A friend of mine, while ranting about the inappropriateness of so much politics on Facebook, made a very profound statement. He said, "My feeling at this point is this rabid outrage will be the undoing of this country. Everyone wants their way and no one is willing to compromise for the good of the country. Put that in your Blog. Democracy can't function in that environment." That observation is so true, as witnessed by the history of this very nation some one hundred fifty odd years ago.
The Congress of that era had lost its ability to compromise, almost to the point that some of the states were beginning to call for secession from the Union. One reason for such rabid outrage, as my friend so aptly called it, was a law known somewhat ironically as the Compromise of 1850. This law purported to settle several issues which divided America at the time. These issues included the admission of California and New Mexico to the Union as either slave or free states (state's rights), the abolition of the slave trade in Washington DC (but not the continued ownership of slaves there), the forced enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act on the northern states (state's rights), the final designation of the northern and western borders of Texas, and the payment of ten million dollars to the State of Texas for those lands given up in the border settlement. The Compromise of 1850 really settled nothing because national leaders did not support all of these laws; neither did the people. The Compromise did not settle slavery issues, fugitive slave return issues, or issues of state's rights versus national authority. The subsequent election of Abraham Lincoln by only a fraction of the nation's legal voters pushed the nation even closer to almost inevitable civil war. The nation was polarized. There was no integration of viewpoints. Compromise was not only impossible, it was not wanted!
That brings me to my friend's recent and profound words of wisdom. No matter who should win the White House in 2012, no matter who is elected to Congress, the growing inability of our leaders to pass laws through compromise is an alarming signal that this nation is indeed in trouble. But the Congressional impasse is no more alarming than the attitude of the people of this nation. We are no longer willing to look for the things that we share in common with our political adversaries (OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS!). As I pointed out in a recent blog, the political views of President Obama and Governor Romney are not so greatly different. They are both liberal politicians who both promote similar social programs for this nation. As I also pointed out, the main difference between these two candidates is the President's most odious lack of patriotism for the this nation, for the PEOPLE who elected him to that highest office. Senators and representatives will be elected, with much the same rhetoric to which we have become so accustomed. These politicians have no interest in compromise, because they have become so polarized in their views that compromise is not wanted. But with no compromise, laws will not be passed, and the deadlock will continue. The thing that is most alarming is that this is exactly the situation the nation faced in 1850. Our nation has been so polarized by politicians, the media, and our own fears, that compromise seems at times so far out of reach.
There is another alarming issue as well. The constant clamour between various "sides" on various issues has divided Americans so much that we are unwilling to come together as a nation to take control of our government, to take back our freedom and our civil rights, to demand that certain terrible and unconstitutional laws be immediately repealed. When our basic civil rights are in jeopardy, we should all be willing to compromise in some way, so that we can all act as a powerful force to demand that WHOEVER is President upholds the Constitution, and is respectful of this nation and its great symbols of freedom. As my friend so aptly stated, the state of the nation at this point in time is such that "democracy cannot function in this environment." Many people will vote for Barack Obama in the coming election. As the incumbent, Mr. Obama has the advantage; Governor Romney is fighting the uphill battle. For me, no matter who wins, I believe that the nation can go on, but only if we, whether Democrat, Republican, Independent, Socialist, or whatever, can come together and demand those laws that are so blatantly unconstitutional be repealed. You and I still have the power to turn out office those representatives who refuse to "represent" us. No matter who is President, it is Congress that makes and passes laws. And it is ultimately those politicians who can make Congress function, while it is you and I who ultimately can make this nation function, or who can continue to yell and scream at each other until another civil war becomes inevitable.
The Congress of that era had lost its ability to compromise, almost to the point that some of the states were beginning to call for secession from the Union. One reason for such rabid outrage, as my friend so aptly called it, was a law known somewhat ironically as the Compromise of 1850. This law purported to settle several issues which divided America at the time. These issues included the admission of California and New Mexico to the Union as either slave or free states (state's rights), the abolition of the slave trade in Washington DC (but not the continued ownership of slaves there), the forced enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act on the northern states (state's rights), the final designation of the northern and western borders of Texas, and the payment of ten million dollars to the State of Texas for those lands given up in the border settlement. The Compromise of 1850 really settled nothing because national leaders did not support all of these laws; neither did the people. The Compromise did not settle slavery issues, fugitive slave return issues, or issues of state's rights versus national authority. The subsequent election of Abraham Lincoln by only a fraction of the nation's legal voters pushed the nation even closer to almost inevitable civil war. The nation was polarized. There was no integration of viewpoints. Compromise was not only impossible, it was not wanted!
That brings me to my friend's recent and profound words of wisdom. No matter who should win the White House in 2012, no matter who is elected to Congress, the growing inability of our leaders to pass laws through compromise is an alarming signal that this nation is indeed in trouble. But the Congressional impasse is no more alarming than the attitude of the people of this nation. We are no longer willing to look for the things that we share in common with our political adversaries (OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS!). As I pointed out in a recent blog, the political views of President Obama and Governor Romney are not so greatly different. They are both liberal politicians who both promote similar social programs for this nation. As I also pointed out, the main difference between these two candidates is the President's most odious lack of patriotism for the this nation, for the PEOPLE who elected him to that highest office. Senators and representatives will be elected, with much the same rhetoric to which we have become so accustomed. These politicians have no interest in compromise, because they have become so polarized in their views that compromise is not wanted. But with no compromise, laws will not be passed, and the deadlock will continue. The thing that is most alarming is that this is exactly the situation the nation faced in 1850. Our nation has been so polarized by politicians, the media, and our own fears, that compromise seems at times so far out of reach.
There is another alarming issue as well. The constant clamour between various "sides" on various issues has divided Americans so much that we are unwilling to come together as a nation to take control of our government, to take back our freedom and our civil rights, to demand that certain terrible and unconstitutional laws be immediately repealed. When our basic civil rights are in jeopardy, we should all be willing to compromise in some way, so that we can all act as a powerful force to demand that WHOEVER is President upholds the Constitution, and is respectful of this nation and its great symbols of freedom. As my friend so aptly stated, the state of the nation at this point in time is such that "democracy cannot function in this environment." Many people will vote for Barack Obama in the coming election. As the incumbent, Mr. Obama has the advantage; Governor Romney is fighting the uphill battle. For me, no matter who wins, I believe that the nation can go on, but only if we, whether Democrat, Republican, Independent, Socialist, or whatever, can come together and demand those laws that are so blatantly unconstitutional be repealed. You and I still have the power to turn out office those representatives who refuse to "represent" us. No matter who is President, it is Congress that makes and passes laws. And it is ultimately those politicians who can make Congress function, while it is you and I who ultimately can make this nation function, or who can continue to yell and scream at each other until another civil war becomes inevitable.
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