both of whom are gifted with little to no understanding or appreciation of humanity and its history. Second, the Preamble should be a litmus test for all politicians. If they cannot recite it verbatim at any time, they do not deserve to be in elective office.