| We The People Foundation for Constitutional Education | Do you know your State Constitution? |
The Monticello Institute The Foundation sees itself as based upon the constitutional and governance principles articulated by Thomas Jefferson, whose thought permeates all considerations of constitutionality. The Monticello Institute, named after Jefferson's home in Monticello, Virginia, will have as its main charge the development of materials and ideologies reflecting Jefferson's thought, and the establishment of citizen vigilance centers throughout the State to assure that the type of popular sovereignty advocated by Jefferson becomes and remains a reality in New York State. It is in the shelter of Jefferson's gigantic shadow that the Foundations founders have labored to proclaim the virtues of individual liberty within a framework of popular sovereignty, with governance (the fruit of government) fully enabled and constrained by a written constitution, which is the people's own law document, governing the government and all lawmaking. The Monticello Institute will, hopefully, be someday represented by a replica of Monticello, itself, giving a home to the Foundation and signifying its championship of Jeffersonian principles. This eventuality, and the formation of local citizen vigilance centers and sources of information and education about the New York (and Federal) Constitution(s), to attain fully constitutional governance, though a future dream, represent a cherished future capital development program of the Foundation. The Monticello Institute, itself, will represent a formalization of the research and educational work of the Foundation, and will serve as a rallying point for the principles and ideologies of constitutional governance. |