Remember The Preamble Roundtable
An imagined conversation with seventeen titans of history on the enduring promise of “We the People.”
Your MC: Welcome, friends and readers of RememberThePreamble.com. Today, we are honored—across time and space—to convene a roundtable of seventeen extraordinary figures who have shaped freedom, democracy, and human aspiration:
- George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and first President of the United States
- Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence and third President
- Ulysses S. Grant, Union general and 18th President
- Abraham Lincoln, author of the Gettysburg Address and 16th President
- Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President and champion of the “bully pulpit”
- Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President who led the nation through the Great Depression and WWII
- John F. Kennedy, 35th President and advocate of a New Frontier
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander in WWII and 34th President
- Ronald Reagan, 40th President and “Great Communicator”
- Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Reagan era
- Martin Luther King Jr., leader of the American Civil Rights Movement
- Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister during WWII
- Neil Armstrong, first human to walk on the Moon
- Susan B. Anthony, pioneering leader for women’s suffrage and equality
- Booker T. Washington, educator, author, and leader in African American empowerment
- Cesar Chavez, labor leader and advocate for farmworkers’ rights
- Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady and architect of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
I’ll pose the same question to each. In a short personal reflection, please share:
- What does the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution mean to you?
- What risks does it face today—from autocracy at home or threats to global stability?
George Washington
MC: General Washington, as the father of our nation, how do you see the Preamble’s promise?
Washington: “To me, ‘We the People’ embodies the consent of the governed—a radical break from monarchs and oligarchs. It proclaims that authority derives not from birthright, but from the collective will and virtue of citizens. Today, autocratic impulses—whether a would-be strongman or creeping executive overreach—threaten that sacred consent. Abroad, when foreign tyrannies disregard the rule of law, they endanger not only their peoples but the balance of power that preserves global peace.”
Thomas Jefferson
MC: President Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration and architect of Republican values—what does the Preamble mean to you?
Jefferson: “To me, ‘We the People’ captures the essence of self-governance and natural rights. It echoes the Declaration’s creed that all men are created equal and that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. Today, the Preamble stands as a bulwark against tyranny when civic virtue thrives, but it is threatened by apathy and the erosion of public trust. Globally, autocracies fear the empowering truth of these words, and thus they perpetuate division and oppression to silence popular will.”
Ulysses S. Grant
MC: President Grant, having fought a civil war to preserve the Union, what is your take?
Grant: “‘We the People’ was our North Star during the bloodiest conflict in American history. It reminded us that we fight not for narrow sectional interests, but for the survival of a union built on mutual respect and equal citizenship. Today, the risk lies in division—hatred or disinformation spreading faster than our unity can heal. Globally, unchecked autocrats exploit these divides, challenging the democratic bond that the Preamble enshrines.”
Abraham Lincoln
MC: President Lincoln, you guided the nation through its greatest moral trial. Your thoughts?
Lincoln: “The Preamble’s promise is that government’s sole purpose is to secure the blessings of liberty for all. I perceived in those words a covenant with posterity, one that must never be broken by the stain of slavery or the corrosive power of prejudice. Now, the peril comes when we forget that equality underpins freedom. If we allow a charismatic dictator—or even a demagogue at home—to warp the public will, we imperil both our moral duty and international stability.”
Theodore Roosevelt
MC: President Roosevelt, as an advocate for civic vigor, how do you interpret it?
TR: “To me, ‘We the People’ summons each citizen to active stewardship of the republic. It calls for energetic, even strenuous, democracy—where public spiritedness and accountability flourish. Today’s danger arises when people grow complacent, ceding power to faceless bureaucracies or private interests. Abroad, tyrants watch for that apathy; they stoke fear to fracture alliances and destabilize that global order we once led.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
MC: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who led the nation through the Great Depression and WWII—what does the Preamble signify to you?
FDR: “The Preamble is a testament to collective resolve in times of crisis. ‘We the People’ reminds us that government must act boldly to secure welfare and tranquility when citizens are vulnerable. Yet this promise is fragile: it is jeopardized by economic despair and demagoguery that prey on fear. Globally, autocratic powers exploit instability, challenging democracy’s promise of progress and peace.”
John F. Kennedy
MC: President Kennedy, who challenged us to ask what we can do for our country—how does the Preamble speak to you?
Kennedy: “The Preamble is a call to service, to harness our collective idealism for the common good. ‘We the People’ demands not passive citizenship but engaged leadership from every individual. Its peril lies in cynicism and polarization, which embolden autocrats who despise the messy freedom of public debate. On the world stage, such demagogues erode trust between nations, threatening the fragile peace we’ve built since 1945.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
MC: President Eisenhower, who warned of the military-industrial complex, what’s your view?
Eisenhower: “I saw firsthand that liberty must be safeguarded by a vigilant citizenry, lest power concentrate in any one institution—be it military, corporate, or political. ‘We the People’ is the ultimate check against unaccountable might. Today, we risk ceding that check through surveillance states or concentrated capital. Internationally, autocracies exploit divisions to expand their influence, imperiling the collective security the Preamble envisions.”
Ronald Reagan
MC: President Reagan, the Great Communicator who spoke of America as a shining city on a hill—your thoughts?
Reagan: “‘We the People’ is the source of our boundless optimism. It tells us that freedom is not bestowed from above but flows from the spirit of the citizenry. Our greatest risk is forgetting that optimism—that we’re more powerful when we build each other up, not tear each other down. Abroad, autocrats fear that spirit. They clamp down on speech, on ballots, because they know once free men and women taste self-government, they’ll never turn back.”
Margaret Thatcher
MC: Prime Minister Thatcher, a stalwart ally of President Reagan—how do you see ‘We the People’?
Thatcher: “Though not American by birth, I’ve always admired the Preamble’s assertion that government exists to serve its people, not the reverse. It echoes our own conviction in parliamentary democracy and individual responsibility. Today’s autocratic surge—from corrupt kleptocrats to ideological tyrants—poses a menace to both our nations. When citizens lose faith in democracy’s efficacy, they open the door to authoritarian alternatives.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
MC: Dr. King, whose dream transcended race—your interpretation?
King: “The Preamble’s promise is the fabric of our shared American dream: liberty and justice for all. It insists that every voice, every life, has equal worth. Its greatest risk lies in the denial of that promise through systemic oppression—be it racial injustice or economic inequality. And globally, when autocracies deny dignity to their peoples, they stoke conflict, refugee crises, and a moral erosion that destabilizes the entire world.”
Winston Churchill
MC: Prime Minister Churchill, who stood firm against tyranny—how do you relate?
Churchill: “I salute the American Preamble as a beacon of democratic defiance against the darkness of autocracy. ‘We the People’ proclaims that the governed, not the governors, hold the power. Our shared danger is the insidious slide into authoritarianism when fear overrides freedom. If democracy falters in one land, it invites aggression abroad, for tyrants sense weakness and press their advantage—undermining peace and the very ideals we cherish.”
Neil Armstrong
MC: Commander Armstrong, the first person to walk on the Moon—how does the Preamble resonate with someone who expanded humanity’s frontier?
Armstrong: “Though I wasn’t a lawmaker, ‘We the People’ guided every step we took on the lunar surface. It reminded me that our exploration and achievements belong to all of humanity, grounded in cooperation, determination, and shared vision. At home, the Preamble risks being undercut by short-sighted politics and divisions that distract from common goals. Globally, autocratic states may race for dominance—whether in space, technology, or military power—threatening the collaborative spirit that advances civilization.”
Susan B. Anthony
MC: Susan B. Anthony, crusader for women’s rights and equality—what does the Preamble mean to you?
Anthony: “To me, ‘We the People’ should always encompass women as full and equal citizens. These words affirm that our democracy lives by inclusion, not exclusion. The risk today is that voices historically marginalized—women, minorities, the poor—may still be sidelined by entrenched power structures. Globally, autocracies often suppress half their population, denying the Preamble’s promise and weakening both national unity and international solidarity.”
Booker T. Washington
MC: Mr. Washington, educator and advocate for African American advancement and self-reliance—what does the Preamble signify to you?
Washington: “The Preamble is a call to collective uplift, an affirmation that every individual, regardless of background, has a stake in our republic’s promise. It enshrines the ideals of opportunity and unity, which I championed through education and enterprise. Yet these words are threatened when systemic inequalities persist and voices are barred from full participation. Internationally, autocrats exploit such divides to undermine democracy’s credibility and stability.”
Cesar Chavez
MC: Mr. Chavez, champion of the rights of farmworkers and social justice—what does the Preamble mean to you?
Chavez: “To me, ‘We the People’ is a testament to solidarity and the power of collective action. It embodies the principle that government should protect the wellbeing and dignity of all workers. Today, the risk lies in economic inequality and corporate influence that marginalize labor. Globally, autocratic regimes exploit vulnerable populations, undermining the universal promise that all people deserve justice and opportunity.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
MC: Mrs. Roosevelt, First Lady and architect of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—how does the Preamble resonate for you?
Eleanor: “’We the People’ transcends borders, embodying the dignity and rights inherent to every human being. It inspired my work at the United Nations, where we sought to affirm that every person deserves justice, freedom, and equal opportunity. Today, that promise is imperiled by discrimination, fear, and authoritarian regimes that deny fundamental rights. Globally, when governments violate human rights, they not only betray their citizens but weaken the very foundations of international peace and cooperation.”
Closing Reflections********
MC: Seventeen voices across epochs, united in one conviction: the Preamble’s promise endures only through vigilant citizenship and unwavering defense of liberty. In the face of autocracy—whether cloaked in populism, bureaucracy, or brute force—our bond as “We the People” is both shield and compass. Let us honor their words by renewing our own commitment: to secure justice, tranquility, defense, welfare, and liberty—for ourselves and for all who look to democracy as their hope.
—Remember The Preamble round-table
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