Throughout the life of America, one thing has been a common theme, "We are all Americans". But what does that mean really? Do we know what it means to be American? If we are all Americans why do we have a more and more difficult time seeing eye to eye. This post starts the discussion for a solution.
As we have watched in the past 30 to 50 years of political exchange between one political party and the next, we notice the inevitable separation of two groups of politically aligned parties. The Republican Party becoming ever more conservative and focused on the means of economic success and the Democratic Party becoming ever more adamant that the reins of government is needed to stop social injustices, stop global warming, and stopping the very challenges that underprivileged people might face.
“The divisions between Republicans and Democrats on fundamental political values—on government, race, immigration, national security, environmental protection, and other areas—reached record levels during Barack Obama’s presidency,” Pew’s report states. “In Donald Trump’s first year as president, these gaps have grown even larger.”
The Atlantic, October 5th, 2017
The rush to judgment for either side to be at fault and an American President eager to fall prey to the taunting claws of the ever hungry media for content to publish and sensationalize, to gain eye balls, and to earn revenue is ever more pressing and changing peoples hearts in such a way to engage in irrational hatred or dread for the office of the Presidency.
Don't misunderstand this notion, it is not entirely clear whom would be at fault, the media in their chase to see revenue at the expense of others, the ever eager citizens that consume such information or the President himself for responding to such non-sense. It is clear, the President has the right to defend himself, even if it is not in the most tasteful manner, the media has a right to pursue their objectives as a business and there is the natural right of the citizen to come to crave the 24 hour news cycle and the emotional release it can bring as one might ooze with hatred and anger (Democrats); while the other side might chuckle with laughter at the antics or respond with disgust (Republicans); where the Libertarians cheer with glee to see the two sides pummel each other increasing the odds that Libertarian candidates might have a chance in 2020.
What the point that should be noted in this chaos is that neither of these three effects has any bearing on the management of government, which is what is at stake here in 2020. Whom will be governing our country and holding to the Constitution? Is it our fate to be governed by the passions of these groups (Media's Greed, Politician's Hubris and Citizen's Anger) resulting in the tearing down of the American way and the Constitution for that matter? Are we really governed by force only and by the whims of groups that can grow strong enough to overcome their enemies? Which leads us to the most critical question that was posed in the first Federalist Paper by Alexander Hamilton,"Are societies of men [& women] really capable of establishing good government from reflection and choice?”
Reflection and Choice
Most of the American Population is beginning to wonder if the system needs to be changed. A recent poll indicates that upwards of 54% of the American population believe that it is time to make a constitutional change, even as much as 12% of the population thinks that it should be replaced.
"A new survey by the University of Chicago Harris School for Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 54% of Americans think the system needs major changes and 12% believe it should be completely replaced."
The AP, May 2nd, 2019
How can this concept be relevant in a day where the world and America in particular has seen prosperity like no other time on the planet? What specifically can we look to for a model that could really replace this notion of government if things are this bad? There is no answer from anyone. One direction is more government of course. Single payer in Health Care, Carbon Tax to control the Corporations and who knows what other regulations or laws could be enacted to "improve" things.
But what has failed to fall into the citizens heads is the notion that the concept of government is not to "police" our lives or to "deliver" happiness to the people, but to set in play the boundaries in which we can live within reason to become our full selves. To fail and pick ourselves up again and fail again and keep going till we find our place in life and fullfill our dreams or realize our dreams were too big and discover our family's and friend's love and attention is what makes our hearts sing.
This path to self actualization is not one paved with government help and assistance, it is one paved by a higher power and our ability to traverse through it with ups and downs. This path helps us perfect our selves to eventually see our last days as a means to another life, not an end to a miserable existence. This uniquely Christian/Non-Secular/Spiritual perspective is the basis of the framework that we call our Constitution. And most people miss it, or never even understood that this is the case.
When we peel back the onion on all the emotions and turmoil that holds our hearts and minds hostage to the day to day living without the interference of government, we see the following American Values and truths:
#1 – Mankind is born with the natural gift of Freewill
We are born with freewill; some religions refer to this as a “God Given” right.
#2 – Freewill cannot be taken
Freewill cannot be taken by anyone. It can be suppressed but in the end we make that choice to suppress.
#3 – Freewill cannot be given
Freewill cannot be given. We can abdicate it for some time, but doing so allows one to adopt a master.
#4 – Effective governance must utilize Freewill to be successful
Laws that govern mankind must take freewill into account if human suffering is to be minimized.
Where within the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence these 4 truths are held as a basis for government. Additionally, these documents have outlined the personal responsibility that each citizen should develop to hold their government to these truths. Where within these truths the poison that can destroy the nature of them is the human desire and attraction to our vices which will release us from our responsibilities to our family and society. These things we pursue that are not divine in nature that distract us from our responsibilities and attending to those people and things we love; steal from us our right minds and bends us to believe that it is not us but the structure and nature of government that needs to be changed to fix our broken homes and families.
When in-fact, the solution to the chaos is an understanding about what the original creators of the Constitution were trying to do and how they came about doing those things. Where that solution could be codified into a "code of conduct" that could be institutionalized through a professional organization for the citizens and by the citizens to help clean and clarify this knowledge to align the goals of the government mechanisms to get out of the way of the individuals and if anything promote their efforts to cleanse a citizen's soul.
This is where the notion of the Federalist 2.0 begins, the definition of the structured organization that would help figure this out. This organization would organize the necessary certifications that would ensure a continued means of governance that would keep the people free and reduce their gullibility to buy into Political posturing that would allow people to gain office for their own goals and vices. Within this construct of a Professional Organization we define the tools and mechanisms that are needed and the path to successful financing and deployment of these mechanisms to achieve good government from "reflection and choice", where we can define the "Pursuit of Happiness" in the 21st century as citizens having the freedom and opportunity to successfully hone their own character without being stifled by the hands of another.
- Publius
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(TM) Federalist 2.0