The Damnedest of Times
Over the past fifty plus years bent politicians and Supreme Court Justices have been chipping away at America’s democracy as if it were a bad thing. Did this in the special interests of any and all who found democracy a hindrance to getting their way. Most, in return for receiving a little power and social prestige, and, perhaps, walking-around money.
In this endeavor they were enabled by tons of money from these special interests in coalition with a vote rich assorted consortium of thumpers and faux thumpers, denialists, retrogrades, the cruel and the sadistic, progeny of the Confederacy, ‘Hitler’s dispossessed’ and the like. A union of special interests and manipulatables; of those opposed to democracy, those who never cared for democracy, and those who never understood democracy.
In a nation of laws (something that the United States of America may not be in the near future) it would be fitting and proper to hold the worst of them accountable as a deterrence. At best, deterrence dissuades someone from doing something they can in fact do; doesn’t address the cause. The special interests attacked democracy because they could; what they did was legal or nearly so. Even if the perps were successfully brought to account, it would be for naught; wouldn’t undo the damage done. And, another lot would do it again because they could. We need to correct the flaws, close the loop holes, and install safeguards to ensure that they can’t; to make sure that which should never have happened never happens.
Given the damage done, it is most likely we won’t even get to try. That we will fall onto the ash heap of history, never to be a phoenix. That it will fall unto others of another time and place to break old bonds and light a new flame as was done in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1776.
If we don’t, if someone doesn’t, correct the flaws, close the loop holes, — doesn’t separate wealth and culture from the state — doesn’t ensure every citizen in every state equal representation — they will do it again and again. Because democracy denies them, the few, their right to privilege and power, to subjugate, to live off the labor of others, … , to impose their cultural beliefs on others, to be cruel to others.
It was the flaws in the constitution that allowed slavery, that allowed southern politicians to perpetuate servitude into a Civil War and for another one hundred years thereafter in the form of Jim Crow Laws. It was the flaws in the constitution that permitted unequal representation that allowed slave states to stifle democracy, to dominate our government for nearly two-hundred years. That permitted former slave states and less populated states to do so to date. That allowed an unsuited, unqualified, felonious candidate to run for and be elected president. That allowed a son of the confederacy from a small backward state to deny democratic process.
That allowed shameless unrepresentative politicians to stuff the US Supreme Court with shameless troglodytic political hacks at the very time when the nation needed to be looking forward in order to survive. Justices stupid enough to take pride in their Trump v. United States, in their Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — even plan victory tours. To take pride in giving unbridled power to the office of President when the holder thereof was patently unfit for the office — then, brag about it. To take pride in overturning one of America’s greatest legislative achievements, the Voting Rights Act — because it was a threat to the powerful, their patrons.
Hacks who enshrined the right of states to send unrepresentative representatives to their legislatures, to the US Congress. Said it was a matter for politicians to decide. Gave every half-witted asshole in the country the right to possess and carry an assault weapon. This, in the interest of the gun manufacturers. Who didn’t believe in the separation of church and state.
Who ruled that it was fitting and proper for wealth to have unlimited influence on government at a time when it was obvious that the exact opposite was true. Hacks in black robes who would be comfortable in a white sheet with cone hood. Who prattle on about the 18th Century in this the 21st because it suits their politics and ideology, and those of their patrons.
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization
District_of_Columbia_v._Heller
Dearly Beloved – Angry Bear
The Supreme Court – Ken’s substack
Originalism – Angry Bear