Summary: Let’s cut through the doomster hysteria about Trump and the hopeful proposals for magic institutional changes. Let’s name the names of the people responsible for America’s perilous condition and discuss how to reform the Republic.
“It has been frequently remarked, that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country to decide, by their conduct and example, the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not, of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend, for their political constitutions, on accident and force.”
— Alexander Hamilton in The Federalist Papers #1.
“Like Rome, America Could be Ripe for Tyranny“
By Robert W. Merry at The American Conservative, 18 July 2017.
The dangers that confront late-stage democracy.
I strongly recommend reading this; it is too good and complex to excerpt. Merry provides a excellent and brief historical summary of late Republican Rome — and its collapse into the Empire. He accurately describes some parallels with our time. However, I believe his analysis is totally wrong in its most essential aspect.
Merry describes the fall of Rome as a result of institutional failure due to social change. That’s obviously correct. But it misses the key point. The unwritten Roman constitution and the parchment American Constitution are both just “paper bullets of the mind.” They have no significance except when they live in the hearts of a people who are willing to fight and die to make them the basis of their political regime. People who see them as their means to liberty and self-government. That, not clever political design, was the basis of the Founders’ hopes for America.
“{W}hatever fine declarations may be inserted in any constitution respecting it, must altogether depend on public opinion, and on the general spirit of the people and of the government.”
— Alexander Hamilton in The Federalist papers #84. He is speaking specifically about freedom of the press, but this is the general tenor of the Papers regarding our liberty.
No political machinery can last forever, functioning despite changing social and economic circumstances of its society. But a people jealous of their liberty will adapt the regimes machinery to their current needs. The Roman Republic stood for five centuries as Rome grew from nothing to domination of its world. It fell when its people tired of the burden of self-government, after which the only uncertainty was who would rule them.
The story of the Republic’s last days is well told in Christian Meier’s Caesar: A Biography
The different diagnoses of Merry and I determine the best course for political reform. Merry’s conclusion is to hope for the best.
“Perhaps the American republic will summon from within its essence the famous civic resilience, flexibility, and creativity that have guided us through all past crises with soaring success. Perhaps we will shake off the current crisis, get through the Trump years, and wend our way to a restoration of the relative unity and tranquility of yore, with a new direction set by a new consensus leader and embraced by the populace.”
I recommend that those seeking political reform work to rekindle the love of liberty in the American people, tell us that we are strong when we stand together, and encourage us to once again assume responsibility for America. See specifics in Reforming America: steps to new politics. There is no other path to a good future for us. Without this first step political activism is hopeless.
Our liberty is protected by “above all, the vigilant and manly spirit which actuates the people of America; a spirit which nourishes freedom, and in return is nourished by it.
— — James Madison in The Federalist Papers #57.
A look at our future
Merry mentions a typically pseudo-scholarly article by Andrew Sullivan in NY Mag (now doomster central): “Democracies end when they are too democratic” — “In terms of our liberal democracy and constitutional order, Trump is an extinction-level event. It’s long past time we started treating him as such.” This is too dumb for words. Trump is a clown President. He makes Jimmy Carter look like George Washington. Trump is incompetent as President, unpopular, and will be lucky if the Republicans in Congress do not dump him. Trump’s election is, however, a milestone.
“Although Nero’s death had at first been welcomed with outbursts of joy, it roused varying emotions, not only in the city among the senators and people and the city soldiery, but also among all the legions and generals; for the secret of empire was now revealed, that an emperor could be made elsewhere than at Rome.”
— From The Histories
by Cornelius Tacitus (~56 – 117 A.D.).
Trump began with almost nothing in terms of campaign organization, reputation, or funding — especially compared to the front-runners Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton. He ignored or mocked the standard campaign procedures. He showed manifest unsuitability for the job. And he won.
Trump’s success reveals the hollowness of America’s political regime. I am certain that notice has been taken. Now strong leaders are making plans to gain power. They might be politicians, from Wall Street, corporate America, or the military. But no matter where they are, they are thinking “if a clown like Trump can take the White House so can I.” They will have more appetite for power than Trump. They might have bold ideas for reshaping America, and will consult us before implementing them. For details see Trump’s win revealed the hollowness of US politics. Stronger leaders will exploit this.
Fear who comes after Trump. My guess is that both Left and Right would quickly bow before a strong leader making lavish promises about American renewal. But we can still turn away from this path. The words of The Federalist Papers
“Every man who loves peace; every man who loves his country; every man who loves liberty, ought to have it ever before his eyes, that he may cherish in his heart a due attachment to the union of America, and be able to set a due value on the means of preserving it.”
— James Madison in The Federalist Papers #41.
For More Information.
If you liked this post, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. See all posts about politics in America, Trump, Campaign 2016, and the new populism, reforming America: steps to new politics, and especially these…
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- America isn’t falling like the Roman Empire. It’s falling like Rome’s Republic.
- New research reveals the people guilty of wrecking America!
Refresh ourselves from the source.
The Federalist Papers
“These eighty-five articles explains and defends the ideals behind the highest form of law in the United States. The essays were written and published anonymously in New York newspapers during the years 1787 and 1788 by three of the Constitution’s framers and ratifiers: Alexander Hamilton, General George Washington’s Chief of Staff and first Secretary of the Treasury; John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States; and James Madison, father of the Constitution, author of the Bill of Rights, and fourth President of the United States.
“Thomas Jefferson hailed The Federalist Papers as the best commentary ever written about the principles of government.”