What does the following mean to you?
“It has been said that the people of this country will decide the important question of whether societies can establish a good government by careful thought and choice.”
If I had to guess probably not much, it’s just a bunch of words, and to have an understanding of what it means context, is not only vital but necessary. So if you’re wondering why I’ve brought it up great because for the moment at least, I have your attention. Just stay with me a bit longer as I lay out my reasons for asking you about the quote.
If you’ve surmised the statement is about the importance of good governance, you’re partially right. It is part of Federalist One. Hamilton is advocating for the acceptance of the Constitution. He understood the difficulty facing citizens of a newly formed country. Change is never easy. Convincing people to give up something they were comfortable with – The Articles of Confederation – with the Constitution, which outlines three separate but equal branches of government that placed power in a central location was a big ask.
Hamilton also understood that those in power would resist this change and would try to exert their influence to prevent it, he writes; “Some will resist any change that might diminish the power and benefits of their current State offices. The perverted ambition of others will see potential self-aggrandizement within a country in disarray.”
Hamilton thought if he provided a logical argument for the acceptance of the Constitution, by the citizenry, through careful thought and choice would conclude this new document offered a more efficient form of governance. Hamilton trusted they would make the correct decision. Fortunately, history proved him right.
Hamilton, along with Madison and John Jay, wrote 85 well-constructed documents we know as The Federalist Papers arguing for the constitution ratification. Citizens read, debated commented verbally, and in written form on the merits of having a constitution. Not all were in favor of approval; in fact, further on in Federalist One, Hamilton pens; “And dangerous ambition more often lurks behind specious masks of zeal for the rights of the people than under the zeal for a firm and efficient government.”
Knowing they had opposition, Hamilton, Madison, and Jay continually and logically presented their case. Interestingly, people took the time to read these papers. They engaged in informed debate, had a deep interest in the formation of their government. They asked questions and sought out answers, and as Hamilton hoped, the citizens did make a careful and thoughtful choice.
So why the focus on Federalist One, what does it have to do with anything? A fair question with a complicated answer that involves Donald Trump, The Muller Report, Moral Leadership, we the Citizen, and our ability our failure do what the people did in 1788 when they read Hamilton’s words, careful thought, and choice.
For the past two years, we have witnessed Donald J.Trump behaving in a manner Hamilton described as the perverted ambition of others. Many are, stunned and his utter disregard for the Constitution and openly wonder how he was elected, and why those who condemned him are now rabid supporters. Baffled members of his party are not holding him to a higher standard as they did his predecessor. Then it came to me. Trump is the Chimera we have created.
Due to our forgoing Hamilton’s advice to use careful thought and choice, basically in all things political, many equivocated by surrendering our responsibility of demanding that those who want to represent us, be of good character and high moral standard, which provides us with the product of our neglect and laziness Donald J. Trump. An ethically challenged man, who lacks moral character let along with any sense of ethical leadership. He indeed is our Chimera.
Hamilton warned this could happen, with these words, “History teaches us that of the men who have overturned the liberties of republics, most began their career by proclaiming their devotion to the people. They gain position by arousing people’s prejudices and end as tyrants.”
He along, with his Republican jackanapes are rendering asunder the fundamental principles of the Constitution taking the country down a path from which recovery may be impossible.
I will explain in my next post how Trump is our Chimera a mythical hideous monster of our making.
TOCB, I am aware every time I refer to the Federalist Papers, the Consitution, or any documents during that period, slavery was alive and well. Along with much of what Messrs. Hamilton, Madison, and Jay were writing didn’t pertain to those in bondage.
However, as you pointed out in your reply, We The People applies to all who live here in the US, a point you picked up on in my writing without my having to mention. Which brings me to point I hope to make in follow on articles, we – figuratively – have contributed to the condition that has allowed Trump the opportunity to sit behind the Resolute Desk instead of Hillary.
Here are a couple of stats I came across awhile back in some other research I was doing, it centers around the lack of reading that takes place in the US.
• 58% of the US adult population never read another book after high school
• 42% of college graduates never read another book after they leave college
• 80% of US families do not buy or read another book within the last year
• 57% of new books are not read to completion
• Most readers do not get past page 18 in a book they have purchased.
If people aren’t reading, how can we expect them to read a redacted 448-page report?
Also, if they are not reading, how are they or where are they getting their information from to make a decision?
Moreover, why is knowing what the Kardashians are doing more important than the systematical dismantlement of your government by a wannabe dictator?
Far too many people are willing to overlook his lack of moral leadership and ethics because they like the way he talks and acts. All the while he is ripping them off as any con artist will.
Thanks for reading and commenting on the piece. We need to get more of the Yabberz folks over here.
I am sure you are aware that although the preamble to the Constitution begins with, “We the people”, many people could not initially participate in the democratic process outlined in the Constitution. That has changed over the years and that is something all Americans SHOULD be proud of, in one sense. In 1789, only white male landowners could participate in the democratic process, and even with this select group, the Electoral College was created to basically counterfeit what this select group did if the college thought they made a mistake.
Today, “We the people” includes all Americans. It is absolutely frightening to me that most Americans would choose someone like Trump over someone like Hillary Clinton, even with the many lies about her that were promoted for over two decades. Although Trump frightens and angers me, I am not disappointed or surprised in things he does and says, because I expect someone of his character to do and say those kinds of things. What really disappoints me are my fellow Americans, and quite frankly the Electoral College system. Reality is that had it not been for the Electoral College system, Hillary would be president and the USA would still be a beacon of hope in the world.
I heard Bill Weld say the other day that if the republican party continues in the manner it has operated since Trump took it over, the party will become known as the party of racists. I hate to disappoint Mr. Weld, but the republican party has been known as the party of racist for decades. All Trump did is answer the call of the party.
If we had stars or points or claps here I would give you maximum levels in all three.
Of the many fine points you made this one struck me as particularly poignant….
How times have changed……(the zeal of the Declaration, Confederation and Constitution generation faded rather quickly but I suspect that current levels of disengagement are truly record setting).
How many have read, scanned or skimmed the Mueller report….the polling makes it clear. Here is one from CNN. 3% of those polled said they had read “all” of the report while 10% said they had read “some” and 8% maintained they had read “a little” of it. Three-quarters of respondents — aka the honest ones — said they had read none of the Mueller report.
Just over 1 in 3 Americans in an April Post-ABC poll said the findings of Mueller’s investigation made them less likely to support Trump for reelection in 2020, 14 percent said they were more likely to vote for him, and 46 percent said the findings would not factor into the vote.
In the same poll most said the Mueller report did not clear Trump of wrongdoing and that the president lied about the matters under investigation. In the April Post-ABC poll, a 53 percent majority said the Mueller investigation did not clear Trump of all wrongdoing, though Trump declared “total exoneration” by the special counsel. Thirty-one percent said the report did not clear Trump. Those numbers remain largely unchanged.
A majority of Americans — 59 percent — say in a new survey that Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia and the 2016 campaign has not yet uncovered evidence of any crimes, even though in reality, Mueller has already obtained five guilty pleas and 17 criminal indictments.
Murph, First, thanks for the kind words. It took me a bit, but finally got over her and got something posted. Still trying to figure things out here, it’s sort of like trying to figure out how everything works in a new car. You know the basics, but its the understanding of how to work all the accessories.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say you are part of the 3 – 10 percent who have read the Muller report. We indeed live in different times where people spend less time reading. Most people don’t get past page 18 on any new book they purchase. So I guess we shouldn’t be surprised by the lack of numbers around a redacted 448-page report. However, had people read it they would have had a better understanding of what was going on Wednesday when Muller appeared before Nadler and Schiff’s committees.
A lot came out, but you wouldn’t know based on the reporting and of course the loudmouths over at Fox News. They are the ones Hamilton wrote about in Federalist One.
I plan a follow this with one or perhaps two more articles, as I attempt to cover the issue around Trump’s lack of moral leadership that many in the country have contributed to creating. As I said, he is the Chimera of our making.
I am cross posting here and at the facebook page. Putting the BIG STORY up at The Planet where the posting options are really enormous…I am in a hot and heavy discussion with four people at one of my posts right now. And I have a bit of interaction happening over at New Yabz. What I publish over there is “Planet-Lite”. This site takes some getting used to but I think it has the most potential for hearty and rigorous discussion.
As to the content of your reply….fully agree…..shaping the American mind now so depends upon instruments of empty minded propaganda that the kind of “education” that is being spoken of in an “impeachment” process is not something that many are open to or even capable of taking in.