The United People of America?
We don’t live in this country, the United People of America. We live in this one, The United States of America. It’s a representative democracy and a republic and not a straight democracy. It is not a perfect Union. It was forged to keep 13 original colonies (soon to be states) together as one country. A country of United States. It was constructed and evolved to be a balance between States Rights and local rule with all those benefits, and Federal Rights and the needs and restrictions needed for a large, centralized but often distant national government.
Like a family, we live in a dysfunctional system. Our family of United States has a history that isn’t perfect but generally finds a way to work. Sometimes it takes a level of subtly and patience to understand your family. It takes an appreciation of the dynamics of local and state rule coupled together with understanding of history and the trade-offs you make to keep the Union together. I often hear educated people rail against the Electoral College and our representative democracy. Typically, their arguments centralize on some imperfection in the system that doesn’t suit them and ignores the larger historical context and as such a reasoned and reasonable discussion about our United States.
Here is some basic US history I like to remember, expand upon and appreciate before I start my discussion about our system, or tell anyone else that they should emulate our system.
Long ago in a Nation not so far way…
…George Washington and the boys get together and purposefully write in several anti-democratic provisions into the U.S. Constitution. Namely the following,
• Slavery is institutionalized.
• Senators are appointed by state legislatures.
• Supreme Court is to be appointed.
• President will be elected by the Electoral College.
Only the House of Representatives were directly elected.
Moreover, back in the old days, States Rights were paramount and people were left to make many local decisions on their own. We still really like this to this day. However, back then in most States only white men who owned property could vote. I don’t own property. Back then I wouldn’t have been a voter. That, and much more, was the America that was.
Hence, the first federal government that met in 1789 was a republic with only the thin muslin veil of democratic representation over it. But we’ve evolved and the major steps toward democracy can be marked by (among other events local, national and international) amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
1. The Bill of Rights.
Guaranteed limits to the power of the federal government.
2. 13th Amendment.
Abolished slavery.
3. 14th Amendment.
Effectively extended the vote to all adult male citizens, including ex-slaves. Male Suffrage.
4. 15th Amendment.
Explicitly gave the right to vote to former slaves.
5. 19th Amendment.
Female Suffrage.
6. 17th Amendment .
U.S. Senate will be elected directly by the voters, rather than being appointed by the state legislatures.
So there it is, our imperfect Union. It is a representative democracy. It is an evolving, seething, pulsating group of United States. It balances imperfectly the rights of people to rule themselves locally within their State with the needs of a Federal Government and a Union (a family) of represented States.
Practically speaking, without this imperfect Union a sparsely populated Dakota or a Montana wouldn’t matter on a national level. Ultimately decisions for those people would be made by an overly powerful, overly disconnected central government. Majority would rule and people in populous areas like California and New York would dictate decision –straight national democratic decisions- for the sovereign people of Dakota. As it is, these United States, each have local, regional, and State Governments. Each one is unique, each one has their voice heard when they represent themselves along side their 50 brothers and sisters.
History is jagged arching line; a tacking boat that when seen from a great enough distance, becomes a straight line. It shows that we, as a group of United States, are striving to stay on a trajectory towards ever increasing Justice.
Like a family, we live in a dysfunctional system. Our family of United States has a history that isn’t perfect but generally finds a way to work. Sometimes it takes a level of subtly and patience to understand your family. It takes an appreciation of the dynamics of local and state rule coupled together with understanding of history and the trade-offs you make to keep the Union together. I often hear educated people rail against the Electoral College and our representative democracy. Typically, their arguments centralize on some imperfection in the system that doesn’t suit them and ignores the larger historical context and as such a reasoned and reasonable discussion about our United States.
Here is some basic US history I like to remember, expand upon and appreciate before I start my discussion about our system, or tell anyone else that they should emulate our system.
Long ago in a Nation not so far way…
…George Washington and the boys get together and purposefully write in several anti-democratic provisions into the U.S. Constitution. Namely the following,
• Slavery is institutionalized.
• Senators are appointed by state legislatures.
• Supreme Court is to be appointed.
• President will be elected by the Electoral College.
Only the House of Representatives were directly elected.
Moreover, back in the old days, States Rights were paramount and people were left to make many local decisions on their own. We still really like this to this day. However, back then in most States only white men who owned property could vote. I don’t own property. Back then I wouldn’t have been a voter. That, and much more, was the America that was.
Hence, the first federal government that met in 1789 was a republic with only the thin muslin veil of democratic representation over it. But we’ve evolved and the major steps toward democracy can be marked by (among other events local, national and international) amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
1. The Bill of Rights.
Guaranteed limits to the power of the federal government.
2. 13th Amendment.
Abolished slavery.
3. 14th Amendment.
Effectively extended the vote to all adult male citizens, including ex-slaves. Male Suffrage.
4. 15th Amendment.
Explicitly gave the right to vote to former slaves.
5. 19th Amendment.
Female Suffrage.
6. 17th Amendment .
U.S. Senate will be elected directly by the voters, rather than being appointed by the state legislatures.
So there it is, our imperfect Union. It is a representative democracy. It is an evolving, seething, pulsating group of United States. It balances imperfectly the rights of people to rule themselves locally within their State with the needs of a Federal Government and a Union (a family) of represented States.
Practically speaking, without this imperfect Union a sparsely populated Dakota or a Montana wouldn’t matter on a national level. Ultimately decisions for those people would be made by an overly powerful, overly disconnected central government. Majority would rule and people in populous areas like California and New York would dictate decision –straight national democratic decisions- for the sovereign people of Dakota. As it is, these United States, each have local, regional, and State Governments. Each one is unique, each one has their voice heard when they represent themselves along side their 50 brothers and sisters.
History is jagged arching line; a tacking boat that when seen from a great enough distance, becomes a straight line. It shows that we, as a group of United States, are striving to stay on a trajectory towards ever increasing Justice.
All Good Things,
Wig
posted by wigdawg at
8:22 AM
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