I am not a fan of Henthoff, nor a libertarian, but He is technically right in saying that God isn't specifically mentioned in the constitution. In fact, its the one serious flaw that the constitution has.
Madison stated that sovereignty should rest with the people alone--or from the consent of the governed. Jefferson made the same point in the declaration of independance when he wrote: "Government's derive their just powers from the consent of the governed."
Are you seriously contending that TJ & Madison were wrong, and that the constitution should mention that our government derives power from god through our consent? -- I hope I'm wrong. Please explain.
This idea stems from 18th century liberalism [specifically from the French revolution], which was hostile to all previous forms of political theory...specifically the theory that sovereignty resides with God....and that if power isn't exercised in harmony with God's laws, it wasn't legitimate, no matter how many people consented to it.
And again...God isn't mentioned in the constitution. And by placing sovereignty in the people alone, rather than in Divine law, the framers left the door open for any evil so long as it was justified by majority rule.
The framers specified in the constitution a republican form of government, not majority rule. -- And they also specified that congress shall make no [divine] law respecting an establishment of religion, -- .
Ultimately, the reason the constitutional system was perverted is not the fault of the governmental system set forth in the constitution, but rather that the constitution allows matters of truth and morality to become open questions.
Again, the framers specificly enumerated some rights, but left all others to the people. -- And your questions of religious truth & morality are best left to your discussions with your God, imo.
Not in our courts or legislatures. --------------------------- Hmmm -- FULL Italics begone?