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AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS
The US Constitution is no longer a match for the two dominant political factions. Constitutional provisions to dilute the power of faction are still in effect but were designed with limitations to avoid infringement upon our hard won liberty.
The two major factions --- Democrat and Republican --- are engaged in a mindless binge of partisan warfare in their insatiable lust for power. We are now on the verge of government of the faction, by the faction, for the faction.
Half of the American electorate has already thrown in the towel and these voters are sitting on their hands on election day. As Americans, we pride ourselves by thinking that our society has developed the ability to function as a democracy over the period of the last two hundred plus years.
In fact, we’re not a democracy and never have been. The framers of our Constitution specifically chose to establish a Republic, to avoid as much as possible the destructive influences of dominant political factions. Independent candidates whose loyalty is to their constituents are being “steam rollered” by the major factions whose financial resources inundate the airwaves of modern media.
James Madison, commenting in The Federalist Papers, pointed out that the influences of factions are such that:” democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have, in general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”
The Framers therefore chose to construct a Republic, which is less prone to the dominance of faction; less prone, but still vulnerable to their destructive influences.
Are all factions bad? Of course not; its human nature to form factions to achieve goals. Both major political factions --- Democrat and Republican --- can point to hugely significant historic achievements under leadership by their members; Lincoln, the great emancipator and Civil War Commander-in-Chief to end the secession; Franklin Roosevelt who dealt with the Great Depression and unleashed America’s military potential in the struggle to defeat Fascist aggression.
America at the crossroads refers to the fanatical fringe which develops in political groupings and which is heedless of the public interests. Their only focus is to pursue dominance by their faction. The appeals by the public for bipartisanship have fallen upon deaf ears.
In a global market, it is no longer permissible to muddle through as a divided nation. For the restoration of honest debate, the participation of Independent Representatives, without ties to either major faction, is essential.
The election of Independent candidates to public office therefore is a viable option for the American electorate to restore honest debate, impose punishment for blind partisanship, reunite our “house divided” and reinvigorate the establishment of our government of the people, by the people, for the people.
Richard Todd 8/01/08 Snoqualmie WA toddforcongress.org
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