OCTOBER 1, 2007 --

Last month, an op-ed article in The Wall Street Journal, by David B. Rivkin Jr.. and Lee A. Casey encouraged President Bush to stand firm against assault on his powers from congressional Democrats.

The writers pointed out that Alexander Hamilton stressed the need of a strong executive in The Federalist Papers. (Curiously, they omitted the direct reference; they were quoting No. 70.) Referring to the Framers, the writers acknowledged, "And, as in so many ways, they were prescient."

Long an advocate of active reliance on the wisdom found in The Federalist Papers, LPR challenges the 2008 presidential aspirants to debate public policy in terms of the counsel on our federal/national system of government discussed in The Federalist Papers.

Benjamin Franklin remarked, at the adoption of the Constitution, that we have a Republic -- if we can keep it.

Contenders for the presidency, the only national elective office under the Constitution, ought to tell us if they support the federal/national plan of government established by the Framers or, accepting election to the presidency, would thereupon disregard the counsel set forth in The Federalist Papers as no longer relevant.

For LPR, if the next president regards The Federalist Papers as irrelevant, his or her Inaugural oath to support and defend the Constitution must necessarily be a hollow statement. In such event, it would be more honest to take an oath to one's personal ruling ambition.