Monday, September 3, 2018

Slow Learners: Save Democracy; Heed The Warnings

Slow Learners: Save Democracy; Heed The Warnings

A long time ago, while I was purchasing a fifth of Southern Comfort, I had a convenience store attendant tell me I was a "slow learner" after I told him I was celebrating my third marriage. Yeah, I'll have to admit it did take me three times and about 25 years to finally get it right, so I guess the guy was accurate with his quick-witted comment.

But, hey, my cognitive abilities are like genius level compared to those of Republican and Democratic political leaders throughout the 200-plus years of the American democracy. Yes, I know it wasn't always Republicans and Democrats, but let's just keep it simple for now.

Despite all that this country has accomplished over the years, we still can't seem to get this governing thing on an even keel. It all boils down to this Party stuff -- 2 parties mostly -- Republicans and Democrats. We could be so much better, accomplish so much more and build an even greater country.

There's nothing in the Constitution about Parties. In fact, the Founders and early leaders specifically warned us of how evil they are and told us not to let them take hold. 

Way back, 238 years ago, John Adams, the man who would become our second President, warned in a letter to Jonathan Jackson on October 2, 1780:

"There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our constitution." [Note: Not the U.S. Constitution, which did not exist then, but the principles, that constituted us as a nation and a people.] 

Fifteen years later, President George Washington, in a letter to Timothy Pickering, July 27, 1795, warned:

"Much indeed to be regretted, party disputes are now carried to such a length, and truth is so enveloped in mist and false representation, that it is extremely difficult to know through what channel to seek it. This difficulty to one, who is of no party, and whose sole wish is to pursue with undeviating steps a path which would lead this country to respectability, wealth, and happiness, is exceedingly to be lamented. But such, for wise purposes, it is presumed, is the turbulence of human passions in party disputes, when victory more than truth is the palm contended for."

Then again, with an uncanny eye far into the future, Washington detailed his concerns in his farewell address to the then fledgling country on September 19, 1796: 

". . .I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

"This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. . ."

Twelve years later, following the turn of the century, Thomas Jefferson, indicated to James Monroe, in March 1808:

"You will soon find that so inveterate is the rancor of party spirit among us, that nothing ought to be credited but what we hear with our own ears. If you are less on your guard than we are here, at this moment, the designs of the mischief-makers will not fail to be accomplished, and brethren and friends will be made strangers and enemies to each other."

There were many other similar warnings back in the day from our esteemed forefathers Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin and others throughout the years. Dwight D. Eisenhower, issued a rather ominous warning in a speech on March 6, 1956: 

"
If a political party does not have its foundation in the determination to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then it is not a political party; it is merely a conspiracy to seize power."

So, we were warned way back when and we have been warned more recently about the dangers of political parties, their divisive nature and their potential negative effects on good government. With all the warnings, why didn't we learn? Despite the warnings from early governmental leaders, and without any direction from the Constitution itself Party politics took off immediately. Over the years they have become entrenched within our government and intricately woven into the fabric of American politics. As Washington said, "This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind.”

It would seem that Party politics is so engrained in our governmental system that we wouldn't know how to operate without it, and perhaps wouldn't want to. But even so, shouldn't we be mindful of the underpinnings of all those warnings? They were made originally by the Founders in good faith and with reason. It seems we may have lost sight of why the warnings were issued in the first place.

·         a division of the republic 
·         confused truth and false representation
·         difficulty in knowing where to seek truth
·         turbulence of human passions in party disputes
·         victory more than truth is the prize
·         geographical discriminations 
·         alternate domination of one faction over another
·         the spirit of revenge
·         common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party
·         the rancor of party spirit among us
·         brethren and friends made strangers and enemies to each other
·         potential for conspiracy to seize power

Unfortunately all of these insights and warnings are a growing part of American political party politics. We have agonized for decades over Congressional gridlock, the increasing tribal partisanship and the failure to deal with the pressing issues of the day -- health care; immigration; racial & ethnic equality; infrastructure; climate change; education; gun control; trade; cyber security; international affairs and much more.

Why can't our political leaders heed the centuries-old warnings and understand that the system they're working in is designed for failure? The unfettered lust for power and greed must end. Instead of making it better they're making it worse with increased partisan divide. Abuse of the filibuster; gridlock gimmicks like the Hastert "rule" (majority of the majority rule); and the increasing trend of avoiding the committee process ("regular order") in favor of limited input, leadership-developed legislative proposals.

And the warnings continue; this time from one of the last great statesmen and patriots of our time, Senator John McCain, in his own personal farewell to Americans and the country, read by his spokesman, Rick Davis on August 27, 2018:

“We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe. We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals, rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been.

“We are three-hundred-and-twenty-five million opinionated, vociferous individuals. We argue and compete and sometimes even vilify each other in our raucous public debates. But we have always had so much more in common with each other than in disagreement. If only we remember that and give each other the benefit of the presumption that we all love our country we will get through these challenging times. We will come through them stronger than before. We always do. . .

“Do not despair of our present difficulties but believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.”

Most recently, on September 1, 2018, former Senator Joe Liberman, delivering a eulogy at John McCain's funeral said John's deciding vote, 
which defeated an ill-conceived health care bill was:

"not really against that bill but against the mindless partisanship that has taken control of both our political parties and our government and produced totally one sided responses to complicated national problems like health care. And of course he was right."

On the same day, former President Barack Obama delivering his eulogy for McCain, highlighted that:

"John believed in honest argument and hearing our views. He understood that if we get in the habit of bending the truth to suit political expediency or party orthodoxy, our democracy will not work."

So again we are warned. It is important to emphasize what Obama said about "bending the truth "; "political expediency"; and "party orthodoxy". If this practice, which has become increasingly and distrubingly the new normal is not changed -- "Democracy Will Not Work."

As a country, as a people, as political parties and as a government we have sunk to a pitiful, shameful and disgraceful level; and we are ever so close to permanently breaking our democracy. We have “thumbed our noses” at the thoughtful patriots of our past and present.

And yet the problems are obvious and the solution is clear. All we need to do is have the will to change; the will to do better; the will to make a correction in our dangerous path; the will to heed the warnings of our forefathers and the will to listen to most Americans who are pleading for Congress to end the dysfunction and do a better job of governing.

We simply need to end, once and for all, the political theory and practice that allows one party, which ever is the "majority" at any given point in time, to completely control the legislative actions of the House and Senate. It is absurd to allow this practice to continue when it is known at the start that the results will be disastrous.

We continue to attempt to solve highly complex societal and economic issues with one-sided legislative solutions put forth by the Party in power, which reflects the ideas and concepts of roughly one-half of the population, and attempt to pass them with the very narrowest of margins. Fortunately, for lack of one vote an ill-conceived healh care bill was not passed. A tax cut bill, affecting millions, with many flaws was passed with a 51-48 vote. 

Critical judicial and executive appointments are made by the Party in power at the time, generally based on political orientation, rather than qualifications of skills, integrity and experience. 

The critical function of executive office oversight is either overlooked completely or obsessively scrutinized depending on which Party is in "power."

If we are going to continue to operate with a two-party political system, with the expectation that our democracy will survive, we must end the practice that Party in power, however narrow the margins, completely controls the critical functions of Congress -- legislation, appropriations, appointment, executive oversight, treaties, commerce, and international affairs.

I have continuously put forward the concept of shared legislative power (SLP) and have explained how it might work and offered examples of where it has worked with great success. 

I'm sure there are other ideas and proposals that might attempt to achieve similar results. The point is that we can't continue going down the same path. We must heed the warnings and change the way we operate and act if we are to save the democracy.

Joe Biden, former Vice President and Senate colleague of John McCain, and a statesman in his own right, captured the spirit we need moving forward in the opening line of his eulogy when he said:

“My name is Joe Biden. I’m a Democrat. And I loved John McCain."


For further details and insights on SLP see my previous postings which include:




###

#BetterGovmt

#PartyOverCountry

#CountryOverParty

#ReformCongress

#Congress

#GOP

#DEMS

No comments:

Post a Comment