Constitutional clarification

Mr. Swearingen incorrectly quoted the constitution regarding Obama and Clinton being eligible for their new offices.

The constitution actually says, "No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any other civil office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; ..."

In Mr. Obama's case, he was not appointed to a civil office, he was elected to a political office. In Mrs. Clinton's case the Secretary of State office was certainly not created during her time. I do not know if the pay has been increased during her time in the Senate. I believe that in the past when that has happened, Republicans and Democrats alike, in such cases, have not taken a pay increase, but have taken the pay amount for that office that was in effect prior to their time in Congress, and that has been accepted by the Congress and the courts.

Mr. Swearingen rightfully reminds us of our Constitution. The formation of our nation (a Republic - not a pure democracy) putting all citizens equally under the rule of law and government divided into three branches, one of the true great watershed moments in human history. May we all continue to not just ensure our nation is guided by its content, but more importantly strive to achieve the ideals and goals of its preamble, and the Declaration of Independence, as we carefully adopt those ideals to our increased human understanding in our modern world.

Roger Eads

Elgin