Our founders had known tyranny and repression. Once you are there, you know it's not a good place to be. They began their quest for a solution by creating ideas which would protect citizens from abusive government and enemies, foreign and domestic. They sought a tranquil environment which would allow maximum personal freedom while protecting the interests of the community. They did one heck of a job!
A participatory democracy requires that its members participate. For it to be successful, its members must be informed and be dedicated to functioning within the framework of the document which specifies the rights and responsibilities of the citizens and those elected to represent and govern them. The biggest flaw in the framers process was in assuming that people, once free, would do anything to protect it and that those who governed would be of good character and noble intentions.
We've seen numerous examples of the Constitution being violated without consequences. Whose responsibility is it to enforce the rules? There seems to be no one assigned that responsibility and unless someone objects and resists these infractions, the document becomes worthless. Unless these infractions are challenged, there will be many more. The courts, such as they are, cannot initiate actions against unlawful actions by government but the challenge must come from the people, few of whom have the resources to conduct a proper challenge. An erosion of the power of the Constitution is inevitable when the people or their representatives do not act against these unlawful actions. If left unchallenged, they become precedents which allow continued abuse.
Government has the obligation to do the will of the people when it is consistent with the Constitution. Those who would act outside the constraints of it because they believe it is flawed in some way, have no right to violate it but do have the ability to try to amend it. Those who violate it are our enemies. When they impose their will upon us with no authority, they are tyrants.
A participatory democracy requires that its members participate. For it to be successful, its members must be informed and be dedicated to functioning within the framework of the document which specifies the rights and responsibilities of the citizens and those elected to represent and govern them. The biggest flaw in the framers process was in assuming that people, once free, would do anything to protect it and that those who governed would be of good character and noble intentions.
We've seen numerous examples of the Constitution being violated without consequences. Whose responsibility is it to enforce the rules? There seems to be no one assigned that responsibility and unless someone objects and resists these infractions, the document becomes worthless. Unless these infractions are challenged, there will be many more. The courts, such as they are, cannot initiate actions against unlawful actions by government but the challenge must come from the people, few of whom have the resources to conduct a proper challenge. An erosion of the power of the Constitution is inevitable when the people or their representatives do not act against these unlawful actions. If left unchallenged, they become precedents which allow continued abuse.
Government has the obligation to do the will of the people when it is consistent with the Constitution. Those who would act outside the constraints of it because they believe it is flawed in some way, have no right to violate it but do have the ability to try to amend it. Those who violate it are our enemies. When they impose their will upon us with no authority, they are tyrants.
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