We, The People, In Order To Form A More Perfect Union...

[shondradawson]

Much of my reading and study over the past six months has been concentrated on the US political and economic systems, given the state of present conditions.

What is underscored in the discussions and debates currently rising and raging, if it has been addressed at all, is the Founding Fathers (Federalists) of this country took great pains and deliberation in designing a constitution that would preserve a republic and democracy for the people. It was no mean aspiration or feat, as the men of that time were well-versed in ancient history. Our founding fathers knew that virtually no democracy or republic has ever lasted more than three hundred years in Western or Eastern civilization.

We, the people, must bear in mind that our American precedents were conditioned to subjection under a monarchy, as were their descendants, going back thousands of years. Our Founding Fathers (and the Anti-Federalists should be included in that circle) endeavored to change subjects into citizens. They sought to change followers of monarchy into leaders of democracy.

In other words, changing the conditions of rule on paper was not the true task or challenge at hand: it was changing the conditions of rule in mind...they fought a war for independence, which is not to say, the people freed themselves...

Generations later, we, the people, look to the President, to the Representative, to the Senator, to the Supreme Judge, to a leader, to deliver us...it is a monarchical condition of mind to look for a leader to follow: yet, the Constitution was designed for the people to lead. American history has shown, how little inclined we have been to do so...

Now, as we find this nation in decline, I still believe the founders of this nation were well-meaning. I think perhaps the Constitution was written in their time, but not in its time, the people were willing to believe in its conditions, but perhaps not ready for them...

The founders, with remarkable foresight, remembered what is forgotten to our peril: that democracy cannot be realized when the people believe in it, not when the people fight for it, no, not even when the people are willing to die for it...

Democracy can be realized only when the people are ready to live by it...

We, the people, must cease to be subjects of the Constitution.

We, the people, must condition ourselves to be citizens, so this republic shall not perish from the earth.

[shondradawson]

1. The Books I Recommend for further instruction and insight

A Republic, If You Can Keep It by Chief Justice Earl Warren
The American Constitution: The Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers by J.R. Pole
The Psychology of Power by Ronald V. Sampson (out of print, I believe, so look in your library)
The Revolt of the Masses by Luis Ortega y Gassett (recommended by Jacques Barzun, author of From Dawn to Decadence)

If any DUers have read them, your comments and criticism will be especially welcome.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

2. What practical steps do you suggest? n/t

[shondradawson]

3. At this crucial stage, it is most likely the impractical

that we shall have to turn to...

I believe the first thing the people can do is put Congress on notice: there needs to be a removal of incumbency, particularly in the Senate. The Anti-Federalists were particularly concerned about that very thing, of the bribery and corruption that would result when Congressional members held power too long to be fearful of the people. This can be done with a nationwide, state by state organized petition of letters flooding into Congress. This falls under the First Amendment...

On statewide elections, the people have the authority by the Constitution to elect their representatives: these representatives do not necessarily have to be on the ballot. The political parties have the liberty to nominate their representatives, so the people have the liberty to nominate theirs, and their interests may not be represented by either party. Therefore, if the people were to show up at the booth and write down "None," if the majority of the ballots state this, no representatives from either party can enter that office.

As an addendum, the airwaves of communication should remain open and at least 1/3 reserved for the public space. Freedom of the press does not allow for privatized networks and newspapers, but should be treated as a public service. Our taxes will used to provide these services, not companies and their advertisers.

The people do not have the privilege to become lobbyists: our Congress is our lobby. The people have always had the power and authority to banish lobbyists from Congress, or to indict such practices under a threat to their authority. As the corporate person-hood statue makes lobbying appear to be within the corporate citizens' rights, there needs to be a case brought to the Supreme Court to overturn that law. The Union vs. Corporate, Inc., making it unlawful for a citizen, in anonymity from personal identity, with trans-national allegiance to multiple countries, to be granted the same rights as the general citizenry. It is a threat to the democratic process as well as the State and should be overturned...this fall under the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Supreme Court should not be a position held for life but only for a succession of ten years. Nor should the Supreme Court be appointed by the Executive Branch and reviewed by the Legislative, but vice versa. The President of the United States, under the pressure of a voting and voiced people, should have the power to remove Justices who have ruled against the interests of the people. The separation of the Legislative and Judicial Branch only makes the Supreme Court the last and final resort for upholding the laws of the land. Their rulings, however dubious or dangerous to democracy, cannot be put into question. The Supreme Court cases over the last 75 years show very little has been done to uphold the rights of the people, but the special interests of those who have greater access to the courts, which has always been the wealthy and the powerful...

The President of the United States may remain Commander-in-Chief, but in this nation there should be no standing army in America for the Executive Branch to deploy beyond or within the borders of this nation, and outside the Congress declaring war. Thus, the people cannot be ordered to fight by either the President or Congress: the people must be willing to organize themselves into a militia or army, and this will only be as a last resort to resolving conflicts. Thus, the wealthy and powerful may no longer exploit the machine of war or risk the lives of the citizenry for personal profit...

These are a few suggestions that may resolve our immediate issues. Forgive their coarse outlines. But nevertheless consider and feel free to share your ideas...

[shondradawson]

4. If the revolution will not be televised, surely it can be sent by post?!?!

I notice there have been views, but no voices...

Where is the Democratic Undergound?