EXTREME BEAUTY

America's greatness comes from its principles...from the principles of the Founding Fathers as enumerated in the Constitution.

"WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT" Truths, not opinions, beliefs, whims, but truths, absolute truths. Not sometimes Truths, maybe Truths, occasional Truths, but Truths period, absolute forever Truths.

And they are SELF-EVIDENT. Open your eyes and look and you will see them. Open your mind, clear your vision of subjective feelings and see the objective Truths.

ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. Not some men, not these but not those men, not men of certain groups or sects, but ALL men. EQUAL. Treated the same by the government, entitled to the same, held to the same standards. No political privileges, no special favors, no royalty.

THAT ALL MEN ARE ENDOWED WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. Not sometimes RIGHTS, occasional RIGHTS, only-in-this-situation RIGHTS, but immutable solid as a rock always RIGHTS.

Before the President enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation: "I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR (OR AFFIRM) THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES" Not interpret the Constitution to my liking, not ignore its provisions when I don't think they apply anymore, but PRESERVE it as it was written, as it was intended.

Extreme, yes? Yes. Principles are extremes, absolutes about truths in reality, enduring, unchanging. America's greatness comes from its extreme once-in-the- history-of-the-world glorious principles.

When Sen. Arlen Specter said in the hearings on the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court that he admired her sense of humor because "we want somebody to moderate the court", make no mistake, he meant someone to moderate our Founding principles. Which ones? In what way? Of course, no specificity because specificity = exactitude = absolute = extreme.

But principles are not "moderatable" and that should tell you something about where Senator Specter is, and where our country is heading.