(The Third Constitution of the United States after the Articles of Confederation and the [current] Constitution of 1787. EXPLANATIONS ARE IN THE HIGHLIGHTED TEXT.)
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, suppress Injustice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, ensure government accountability, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
(Many people seem to forget that despotism, not liberty, is the natural state of humanity. Liberty needs to be protected, and a strong, proactive “common defense” is the way to
ensure that. I also provide in this Constitution for a few other ways for Liberty to advance, not merely maintain.
Frederic Bastiat, in “The Law”, pointed out that the purpose of Government should be to
“suppress injustice”, not “promote justice”, since “justice” means different things to different people, whereas “injustice” is more limited and easier to identify.
I tried all sorts of ways to clarify the ‘general welfare’ clause to what I gather was the original intent: that laws should be written for the broad welfare, not narrow interests.
‘Broad Welfare’ seems as easy to abuse as ‘general welfare’, so then I tried ‘national welfare’ but this has a tinge of empire to it, so I just did what others going back to the Constitutional Convention recommended: got rid of the phrase altogether. The Preamble would just
mean that government will ensure the nation won’t be invaded, and that each person will be able to live free, peaceably, and be responsible for himself under the protection of the laws, but I added a needed phrase: “government accountability.” Government should never forget that it is
accountable to the people, and that we have a right and duty to ensure that it is and remains that way.)