Is our government functioning properly?

Define "Properly"

Do you mean effectively, or according to the Constitution, or in a way that satisfies most people or in a way that satisfies you?

Also define "our" please.

_{From a different responder:}

I'll assume that you mean the United States Government.

The only proper yardstick for determining the answer to your question is to study the U.S. Constitution to see if the government is functioning according to the provisions enumerated therein. "Proper functioning" has nothing to do with the whims of one person, or a majority. The Bill of Rights amended the Constitution to uphold individual and minority rights. The majority has no right to force its beliefs on the minority in matters of race, gender, religion, etc. On constitutionally protected matters there is no majority rule. According to the Constitution, it' s not the purpose of government to "satisfy" "most people", or even one person. It is to provide for the general Welfare of the nation as a whole, not that of any majority, special interest group, or person.

Given that the Constitution is:

• the document by which the government was constituted, (which is why it's called a constitution,) by The People of the United States.
  

The government acts as though it created the Constitution, and the Supreme Court has arrogated to itself the unenumerated power to "interpret" what the Constitution says, in violation of the Tenth Amendment. The Constitution was written in plain English--not Japanese, not Portuguese, not even legalese, which hadn't yet been invented by Machiavellian lawyer-politicians until the 20th century. Its plain English needs no "interpretation," since it means exactly what it says, no more and no less.

• the highest law of the land, according to Article VI, paragraph 2, and according to the ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States.

But the government treats lesser laws, like the United States Code, as though they are superior to, and even nullify provisions of the Constitution!

• a limit on the powers of government (as per the Tenth Ammendment.)

Yet the government acts as though there are no limits to its powers whatsoever.

• protects our Rights from government abuse (as per the Nineth Amendment,) all rights of which pre-exist the founding of the United States Government.
  

Today, nine of the first ten Amendments are being violated daily by the government. (Amendment 3 is not being violated......yet.)

• according to Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 17, limits the legislative jurisdiction of the Federal Government to:

1. the area within the borders of Washington D.C., and
   
2. "...all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards and other needful Buildings"
   

Yet we have runaway legislation, where the government sees no jurisdictional limits whatsoever, passing and enforcing laws over the several States and it's citizens without any regard to Constitutional jurisdiction, and when prisoners are released after serving time on State charges they are re-arrested by Federal Agents and re-imprisoned in violation of the 5th Amendment. The G-men rationalize this saying that the State is one law, Federal another and both were broken. But the truth is that only one crime was committed no matter how many laws there are against it, and imprisoning someone twice for the same crime IS double jeopardy!

• Does not authorize a central bank. (See the Tenth Amendment.)
  

The Federal Reserve is a privately owned banking cartel in unlawful partnership with the U.S. Government. The Federal Reserve is not part of the Federal government any more than Federal Express is! (See http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0912986395)

• FORBIDS government to "..make any Thing but gold and silver coin a Tender in Payment of Debts."

Yet the government and its unlawful partner force us to use worthless paper money (Federal Reserve Notes,) which they can easily print at will, enabling them to finance and make war on other countries, finance stationing troops in over 130 countries, cause inflation which is sending the country into a deep recession (newspeak for "depression",) and destroying our savings, causing bank forclosures on our homes, and bankrupting the middle class creating more and more poor.

• etc., etc, ad naseum.
  

I could go on for days listing the Constitutional abuses by the government, but that would amount to beating a dead horse. Suffice it to say that the answer to the question is a resounding:

NO.

According to my 30+ years of studying the U.S. Constitution, political Science, and economics, our government is certainly not functioning properly.

First answer by Michael Montagne. Last edit by Rwbehne1. Contributor trust: 10 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 97 [recommend question]