Posted on 10/21/2016 1:06:22 PM PDT by Paul R.
It is increasingly clear that we are in an almost "1984" scenario where corruption, collusion, and a ruling class dominated by desire for power, control, and their own self-enrichment, by any means available, run the show. And, a show it is, one that even George Orwell could have scarcely imagined.
How can we deal with this, and effect real, lasting, systemic reform? (Serious replies only, please.)
The question is, how can, as some have put it, the swamp be drained, and kept that way? Do we want to depend on some individual to somehow slog their way through the cesspool to the top, and then initiate reform? Can this even be done by an individual, unless he is supported by a massive social upheaval, which is itself powered by wide scale discontent of the peoples' situation? How bad does it have to get, and then, how is "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss" avoided?
In our present situation, even if Donald Trump is elected, and turns out to be at least 50% of what we hope he will be, what permanent reforms need to be made? I am a great believer in the power of individuals to effect meaningful change, but, "the flesh is weak", and many, if not most, will fail in a system that is built to defeat them. Donald Trump himself admits that his success, until very recently, was due to him USING the system better than most, not by fighting it.
(As an aside, Trump himself has been hazy on why he changed course. Did his conscience finally win out? Was it initially just another challenge, or a desire to "give back", then becoming a feeling of "Oh, my God, these millions of people are depending on ME?")
Can we depend on Providence to always provide us with "the right people, in the right place, at the right time"? (A quote from Babylon 5) Or, would God be more pleased to see us devise a system to preclude decades, if not generations, of unnecessary pain, and wasted human potential?
One answer, of course, is that provided by our Founding Fathers. They knew that history taught that all governments eventually rot. A small, decentralized, rotten government is easier to deal with than a powerful rotten government. We are (or should be) all familiar with Thomas Jefferson's words:
Paris Nov. 13. 1787.
the people can not be all, & always, well informed. the part which is wrong [. . .] will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. if they remain quiet under such misconceptions it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. we have had 13. states independant 11. years. there has been one rebellion. that comes to one rebellion in a century & a half for each state. what country before ever existed a century & half without a rebellion? & what country can preserve it’s liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? let them take arms. the remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon & pacify them. what signify a few lives lost in a century or two? the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. it is it’s natural manure.
Now, that is really meaty stuff, deserving of its own discussion, but here I'll limit my OT comments to: Jefferson's remarkable observation / prescience concerning the 150 year "boundary" or maximum cycle. Guess what, friends...
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It'd be desirable to limit the bloodshed (especially of the patriots!), and lengthen the stable part of the cycle, substantially.
Obviously, once "the swamp" is almost everywhere, the first step is the revolution, be it peaceful, or if that fails, violent. The best case scenario now would be for Trump to win, and install honest, vigorous people at the top of the Dept. of Justice. I would suggest Rudy Guiliani as AG, and Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, and Sarah Palin as his lieutenants. (Yes, Sarah Palin - while she lacks a formal legal background and has other liabilities, in Alaska she was a fearless and effective fighter against corruption.)
That is, however, only a start. It is subject to human weakness and also subject to political whim: What we do not want is a system where corruption persists, and the gov't rocks back and forth with the winner in each election jailing his / her opponents. Put another way, a system where everyone is corrupt, and only the winners stay out of jail, is not very helpful.
So, we return to my original question, but with a little more "direction": What kind of reforms, up to and including Constitutional Amendments, need to be made, especially to our system of Justice, to purge corruption and systemic collusion from those who would rule us, both inside and outside of government?
I think this involves much(!) heavier penalties for corruption, collusion, lack of transparency, and the like, and somehow getting much more involvement of citizens, perhaps somewhat like jury calls (but with better compensation!). Then give them every tool they need, in leading, LEADING, the fight against corruption.
Like Jefferson, I have a lot of faith in ordinary people. So, I think we already have the right people. We just need to put them in the right place(s), with the right tools. The time is as long as we can keep this country together.
I am very interested in suggestions, and who knows, maybe Mr. Trump would be, as well. Thanks, and have a great weekend!
Lampposts. Lots and lots and lots of lampposts.
It’s all about leverage.
I should also add that Donald Trump’s proposals regarding lobbyists and term limits are useful, and I support them, but they do not go nearly far enough in solving a problem that has been around as long as governments have been around.
DEMAND PHOTO ID FOR REGISTRATION AND VOTING.
All objections convey support for FRAUD.
START DEMANDING MANDATORY MINIUM 10 YEARS JAIL TIME FOR GOVERNMENT FRAuD
Do we want to depend on some individual to somehow slog their way through the cesspool
Culture. If it is too degraded then we are done.
That’s true. I almost included a paragraph about the corruptive properties of “immunity”. There’s the famous line about “power corrupts”, of course, but as was pointed out by the late John W. Campbell, immunity (which often comes with and / or intertwines with power) is the real factor... As much as I dislike Obama, the most powerful person on Earth, he is not the most corrupt person on Earth.
Next: Dump this Withholding crap out of paychecks and MAKE everyone
write a check on April 15th.
Then do two things: Move election day to April 16th
AND rope is free on that day too.
Plenty of rope and a lot of strong branches
Beat me to it
It all comes down to what WE do with God.
We might or might not be able to mow down scofflaws. But we can always look for spiritual refuge under God’s wings. From that vantage point, God can show us things that are profitable to do.
A big danger here is letting the scofflaws fill up our attention so much that it pushes God out of the picture that we see with our eyes.
Agreed. In egregious cases, elevate it to the level of treason.
But, we have to have "clean", uninfluenced prosecutors and investigators, and more meaningful supervision of such by citizens, I think.
Exhibit 1: James Comey.
Then what can be done to keep the media honest? The present situation is incredibly dangerous, mitigated only by information available on the web, and to a small degree, by a few talk radio shows.
Lock and load. Aim small, miss small.
Every district that is represented by a weasel like we were with Eric Cantor needs to do what we did and Cantorize them, take them out in a primary.
Wisconsin CD1 failed the rest of the country when they failed to Cantorize the head weasel, Paul RINO.
We have term limits in our hands if we would only use the ballot box correctly.
Driveby shootings ;o)
And the rope to go with them.
Agreed. Trump’s proposals on term limits and restrictions on lobbyists are a start, as I noted in my discussion. (I’ll admit I came around to supporting term limits more vigorously later in the game, but the evidence of the need for such has become really overwhelming in the last several years.)
Your suggestion regarding withholding (and something like that for tax payments* is something I’ve advocated for a long time.)
*Maybe it’d be better to “remind” people (make them send in payments) monthly!
Then require people to file an estimated tax statement the day before election day... :-) Heheh...
The NUMBER ONE amendment needed to the Constitution hands down is this:
Voters lose their right to vote upon receiving any direct or indirect compensation, loan, welfare, future promise of benefit from the federal government and its agencies.
This right to vote will be restored at two years after the last cent has been received. The only exception is that military members get their voting rights back upon honorable discharge.
Yes, soldiers would not be able to vote, but that protects against military juntas too.
Without the above reform, any new country will eventually degenerate to the situation we have today.
Look....the truth is that we cannot reform at this point and it will be probably be a war at some point.
But it all starts with a leader.
It saddens and sobers me that it’s no longer hyperbole.
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