Ben Franklin said, "We gave you a Republic, if you can keep it".
A Republic is a society ruled by wise men. A democratic Republic is a society ruled by elected wise men. Athens and pre Caesarian Rome were Republics, and the "wise men" were Senators, chosen from among those "wise" enough to acquire substantial property, and enough to buy votes
In the first election of December 15, 1788, to January 7, 1789. any property owner, including blacks and women could vote. In reality, property owning blacks did vote in Pennyslvania and New Jersey, and women in N.J.
In 1792 New Hampshire was the first to enfranchise all men, by dropping the property owning requirement, other states soon followed,.In 1807 N.J. passed a law disenfranchising all blacks and women.
The problem today is the same as then. Money rules
We live in a country that would sooner grant human status to a corporation than to a person of color, or to a woman. When, in fact, we have declared such humans to have "equal protection under the law", that right is swiftly co-opted by corporate lawyers and jurists. I think it was a mistake to not mention corporations in the Constitution, to limit their power, and to define rights as pertaining only to flesh-and-blood humans. Given the slightest shadow of equivocation, corporate legal teams will wear away the original intent until there is nothing left of it.
It’s no secret that the electorate is fed up with the Democratic party. Biden won the 2020 election and after J6, his AG Garland failed to prosecute Cheeto and Republicans immediately. Then the administration passed a series of social pieces of legislation with Biden trying to show the electorate that government can work for WE the People. But no legislation to curb Republicans attack on the foundation of our democracy, the right to vote.
Now the Nazi Republicans knowing they’re in desperate need for votes are hard at work shrinking the electorate with vigilante challenges(bit.ly/41UelTx); Cheeto pushing the SAVE Act which would give the Nazis the ability to disenfranchise legitimate registered voters; the Republican state withdrawal from ERIC(Electronic Voter Information Center: bit.ly/4vCpm8Y); illegitimate gerrymandering supported by SCOTUS; gutting the VRA by SCOTUS.
So the Democrats failed to protect the system on which our democracy depends and the Nazis are determined to destroy it so they can stay in power forever; or at least maintain such slim Congressional margins that Congress remains nonfunctional and the power of the Executive reigns supreme. A monarchy. It’s now up to WE the People and demand a Voter Reform bill after the 2028 election. This may require eliminating the filibuster. If so, so be it because WE may not get another shot at this.
This seems to suggest that Democrats are the ones responsible for the bad behaviour of the Republicans???
That is, Democrats are the parents and the Republicans the children who must be managed?
I agree that given the very bad behaviour of the Republicans, Democrats have to find better ways to fight effectively.
But I don’t think undermining them is likely to provide a better solution - constant criticism just might lead to the Republicans winning the midterms.
Republicans are still in the majority in Congress and, first and foremost, have the responsibility to use their power to get the bit out of Trump’s teeth and rein him in rather than just letting him cause havoc far and wide.
Re the filibuster, what goes around, comes around. Trump also wants the end of the filibuster because, it has limited his power to push legislation through.
To underscore the point: despite J6 the DNC and the Biden administration didn't do enough to protect the country from a Nazi Republican attempt to take over the government. Since they failed it became business as usual. Merrick Garland will go down in history as one of the most incompetent AG's in American history. The moment called for aggressive judicial measures and WE the People got melba toast.
The Congressional Nazi Republicans are fully complicit with this attempted fascist takeover. Like Cheeto they send mixed messages but make no mistake, the RNC and elected Nazis know what their job is. They are not to be trusted at any level of government.
100% will support a Democrat in the general elections but Democrats in primaries who take corporate tax $$ eg AIPAC and say "business as ususal" without ambitiously wanting to restructure government so that the Nazi Republicans are taken out of government control should not be elected to office.
If the Democrats want to pass any meaningful legislation re voting and SCOTUS reform to counter the Nazi Republicans, it may take removal of the filibuster. This moment demands courage to upend the Democratic patrty status quo attitude.
It’s no secret that the electorate is fed up with the Democratic party. Biden won the 2020 election and after J6, his AG Garland failed to prosecute Cheeto and Republicans immediately. Then the administration passed a series of social pieces of legislation with Biden trying to show the electorate that government can work for WE the People. But no legislation to curb Republicans attack on the foundation of our democracy, the right to vote.
Now the Nazi Republicans knowing they’re in desperate need for votes are hard at work shrinking the electorate with vigilante challenges(bit.ly/41UelTx); Cheeto pushing the SAVE Act which would give the Nazis the ability to disenfranchise legitimate registered voters; the Republican state withdrawal from ERIC(Electronic Voter Information Center: bit.ly/4vCpm8Y); illegitimate gerrymandering supported by SCOTUS; gutting the VRA by SCOTUS.
So the Democrats failed to protect the system on which our democracy depends and the Nazis are determined to destroy it so they can stay in power forever; or at least maintain such slim Congressional margins that Congress remains nonfunctional and the power of the Executive reigns supreme. A monarchy. It’s now up to WE the People and demand a Voter Reform bill after the 2028 election. This may require eliminating the filibuster. If so, so be it because WE may not get another shot at this.
In the Declaration of Independence the phrase, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" had originally been written "life, liberty, and property" (borrowing from John Locke's original phrase)” but Jefferson was convinced to change it. Why? One explanation is that it suggests that everyone should be given a fair shot at financial security. One can infer that the two versions mean the same thing--if you assume that to be able to pursue happiness, one would have to be able to pursue some degree of wealth. But it has not been interpreted that way and wasn't from the beginning. Certainly John Adams had already installed himself into a colonial upper class and wasn't going to allow economic rights to the riffraff. Also, we have to keep in mind that the whole American Revolution and the creation of the Constitution was accomplished by ignoring the horrendous stain of slavery in the Southern states. Many of the framers knew it was wrong, but they chose to ignore it--I suppose because they knew they would not get a United States at all if they took on that fight also. So, the question of slavery was put off until almost a century later, and we are still dealing with securing the right of all people to share in the economic wealth of the nation. We need the government to be endowed with the responsibility of re-establishing free enterprise when capitalism's natural tendency to funnel wealth up to the top restricts the working class's ability to share in the wealth of the nation. Shea Foote @ substack.com
Agreed, the Founders abhorred the concept of corporations and deplored monopolies but your yeoman vision is, I believe, historically unsustainable. At least in North Carolina, evidence suggests that about 60% of the population with property valuale enough for General Cornwallis' troops to confiscate appear in no other public records; i.e. were not real property owners ergo did not serve in militia or get listed for juries or the annual 'road tax'. In support of your contention it must be admitted that it is likely that most of this number were tradesmen who owned their own tools and "squatted" with sufference so long as the showed up to help their land owner when help was needed, largely during planting and harvesting. This tradition continues in the Carolinas as a form of quid pro quo in which a property owner calls on his dependents when they're needed and sees to their needs, e.g. legal and medical as required, going so far as to provide rudimentary housing.
It never ceases to amaze me how the sins of the Trumpian Republicans are blamed on the Democrats - as per a number comments below.
Yes, the Democrats should have moved faster re the insurrection. But, you know what, the Republicans could have, and still can, impeach Trump any time they want. So. Why don’t they?
Fundamentally, voters and parties need to realize that Character always counts. Someone will always have control of something whether it is the States having control over Corporations, or the Corporations gaining control. Someone will end up with control, and it appears they will abuse it, or neglect to deal with it properly.
The Founders did a pretty good job of trying to deal with that through segregation of powers. But in the end, people of good character are still necessary, so the voters are always critical to maintaining the system; and education of the people in the seriousness of their role in maintaining democracy by only giving power to people of good character is also critical - and clearly not happening.
Ben Franklin said, "We gave you a Republic, if you can keep it".
A Republic is a society ruled by wise men. A democratic Republic is a society ruled by elected wise men. Athens and pre Caesarian Rome were Republics, and the "wise men" were Senators, chosen from among those "wise" enough to acquire substantial property, and enough to buy votes
In the first election of December 15, 1788, to January 7, 1789. any property owner, including blacks and women could vote. In reality, property owning blacks did vote in Pennyslvania and New Jersey, and women in N.J.
In 1792 New Hampshire was the first to enfranchise all men, by dropping the property owning requirement, other states soon followed,.In 1807 N.J. passed a law disenfranchising all blacks and women.
The problem today is the same as then. Money rules
We live in a country that would sooner grant human status to a corporation than to a person of color, or to a woman. When, in fact, we have declared such humans to have "equal protection under the law", that right is swiftly co-opted by corporate lawyers and jurists. I think it was a mistake to not mention corporations in the Constitution, to limit their power, and to define rights as pertaining only to flesh-and-blood humans. Given the slightest shadow of equivocation, corporate legal teams will wear away the original intent until there is nothing left of it.
New Zealand is a country that started with a government like ours, then got rid of its Senate in the early 1950s for good reasons.
Thank you, Thom for your incredible skill in pursuit of Truth, Justice, and the American way.
You are the Superman this country is missing so desperately..
I only hope your work is always available in libraries and book outlets that don't let the MAGA bookburners destroy the history of this era..
Democrats Asleep At The Wheel
It’s no secret that the electorate is fed up with the Democratic party. Biden won the 2020 election and after J6, his AG Garland failed to prosecute Cheeto and Republicans immediately. Then the administration passed a series of social pieces of legislation with Biden trying to show the electorate that government can work for WE the People. But no legislation to curb Republicans attack on the foundation of our democracy, the right to vote.
Now the Nazi Republicans knowing they’re in desperate need for votes are hard at work shrinking the electorate with vigilante challenges(bit.ly/41UelTx); Cheeto pushing the SAVE Act which would give the Nazis the ability to disenfranchise legitimate registered voters; the Republican state withdrawal from ERIC(Electronic Voter Information Center: bit.ly/4vCpm8Y); illegitimate gerrymandering supported by SCOTUS; gutting the VRA by SCOTUS.
So the Democrats failed to protect the system on which our democracy depends and the Nazis are determined to destroy it so they can stay in power forever; or at least maintain such slim Congressional margins that Congress remains nonfunctional and the power of the Executive reigns supreme. A monarchy. It’s now up to WE the People and demand a Voter Reform bill after the 2028 election. This may require eliminating the filibuster. If so, so be it because WE may not get another shot at this.
This seems to suggest that Democrats are the ones responsible for the bad behaviour of the Republicans???
That is, Democrats are the parents and the Republicans the children who must be managed?
I agree that given the very bad behaviour of the Republicans, Democrats have to find better ways to fight effectively.
But I don’t think undermining them is likely to provide a better solution - constant criticism just might lead to the Republicans winning the midterms.
Republicans are still in the majority in Congress and, first and foremost, have the responsibility to use their power to get the bit out of Trump’s teeth and rein him in rather than just letting him cause havoc far and wide.
Re the filibuster, what goes around, comes around. Trump also wants the end of the filibuster because, it has limited his power to push legislation through.
To underscore the point: despite J6 the DNC and the Biden administration didn't do enough to protect the country from a Nazi Republican attempt to take over the government. Since they failed it became business as usual. Merrick Garland will go down in history as one of the most incompetent AG's in American history. The moment called for aggressive judicial measures and WE the People got melba toast.
The Congressional Nazi Republicans are fully complicit with this attempted fascist takeover. Like Cheeto they send mixed messages but make no mistake, the RNC and elected Nazis know what their job is. They are not to be trusted at any level of government.
100% will support a Democrat in the general elections but Democrats in primaries who take corporate tax $$ eg AIPAC and say "business as ususal" without ambitiously wanting to restructure government so that the Nazi Republicans are taken out of government control should not be elected to office.
If the Democrats want to pass any meaningful legislation re voting and SCOTUS reform to counter the Nazi Republicans, it may take removal of the filibuster. This moment demands courage to upend the Democratic patrty status quo attitude.
Democrats Asleep At The Wheel
It’s no secret that the electorate is fed up with the Democratic party. Biden won the 2020 election and after J6, his AG Garland failed to prosecute Cheeto and Republicans immediately. Then the administration passed a series of social pieces of legislation with Biden trying to show the electorate that government can work for WE the People. But no legislation to curb Republicans attack on the foundation of our democracy, the right to vote.
Now the Nazi Republicans knowing they’re in desperate need for votes are hard at work shrinking the electorate with vigilante challenges(bit.ly/41UelTx); Cheeto pushing the SAVE Act which would give the Nazis the ability to disenfranchise legitimate registered voters; the Republican state withdrawal from ERIC(Electronic Voter Information Center: bit.ly/4vCpm8Y); illegitimate gerrymandering supported by SCOTUS; gutting the VRA by SCOTUS.
So the Democrats failed to protect the system on which our democracy depends and the Nazis are determined to destroy it so they can stay in power forever; or at least maintain such slim Congressional margins that Congress remains nonfunctional and the power of the Executive reigns supreme. A monarchy. It’s now up to WE the People and demand a Voter Reform bill after the 2028 election. This may require eliminating the filibuster. If so, so be it because WE may not get another shot at this.
In the Declaration of Independence the phrase, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" had originally been written "life, liberty, and property" (borrowing from John Locke's original phrase)” but Jefferson was convinced to change it. Why? One explanation is that it suggests that everyone should be given a fair shot at financial security. One can infer that the two versions mean the same thing--if you assume that to be able to pursue happiness, one would have to be able to pursue some degree of wealth. But it has not been interpreted that way and wasn't from the beginning. Certainly John Adams had already installed himself into a colonial upper class and wasn't going to allow economic rights to the riffraff. Also, we have to keep in mind that the whole American Revolution and the creation of the Constitution was accomplished by ignoring the horrendous stain of slavery in the Southern states. Many of the framers knew it was wrong, but they chose to ignore it--I suppose because they knew they would not get a United States at all if they took on that fight also. So, the question of slavery was put off until almost a century later, and we are still dealing with securing the right of all people to share in the economic wealth of the nation. We need the government to be endowed with the responsibility of re-establishing free enterprise when capitalism's natural tendency to funnel wealth up to the top restricts the working class's ability to share in the wealth of the nation. Shea Foote @ substack.com
Agreed, the Founders abhorred the concept of corporations and deplored monopolies but your yeoman vision is, I believe, historically unsustainable. At least in North Carolina, evidence suggests that about 60% of the population with property valuale enough for General Cornwallis' troops to confiscate appear in no other public records; i.e. were not real property owners ergo did not serve in militia or get listed for juries or the annual 'road tax'. In support of your contention it must be admitted that it is likely that most of this number were tradesmen who owned their own tools and "squatted" with sufference so long as the showed up to help their land owner when help was needed, largely during planting and harvesting. This tradition continues in the Carolinas as a form of quid pro quo in which a property owner calls on his dependents when they're needed and sees to their needs, e.g. legal and medical as required, going so far as to provide rudimentary housing.
It never ceases to amaze me how the sins of the Trumpian Republicans are blamed on the Democrats - as per a number comments below.
Yes, the Democrats should have moved faster re the insurrection. But, you know what, the Republicans could have, and still can, impeach Trump any time they want. So. Why don’t they?
Fundamentally, voters and parties need to realize that Character always counts. Someone will always have control of something whether it is the States having control over Corporations, or the Corporations gaining control. Someone will end up with control, and it appears they will abuse it, or neglect to deal with it properly.
The Founders did a pretty good job of trying to deal with that through segregation of powers. But in the end, people of good character are still necessary, so the voters are always critical to maintaining the system; and education of the people in the seriousness of their role in maintaining democracy by only giving power to people of good character is also critical - and clearly not happening.