It's the 4th of July and I've been reflecting on our unique form of government. I've updasted this blog with a few more thoughts.
Seems like our nation has forgotton how we were created. In 1776, "We The People" collectively came together and tried to form a "more perfect Union". It boggles my mind how today's politicions can't seem to come together and agree to do anything, let alone make our union more perfect.
This situation didn't happen overnight. John Locke (in 1689) wrote that all governments would tend to become totalitarian and wrest power away from those they govern. Our founding fathers read and understood Locke's premise. They strived to create a minimal amount of government that would avoid anarchy, support liberty and freedom while providing for cooperation. Today's government has evolved into a huge bureaucracy where nearly 30% of all workers have government jobs. The population is asking "We the Perople" to give us what we want rather than working for it ourselves.
Our society has moved from one in which people worked cooperatively to accomplish things for the common good. Today's society is one where individuals and minorities reign supreme. It has become "Me Centered". Individuals are saying, "I want what is mine to have. I want it now. I want someone else to give it to me. And, I want it on credit". If anything is wrong in their world, they want someone "else" to fix it rather than fixing it themselves or with the cooperation of their neighbors.
This is a dangerous trend. If not corrected I fear that our democracy is doomed to failure. This trend ultimately transfers all individual power to the government or to others. Locke's premise has taken root.
The folks whom we have elected will not fix things. The won't, because they are influenced by lobbyists, corporations, the wealthy and by their own greed. If they fixed the national debt, addressed global warming, enacted term limits, or fixed the health system, etc. they themselves would be personally affected adversely. Therefore, they will never vote to truly fix anything.
Our elected officials spend an immense portion of their time seeking the money needed for re-election instead of working to solve the people's problems. The are guided by money and not the constitution and the law. They worhsip cult leaders (like Mr. Trump) like they were idols. Seldom to the winners actually represent a majority of the voters. Eighteen of the fifty-nine presidents received less than 50% of the popular vote. (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_by_popular_vote_margin). How can one say they "won" with only 49% of the vote. That means the other 51% didn't want them. The system is seriously broken.
I fear for the very existence of our democracy.
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