What is it with the Democrats? (a response)


More comments on Democratic strategy and comments on the direction of Democracy in general.

Hey, at least Kerry looks good in a suit and can complete
a sentence. He definitely performed better on stage than
Bush last night. They again, I found I could not believe
anything he said. I just kept thinking "He's doing a
great job of saying what he thinks will get him elected."

Your reply was very well composed and thoughtful, BTW.
It got me thinking about our collective future:

In the "end game" all democracies fail for exactly the same
reason. The public figures out that they can elect folks
who will give them "free" stuff. A "free lunch". The
politicians figure out that by giving away the store they
get elected. The country goes into a death spiral.
It was always thus. Bread and Circuses.

But without democracy, power corrupts until tyranny reins.

What makes America special is that the founders knew this
and struck a remarkable balance on the knife edge. Just
enough democracy to protect the peoples rights and prevent
tyranny, but just enough un-democratic representative power
to constrain the drive to a "free lunch". Pit the States
against the Federal and the people balancing both.

Another three legged stool of countervailing Federal powers.
Congress, executive, judicial. Democratic election of
members of one house, State appointment of members of
the senate, with State electors choosing a president as
each states rules dictated. All counterbalanced by an armed
private citizenry and citizen jurors should things start
to tip anyway.

My major concern, long term, is rather obscure but critical:
We have moved to too much democracy.

Senators are now directly elected. The States have no
representation in congress any more. This is the death of
"States Rights" (and that isn't a code word for slavery, it
is much more.) The States are now a very small minority
and the democratic tendency to abuse minority rights is
asserting itself against them.

It is why the Federal government now sets the size of your
toilet flush, why Feds tell you how to educate your children,
why Feds decide that the same smog laws ought to apply to
Montana as to New York and why the States Militia and the
Guard are no longer a counterbalance to Federal military power
as they ought to be to prevent tyranny by force of arms. We
now depend on the moral fabric of the members of the military.
A strong cloth, but one that can be torn...

One of the counter balances is now functionally broken. The
States are neutered in congress. Congress mandates, states
comply. Another is wounded. Judges are now approved by
a Senate that is not interested in States Rights, but is
interested in the next direct democratic election. The
states are neutered in court, too... though a bit more
indirectly.

Many states now just rubber stamp a vote by the people for
electors. It was not always this way. There is still the
potential to have an Electoral College revolt, but it is
weakened. Folks (mostly Democrats right now, but it changes
depending on who would benefit) are pushing to abolish the
electoral college as "archaic", claiming that it is only
for logistical reasons of vote tallying that are now obsolete.

Don't believe it. The *primary* purpose of the electoral
college is to put a break between the direct democracy and
the executive branch, to put someone between the masses
wanting a free lunch and the election of the President.
To the extent that is broken, we have neutered the importance
of the States to the Executive Branch and we have moved
toward a direct democracy Executive Branch - cutting
another leg off the stool.

I once heard a Black Man on the radio put it rather well.
He said "Democracy? I'm sick of hearing about how wonderful
democracy is. Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting
on what's for lunch!".

In one simple sentence he crystallized both the democratic
problem of failure to protect minority rights AND the
fundamental failure of democracies when the population
votes for a "free lunch". What is the platform of the
Democratic party if not a shopping list of free lunch items?
Let's all eat the corporations and rich folks money.
Never mind that the end game will be ruin of the economy.

The legal system has essentially killed the Right of Jury
Nullification by simply ignoring it. This right was
established in Pennsylvania, I believe by William Penn.
It is the right of a jury to say "Yes, he broke the law,
but the law was wrong so we nullify it."

That is the final countervailing power to the judges,
congress, and lawyers. It still exists in theory, but not
in practice. The use of "voi dire" (see what he says), when
they ask you questions to toss off the jury folks who would
not do what the judge and lawyers want, is the major tool used
to quash this right. The People no long have final say in
the judicial system.

Then there is the assault on the Second Amendment. It isn't
about hunting Bambi or stopping burglars. It is specifically
about The People, the militia (ALL men over 18 of sound body)
being able to throw off a tyranny should one be trying to
take over the government. This is now almost a dead concept
and is for all practical purposes, moribund at best.

We are moving steadily toward a single large central
government with 3 branches of the government with token
differences. All strongly interested in one thing: the
centralization of power in the Federal government and
the re-election of individuals to those seats of power
by giving things to the voters (taken from someone else).

Directly elected executive branch, senate and house with
judges appointed from them. With no effective power in the
hands of the people. No States Rights to stand in the way.
No Jury Nullification. No Militia. The people reduced to
asking "What will you give me for lunch?" ...

Nothing but some wolves looking at a very large sheep...

Side Bar:

There is even a timeline that can be applied. Most direct
democracies last about 50 years. Those with some indirection
last for about 100 before collapse. That the U.S. has lasted
for over 200 years is a testimony to the stability of the
original design. Now that we've broken it, you can start your
clocks. I'd set the start time at about 1970 when States
Rights died. That makes it 2020 or so. You could also use
a 100 year marker from when the direct election of the senate
was instituted by the 17th amendment in 1914. That makes it
about 2014 or so. Yes, there will still be a U.S. then, but
it will be a broken system with either a Tyranny of the Masses
via too much direct democracy or a direct Tyranny, brought to
power via democracy such as in Nazi Germany or as is
unfolding in Russia today. I'd give it until 2050 at the
very latest. My expectation is a european style socialist
state such as in Germany, Sweden, or France. Not truly
evil, yet, but not a place to be free. High taxes, but with
"free" medical care, drugs, retirement pay, etc.

Mike

Posted: Mon - October 4, 2004 at 12:49 AM      

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