A third try at describing The First Step to reforming America

Larry Kummer, Editor

13 years ago

Summary: The first post in this series reviewed my posts about the state of the American Republic, asking why it has deteriorated far faster than I expected — or considered possible. This post attempts a diagnosis, and points to a path perhaps leading to a cure.

There is no single solution, no golden key to reform

A series about America

Confession about a failed forecast
A 3rd try: The first step to reforming America
The bad news about reform: time is our enemy

Content of this post

Diagnosis
What’s the Cure?
Specifics!
For More Information

(1) Diagnosis

I have thought much about the reason for my mistakes — leading to a flawed analysis — and now see that it resulted from a violation of my own analytical rules. How often have I stressed the importance of diagnosis? To use a medical metaphor, forecasts of an illness’ course and successful treatment both build upon an accurate diagnosis of the illness. Many posts here speculated about the mature our problems and possible solutions, but I only slowly found an cause that matches the facts. Unfortunately that answer is so dark as to shake my soul:

We are the cause of the Republic’s death. We the people (as a collective) no longer make the effort — the sacrifices — necessary to maintain the Republic.

For a brief description of this problem see these two posts (these summary the scores of posts listed here):

(2) What’s the cure?

Strictly speaking, there is no problem. The American people (as a group) have the right to choose how they are governed. We try to change that choice. It has been done before; it is never easy to do.

(a) In May 1764 Samuel Adams took his first steps to end British rule in America (see here for details). That same year a small group of people in Boston formed the first of the Committees of Correspondence. The Revolution ended 19 years later with the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

(b) In 1774 Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush founded America’s first anti-slavery society. In 1868 we ratified the Fourteenth Amendment. In the mid-1960′s the Civil Rights legislation ended government-sponsored oppression of Blacks, concluding the project begun 190 years earlier.

(c) Rights for homosexual citizens: The Society for Human Rights was formed in 1924 (see Wikipedia). The campaign continues today. See a global timeline at Wikipedia.

Now we face the prospect of starting a new project. I say “starting” because I do not believe anything happening today addresses the core problem described above. Today’s reformers, while skilled and committed, treat only symptoms. While that works with some diseases (e.g., cholera), it will not work with the deep systemic crisis gripping America (to continue the bad medical analogies, like syphilis).

We can press the POWER button only after building the machine

A long road lies ahead of those who choose to participate in this project. It will take years or decades of work to convince our fellow Americans to again accept the burden and responsibility of self-government. I wonder if I’ll live to see success. I do not know what success would look like, since it will probably create a polity different than ours. For example, will it take the form of a revitalized Second Republic, or building the Third Republic?

No matter what the result, the process starts with the first organization built upon recognition of the problem and dedicated to a solution. Will you join this movement? Then reach out to others, show them the path, and ask them to join you on it. On a larger scale this means agitation and a thousand other kinds of political effort.

But first comes organizing. The first one can be small. They will grow if the time is right.

(3) Specifics!

The problem: how to change the American spirit. How do we reawaken our fellow citizens? Collectively Americans want rights and liberty, but lack a willingness to work for it — and to carry the burdens of self-government.

I believe this love of freedom lies latent in us, but just smoulders today. Almost exactly four years ago I wrote The first step on the road to America’s reform, saying that anger provided the fastest path to reviving our spirit. I no longer believe that. The fires have died beyond that point.

I have no other ideas. If you have any, post them in the comments.

(4) For More Information

An earlier version of this post: Realism about the prospects for reform in America

About the weakening of America’s spirit: