Title: Back to where we belong Source:
me URL Source:http://none Published:Jun 4, 2005 Author:racj42 Post Date:2005-06-04 23:44:29 by rack42 Keywords:belong, where, Back Views:70 Comments:7
Well, how will we defend our freedom?
I've held the belief that at least 90% of the US population is terminally stupid.
Anyone got a plan to get us back to the founder's vision?
The founders didn't have any "vision". They were classically educated men born into the culture of English Common Law. They set about to create a government that would lesson or minimize the dangers that all Republics face.
They failed. We should admit that. The Articles of Confederation actually offered a far better bulkwark against a central government. It is time to admit that the Constitution itself is a deeply flawed document and has over and over lent itself to centralizing philosophies, some very different from each other- but at the end of the day- the Constitution, as a docuemnt that protects our liberties and restricts government power- has failed- or actually we have failed.
That we have any semblance of liberty or freedoms left is merely because culturally some things are still taboo for our govenrment to do, but with poor education even those taboos are fast disappearing- like "freedom of the press". Further- that our current federal power isn't more repressive is only because it doesn't feel the need to be. Certainly nothing is stopping it from becoming more repressive if it so wants- especially not a piece of paper like the Constituion.
It is, after all, a piece of paper. In order for it to work, the habits and mores of a free citezenry are needed. We have neither the habits or mores any longer much less the education or even basic historical understanding that all the founders expected every voter to have (and they didn't expect voters to be everyone who achieved the stunning accomplishment of managing to live to their 18th birthday.)
What should be done? If you mean "action" of a collective national sort to "save" or "Restore" the Constition I would have very little faith in such a movement. In fact it is doomed to fail. I basically distrust any large political organziation, even one dedicated to "Restoring the constitution". Generally- large orgs or movements like that offer the excuse to not really do anything yourself.
Plus I feel the inevitable is the inevitable. Macro historical forces can't be altered. It is vanity to try. Basically what we all should do- is focus on the micro- forget about DC, forget about "restoring the constitution", heck- forget about even getting a flat tax. Not going to happen. DC will sooner fall and burn before the Constitution ever means what is says again.
Instead? Run for town selectman. Deal with the pot holes. Join your church group- make your presence know on the local level. Do what you can to be a decent person who upholds the values of a free person. Lead by example in your daily lives. Look to the physical world directly around you- real people- and engage that world. Don't waste your time and energy on Macro events.
Create a world and network around you that will protect you from the malestrom to come.
I can't quite agree that the founders failed. They suceeded in their day. They were men who experienced tyranny first hand from the king of England, while at the same time they were elected/appointed by their respective colonies. That made them quite unique a brand of elected official, compared to those of today who have no clue what tyranny is.
The Articles of Confederation, for all intents and purposes was more of a treaty between 13 independent counties rather than a central government of one and the country as a whole was hurting economically as a result. The laws of economics are such that in uniting, a people are stronger than they are by the sum of their parts. I think that was the driving force behind the convention that was called to improve on the Articles, but which ended up birthing the US Constition.
I agree no Constitution can withstand the corrupt influences and folly of man. We can look back at it now and say they screwed up by paying a huge amount of time and debate on the formation of congress and very little on the judiciary, but even if they had, they could only have delayed the inevitable. Yes, in the end it's just a piece of paper.
I basically distrust any large political organziation, even one dedicated to "Restoring the constitution".
My pessimistic view is that if the Libertarian or Constitution parties ever got to be mainstream, it would mean they were defective.
DC will sooner fall and burn before the Constitution ever means what is says again.
Jefferson felt a revolution every 20 years was pretty healthy. A burnt down DC might be a fitting analogy/prerequisite. I suppose though that if the revolution fails the result is worse than nothing.
Create a world and network around you that will protect you from the malestrom to come.
Yes, do what you can with the power given to you, and try not to embrace the tyranny you despise when you do. It's hard to let people be what they want, when what they want is to establish an order that runs your life. Such is the irony of trying to usher in freedom through a democratic process.
NO universal suffrage, blacks as 3/5ths humans, no votes for women or men with no property.
Peachy. Turn the time machine back.
Our idealized utopia awaits us.
That we are to stand by the president, right or wrong is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. – Theodore Roosevelt