The Crisis in Accountability: Chapter 2 - The Devolution of the Oath - The Great Hole Around the Constitution The Framers viewed the establishment of a federal government as a necessary evil. They so distrusted the idea of a centralized authority that the Bill of Rights was required to ratify the Constitution. In order to insure adherence to the Constitution they also required the Oath of Office (Article VI, Clause 3) to place accountability around those holding government power. However, what they did not envision was the devolution of personal honor and societies eventual lack of the demand for it. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-6/clause-3/ Every civilization that has ever existed has placed a high value on personal honor. It has been the basis for Commerce and Law throughout history. Legal remedies have been enshrined into law to insure the ethics of society are upheld. Congress and state legislatures have in this instance upheld the letter of the Constitution but not the spirit of it. Where they require an oath to hold a position in government they have not legislated conditions of violation or punishment for not upholding that oath. Thus we have laws that require an oath but hold no accountability to that oath. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3331 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title5/html/USCODE-2011-title5-partIII-subpartB-chap33-subchapII-sec3331.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title2/html/USCODE-2011-title2-chap2-sec25.htm The oath is threaded throughout the fabric of the republic. Even those who go through the Naturalization process are required to swear allegiance to the Constitution. However, the only place where one can suffer a legal punishment is perjury under oath to tell the truth. Who has more opportunity and authority to damage the republic, the person testifying under oath or the elected/appointed officer of government? Thus the Oath of Office effectively means nothing more than a pro forma ceremony that confers authority without responsibility or accountability. #TheCrisisInAccountability, #DevolutionOfTheOath, #TheOathOfOffice https://federalnewsnetwork.com/commentary/2019/10/the-oath-of-office-and-what-it-means/ https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learn-about-citizenship/the-naturalization-interview-and-test/naturalization-oath-of-allegiance-to-the-united-states-of-america