America: The Republic not Democracy

Breaking News: America Expels Democracy

 

 

 

     


      I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the United States of America, and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all1 ...The original text of the Pledge of Allegiance was written by a socialist minister as an attempt to foster nationalism, and patriotism in the post civil war America. Yes, its because of an anti-capitalist that every schoolhouse around the nation has flags for kids to salute to every morning, sounds like the beginning of a bar joke. 

No matter how important or unimportant you think the pledge is, there are a few terms within the text that are overwhelmingly seen as representative of American values (even if only by its own people). There is justice....liberty...and then there's the word republic. Republic? Was Francis Bellamy referring to the Good Old Party of today? Maybe, this was a foreshadowing of George Lucas's version of galactic order.

      According to Webster a republic is, "a country that is governed by elected representatives and by an elected leader (such as a president) rather than by a king or queen."2 The word republic can be found in the United states constitution; Article 4, Section 4 requires states to have "republican forms of government"... This may or may not incite a knee jerk reaction from you. Why doesn't it say democratic. America has always been the protector of democracy. We have even gone so far as to daub ourselves the proprietor of democracy. If we think back to the Iraqi insurgency, one of our main goals were to, "install a democratic government" a la Monsieur George Bush.

      Throughout history democracy is as American as apple pie, moonshine, and freedom fries. But for some reason the word has been left out of The Declaration of Independence, our Pledge of Allegiance, and  The Constitution of these United States. Why? Well...that is because the United States government is not a democracy. Shocking. This may seem debatable but it is very straightforward. The founding fathers of this "magnificent" nation disagreed on a lot of things. They weren't too sure on how to balance power amongst the young American government, there was disagreement on religious values, and a few of them may have quietly fought about the ethics of slavery. But what they did overwhelmingly agree upon was that democracy was the absolute worst form of government. Benjamin Rush compared democracy to the "devils work" and called it one of the "greatest evils". Benjamin Franklin said, "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" It was no mistake leaving the word out of their documents, cursing it's utterance similar to "he who should not be named". The reasons for their disgust are clear as is the reasons why you cannot go five minutes without hearing the word from everyone in politics, from Marco Rubio, and John Boehner, Hillary and Obama.


What is Democracy?

      Democracy literally means, "the rule of man". The Greeks of Athens had the first documented democracy. Their brand of direct democracy went as so: The important men of Athens would come together and manufacture laws. Everything from what to do with poop to how to deal with Socrates was written out. Then "every eligible" citizen would go and vote yea or nea. The majority vote would go through. This is a direct democracy, this is the direct rule of people ruling over each other with equal power. In this system of government the majority of people rule without contest.3

      This is one of the exact reasons the founding fathers were against such a form of government. They wanted the furthest thing from a direct democracy.

      If this country was even a representative democracy. The people would vote for representatives directly. Then as in the direct democracy the majority voted candidate has absolute power. The will of the majority of citizens would be law. America has what Ben Franklin, John Adams and John Marshall all were fixated on, the republican form of government. Before we go into what exactly that is, it important to note that the republic the founding fathers were talking about is different from that of Machiavelli's writings.

We can look to John Marshal's Federalist Papers #10 to see what exactly the point of this republic form of governing is.  

          "If a faction consists of less than a majority, relief is supplied by the republican principle, which enables the majority to defeat its sinister views by regular vote. It may clog the administration, it may convulse the society; but it will be unable to execute and mask its violence under the forms of the Constitution. When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular Government, on the other hand, enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens..."4                    
                                                                                 -John Marshall

      Poetry ain't it? Marshall warned that the democracy leads to what is called "mob rule". This allows the majority power without protection of the minorities within a state. The republic provides for protections for every citizen equally. This is accomplished through a constitution. Liberty not equality is more important in a republic. In America representatives are voted by citizens indirectly. We have electoral colleges and party bosses that filter the masses from directly deciding who actually makes laws and passes them. Most importantly the constitution gives freedoms, and dictates exactly what powers each branch and state governments have. This is the most important aspect of the republic. A republic is the rule of law. Law can be stepped over by none; no matter how many guns the majority have, or how much money the majority have...well, in theory.

                                                 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Uscapitolindaylight.jpg


Why do Politicians lie?

I don't mean in general of course. In order to campaign effectively lying just comes with the territory. But I mean why speak of these democratic ideals when we have a republic?
 
      Imagine this...you live in the democratic nation of America, in the state of New York. There is a referendum up for vote about pants regulations. This bill includes restrictions on super short and/or tight pants, super baggy pants, sagging of pants on men, and women are no longer allowed to wear pants. Come voting day the referendum is passed thanks to a super conservative faction rallying voters. This being a national vote, immediately becomes law, there are no restrictions on the government protecting rights of citizens not in the majority.
 
      This was the fear of the founding fathers. They really feared  democracy would restrict trousers! But this fear (Democracy) has become the hallmark of any political campaign. Why would politicians use the word democracy. Well...Campaigns are full of what is called subversion of language. When your senator speaks of protecting democracy, he is allowing you to make democracy synonymous with himself. Knowing that democracy coincides with equality you the people are led to believe that they support equality. Universal Equality! This is not the case.

They support a republic. In essence they support an ideal that the masses cannot organize enough, and are not capable to rule with efficiency. Which is why we need to indirectly elect the brightest, most morally sound of us all. (After a party chooses whom is the best of the best for us) Politicians don't want to be known as promoters of this elitist style of government. Law is not a very attractive speaking point. Though, it is a system they work in, being "a champion of Equality sounds way better."
 
      Now we can see through subversive language. Thanks to our founding fathers we have avoided mob rule. So new citizens of the republic, try and call as it is, a spade a spade. And remember you can't loose what you never had.

Source

1  http://www.ushistory.org/documents/pledge.htm
2 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/republic?show=0&t=1389600219
3 http://www.ancient-greece.us/democracy.html
4 http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Federalist/10

How To Be A Hero in 2014

  How To Be A Hero in 2014

 

 

 

     

      Pie...I like Pie...I mean who doesn't. Baring no run-ins with anaphylaxis, or un-patriotism no soul can rebut the restorative, healing powers of crust & filling on a plate with a fork. Don't get lost or misunderstand that I am strictly talking about the delectable desert. This not a metaphor and not convoluted in any way. I just think about pie often. This is something I like. Which is why I'm talking about it. We often talk about things we like, because we want people to know we like them, and we want to know what other people like and want people to like what we like. We want people to like us at the root of it. Sometimes we want people to like us so bad that we are willing to allow this urge to extensively effect how we look at ourselves, and how we identify ourselves.

 

My favorite author and playwright Oscar Wilde said, "be yourself, because everyone else is taken." This is a comment on identity, (well put if you ask me). This is a proposition that within each and every person, there is an identity. Indeed it poses that each of us have our own analytical, cognition that results in an entity that is. We are what we identify ourselves as and exist represented by our identity which is absorbed by the senses of those around us. A unique "face" that we can be, one that is under our control. There may be debate, weighing the old "nature vs. nurture", but I'd like to bypass that because it is irrelevant to this topic. That is identity, who you are presently, will be tomorrow, and for as long as you live; and why.

As the year comes to an end we all get older, some happily, some regrettably. We reflect on a year of growth, recession, gains and losses. Love, lovers, hate, and haters. Its no lie that we are in unprecedented times. Our ever changing societal, political, communal and social structures and connections make internal and external reflection more crucial, and more difficult at the same time. Not to mention this problem is exacerbated by technology, social media, and communication that is instant, and restricted by nothing. This world is one that our planet has never seen (I think). Even as I sit here typing there is an inefficient government watching, an economy scaring me, and I still have to worry about who I am. 30 years ago "20 somethings" had all the time in the world to figure out who they were. Now we are just lucky to find a decent paying job from a corporation who we pay more taxes than, and rent an apartment, borrowing money from a bank whose interest rates our lower than our undergrad loan rates.

So our brain power may be appropriated to other matters, while our identity takes the backseat, and we end up fitting cookie cutter molds and having love hate relationships with our favorite bountifully "booty-licious" bodacious bodied beautician and living vicariously through her husband.(I miss Jesus) Were will identity go in 2014? (if there is any left).

I want to put the emphasis on the word Hero. A hero is a role, the Paladin. To be known as a hero requires the bearer to exhibit certain characteristics; bravery, courage, splenduor. It is not too vain to say that most of us want to be seen as Heroic. I will go out on a limb and say that there is a Hero in every one of us. In 2014 it is time to bring it out. Being a hero in 2014 is all about YOU. Its all about being YOU.

Step 1: Do You

 Its time to forget what Sally, Suzy, Tim, Tyrell, and Tina want you to do, and what they want you to be. Do what makes you happy. And if you don't know yet, find what makes you happy. Rule of thumb; certain people, things and actions have an effect on you. Look deep inside, it may take a moment of just siting and making a "Things I like vs. Things I don't like" List, or just thinking alone, out loud, with your roommate. Try a close friend, a shrink or a mailman. They might know a little about what you like, because they've seen your smiles. You might find out that you enjoy talking to the T-Mobile costumer service girl for hours, do that!

 

Step 2: Lend a Helping Hand

 

 

 After you do what you like. Do for someone else. This means taking one damn second away from your busy Netflix filled life, and trying to help a fellow woman or man. Any way will do. It is not a secret that making others feel good by your actions may just may make you feel good. No you will not receive money for helping that old Lady across the street or helping her take her bags in, but it can't hurt. I'm sure smiling at the person who hands you your Doritos Locos Taco at the mall won't end in you getting bitten. And if it does do the American thing and sue, (help a Lawyer out). This step means simply make a conscious effort to make someone's day better, and you are on your way to glory. Try volunteering, try "FREE HUGS" signs, Walk up to a random person and give them a dollar, write nice letters or on greeting cards to important people in your 2013 life. Get your significant other some flowers or a massage if your frugal like me. Go do it now, you can come back later and read the rest.

 

Step3: Question

 The last and final step is to question. ASK A QUESTION. Every day we sit and like robots accept, and blabber. We breathe and stuff food in that same breathing hole using claws with thumbs attached to the sides. In the new year ask why, or how, about something that either doesn't add up, or about something you've always been so sure of. At a time were Rupert Murdock and 6 families pull the strings of journalism, and people are so fashioned to take whatever an authority says as factual, we must make a habit of inquisitiveness.  Leonardo DaVinci said, "nothing strengthens authority more than silence".

I'm going to guess that you have some beef with someone or something. Whether its Obama, or Congress, your teacher, or Mephistopheles, don't let your issue go unaddressed. If its with your partner or just a friend ask questions. Now I warn you don't get into the habit of just saying you don't like something. Find out what you don't like, why, and what you can do to help fix this. Activate yourself! Start your own revolution! You may just want to ask questions to yourself. Maybe there is something you want to have a better understanding of, but you fear the implications it may bring. Don't allow this, a question asked and not answered is better than eating pie you are allergic to.

So my friend...In 2014 will you have what it takes to be a Hero. All you have to do is be yourself. It may sound cliché, but that's because I'm being myself, I am a bunch of clichés. So remember, do what you love no matter what others think. [Disclaimer: This is not a post inciting any person to break the law. The advise only means to entice actions that are within the limits of the law, and enjoyable.] Do something for another human. Make a promise to yourself that you will help better one person's day other than yourself in 2014. And last but not least, ask a question. Ask a question you've never asked. Then go find the answer, or just reflect on what the question means. Don't be naïve in 2014.

 If you follow these steps, you have made an effort to be yourself. You have become a hero. We all cannot be the idol of a nation like George Washington, or change a world like Nelson Mandela. We cannot all be Ghandi, or Susan B. Anthony, Jackie Robinson,  or Harriet Tubman. But that's because we are better off being who we are. These people were being who they were, and their identities were good enough to bend structures, systems, and the wills of people around them. I bet your identity is just as good. If you take a chance and embrace it... If you like pie, just like pie. I know I do.