We recently completed 237 years since the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and soon will mark our 248th year since the Declaration of Independence. When boiled down to the essence, Thursday’s debate and the forthcoming presidential election are about whether or not we remain a republic or devolve further into one-party tyranny.
Many Americans are aware of this bit of history: In September 1787, Elizabeth Willing Powel, who was among the premier social figures within the colonies, approached Benjamin Franklin after the signing of the Constitution. She asked, “Well, Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?”
In a reply for the ages, he said, “A republic, if you can keep it.”
Franklin was aware that creating a government for and by the people was tenuous and that self-governing throughout human history had been rare. As well as any man of his time, Franklin knew of the Greek city-states and of the Romans, and borrowed from their forms of government what was useful, while discarding what was not.,
The Rarity of Constitutional Republics
Since the earliest humans populated Earth, approximately 107 billion people have lived and died. Of those billions, the vast majority have never resided in a constitutional republic.
For eons, people lived in tribes ruled by an elder or a council. As different forms of governing emerged, often some type of monarchy prevailed, replete with kings and queens, princes, and dukes. As for the non-ruling class -- the peasants -- most lived in squalor, scrounging for enough calories to keep themselves alive. Much of the world’s population served as slaves or serfs.
Our Founding Fathers, far from perfect, kicked the issue of slavery down the road, for four scores. Still, they did their best to create a government which would enable citizens to enjoy a variety of rights, throughout history not commonly accorded to “the rabble.”
Ultimately the form of government they conceived and established yielded the greatest prosperity that the world has ever seen. To this day, we are a representative republic – technically speaking, not a democracy. Our form of government, operating correctly, has worked the best on earth. Nations around the world strive to emulate what we have done here.
The Madness of Millions
Billions of people, however, live in closed or restricted societies, where individual and human rights are tenuous. What we're fighting for today in the U.S. is to maintain our representative republic. Half of our population is either corrupted or duped to believe that they know so well what needs to occur, they don't want any opposition party or opposing ideas.
Extreme partisanship is among the most dangerous developments confronting a nation. Weaponizing federal agencies is particularly dangerous. We are at that point now. While both Democrats and Republicans are well-populated by far-flung zealots, on balance Republicans stand for upholding the Constitution, limited government, separation of powers, and a variety of human rights dating back to our founding.
Starting from the New Deal in the 1930s, we have strayed so far from the concept of limited government that today, across the nation, people routinely believe that the government is supposed to have its mitts in all affairs of the populace. This is not how we were conceived as a nation and is not how we will succeed in the future.
A Beacon, After All These Years
Whether or not the typical American is conscious of it, the rest of the world gathers up everything they can about what's going on here. We are the beacon, the shining light, thus far. If we can rise above the current roadblocks, we can continue to be the model for other nations.
The world currently sees that factions within the U.S. seek to restrict the rights of individuals who are not of the “correct” political party. Many on the Left want to pack the Supreme Court, to perpetually gain legal rulings in their favor. Some engage in highly fraudulent elections and vote tampering so that their party might rule forever. Some individuals, bolstered by a compliant press, seek to besmirch and belittle any ideas that are opposed to their own.
In a truly representative republic, such developments cannot endure. Presently, we face a protracted period of encroaching tyrannies. From at least the time of Obama's election in 2008 to the present, a span of 15 years, we have experienced a narrowing of public discourse and a rise in acrimony.
We have witnessed one party continue to persecute and prosecute political opponents for the ‘crime’ of holding opposing views. This, too, cannot last. We will rise above. Our time in the sun is not over. These are not the end of days for America.