In our last episode yours truly suggested that Republican Party leadership" might be set to
betray the electorate and cave in to pressure from the left and the media which would lead to essentially zero pushback against the present administration despite candidate promises to the contrary. With the House of Representatives approval of the so-called Cromnibus bill last week the cave in appears to have begun. The basis for this conclusion rests on statements made by analysts over the last several days to the effect that the bill does nothing to stop the illegal executive amnesty or control Obamacare; two promises made to the public as part of the November 2014 election campaign. It also purportedly provides pay increases for the entire federal payroll and provides payments based on crony relationships with business and Wall Street interests
Analysis of the situation from a complete and rational perspective suggests to the observer that something is absolutely wrong with the situation. Either the existing leadership has refused to back the promises for their own reasons or the public was defrauded. The former appears more likely because of two important points. Firstly for the last four years the Republican Party has taken the position that it needed to control the Senate as well in order to take action against administration over reaching. It now has control of the Senate but is still refusing to take the promised action. It is also refusing to arrange its affairs in a manner that would allow such action to occur early next year when the newly elected legislators take office. Secondly because the legislators are attempting to act now instead of later they are taking matters out of the hands of the more conservative representatives who will take office in January depriving them of the opportunity to follow through on their campaign promises.
Examining the situation through the lens of the personal interests of the leadership" and in light of historical evidence it appears likely that we are now experiencing a shift in attitude within the ranks of the governors to the effect that they have effectively declared themselves at odds with the will of the people and have placed themselves in the position of oligarchs or aristocrats no longer interested in the rule of law. This sad state of affairs appears to be the potential legacy of an out of control democracy where popular sovereignty has been reduced to voting for candidates who will either not fulfill commitments or be prevented from doing so by others.
This state of affairs is brought into high relief by the fact that John Boehner Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama all supported the spending bill at issue. Pelosi would never support a bill that went against her radical left ideology and Obama likewise would not accept anything that got in the way of his signature actions in office. Thus it becomes clear that the left/right" dichotomy is rapidly disappearing if it has not done so already in those positions charged with providing direction to the legislature presumably in furtherance of the will of the people."
But the will of the people apparently no longer counts. Instead the will of the media which decided that the election of more conservatives creating a Republican majority in both legislative houses did not mean that the Republican Party should take charge but that it should capitulate instead.
The only reasons that can be deduced for this sad ending to a marvelous electoral victory are the effects of outside influences and the desire of leadership to maintain a status quo despite popular demands to the contrary. Net result: Elections mean nothing after they are over.
One of the two leading candidates for culprits here appear to be the US Chamber of Commerce which has been lobbying for years to obtain an open borders policy regardless of the consequences to ordinary Americans. This appears to be an outgrowth of the ever more obvious fact that corporations no longer have a national identity but will move where the wind blows best for their profits. U.S. origins are meaningless if they can get cheaper labor or better tax treatment or elsewhere. If the American buyer goes collectively broke then they will look to sell somewhere else.
The other candidate is the collective party elite" of any and all political persuasions. People who see the average American as stupid probably because said Americans have not taken up pitchforks and torches and marched on Washington with murderous intent as the peasants did in the average Frankenstein movie. As long as the citizenry have faith in the electoral process the elites are able to continue to amass power for themselves.
America was founded on principles of popular sovereignty meaning that the people hold the power and government positions are a public trust to be exercised for the sake of the governed. Today many of the people who hold that power are no longer interested in the trustee aspect of their positions. They have abandoned their sacred duties.
Throughout history authoritarian systems have been the most common forms of government whether justified by the divine right of kings or the results of ones birth and resulting station. Today we see ever-larger shifts toward the idea that somehow people who declare themselves better wiser and more educated or who happen to be wealthier than others declaring themselves to be justifiably in charge. It is simply another excuse for denying liberty to the people and in the present case all together too many people have been willing to accept these pronouncements because it is easier than doing otherwise. It is the lazy persons approach to politics.
In Goldings
Lord of the Flies he illustrated just how fragile the patina of civilization may be when what holds it together is removed. Now unfortunately we are in the midst of seeing how fragile the patina of liberty is as well.
