This blog is now in its 11th year. During that time span nothing much has changed regarding governance within the US. The system we hail and give allegiance to no longer works the way it was designed, intended, or boasted about. Representative governance is not a reality in America. This is why.
Political Parties: once a mechanism to group
political ideologies, political parties have become the personification of
power and corruption. Millionaires in Congress is the result and proof of the
corruption. Ideologies battle each other and distract the body politic from the
real battle which is over power and wealth. The very soul of the nation is
obfuscated. The original design was to encourage political thought and
discussion among many focal points. Today it is a war among two power centers
increasingly controlled by white wealthy people and their corporations.
Funding of Elections and Campaigns: corporations fund
the greatest portion of political campaigns throughout America. Individual contributions
are probably one third or less the source for campaign spending. Political Action
Committees are the second largest source of campaign funding. The result: the
people do not fund the messages which win elections for
representatives. The voice of the people is very much the voice of corporations,
wealthy and white people.
Separate But Equal Branches of Government: from its
inception, Constitutional America has engaged in power struggles between the
Courts, Congress and Executive branches of the national government. Similar struggles
in the states exist but at a lesser degree. States have more work to do than
the time to continue the wasteful fight for hegemony over other branches of
government. Today, the Executive Branch holds much more power than it did
originally mainly because Congress has ceded many procedural elements to the
Executive branch. The Judicial Branch has stretched its muscles far and wide in
challenging the authority of both Legislative and Executive branches.
Equality and Justice for All: the output, the outcome, the results of our
form of government should be unequivocal equality among its citizens and
justice for all. If that is the objective of our system of government, then we
are a failure by any standard. This is not an idle slam at our national political
life. Here is the proof of my statement.
a.
Racial groups do not equally enjoy America’
freedoms. Black America has lower household earnings, lower educational
completion rates, poorer housing standards, and stunted economic opportunity. Access
to healthcare and quality education is a continuing problem. Hispanics suffer
many of the same negatives as Blacks.
b.
Women earn less than men of the same education
and experience levels. They are just as capable as their male counterparts, but
studies show over and over that men are favored over women for job
offers, compensation and benefits.
c.
Women do not have legal control over their
bodies. White men in state legislatures and Congress make laws that restrict women’s
rights and freedoms. No such laws are directed toward males. The proof is in abortion
legislation.
d.
Legal immigrants face continuing discrimination
for generations in spite of the core reality that our nation was and is entirely built
by immigrants and their descendants.
e.
Justice system discriminates against people of
color at all levels of the system. For proof, know the story of Rikers Island
municipal jail in New York City. Other large urban areas have similar problems
with short term custody jails before courtroom procedures are completed. People
of color disproportionately populate the justice system and have for
generations.
People often voice
their distrust of government authority. All the above provide the reasons for
that disaffection. Where once my pride in nation and region was deep, it is now
skeptical and negative. I yearn to return to the knowledge that our belief and
value systems do in fact support We The People in their yearning for Life,
Liberty and Justice for All.
Clearly we are falling short.
October 27, 2021
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