Posted on 04/08/2011 2:41:37 PM PDT by Nachum
Editor’s note: this opinion piece would usually appear on the blog. We have decided to feature it on our story side.
Is this what fundamental transformation looks like?
In an op-ed on the Huffington Post, former SEIU president Andy Stern decided to get all “Founding Fathers” with his audience. He went back, way back, to the time of male, powdered wigs and the Federalist Papers. His thesis: you know those checks and balances the old guys put in place? Yeah, they’re just kind of getting in the way of change.
“American democracy has layers of power and responsibility, which James Madison rationalized in Federalist, no. 51 as a check against possible tyrannical rule,” Stern writes. “Our Founding Fathers saw fit to divide power between two strata — state and federal. Then, within the federal structure, they codified a trifurcation of power to ensure that no single branch came to dominate government; and while power has ebbed and flowed between branches, the system of checks and balances has provided stability, and kept tyrannical rule at bay.”
But today, he goes on to say, that system is just so, well, old:
Now, however, in the midst of the transformative change of globalization and this third economic revolution, those layers have become an impediment to making the changes necessary to keep America competitive in the world economy. Today, America crawls along at a snail’s pace. [Emphasis added]
(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...
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The Union’s President, Obama, has all but usurped the power of all three branches into the Executive Branch. Too bad the Democratically controlled Senate and House for the last two years were too stupid to realize what was going on.
Yes, however it is a good example of the French branch
of liberty as posited by the current Hayek thread.
Instead of the incremental British method which works
these transformationists want to plow ahead with the
French government style that implements more government
and less freedom.
It is a real eyeopener to see the things Hayek warned
about solidified by the actions of the liberal/SEIU
transformers.
He is absolutely right. The checks and balances are by definition intended to make the government function inefficiently. They do a darn good job at it!
In the European parliamentary system a Party that wins a substantial majority will control both the executive and legislative branches and has little difficulty putting its entire program quickly into effect.
Here no single election can give any Party such an opportunity, and with the Supremes taken into account it may take decades to turn the ship of state onto a new course.
Our governmental system is only appropriate for a limited government, one which doesn’t have too many responsibilities. The problems of which Mr. Stern complains have largely arisen because we are trying to run a Euro-style welfare state with a government structure only appropriate for a very limited government.
If as a nation we truly want a massive Euro-style government, then we should amend the Constitution to make our government one that is capable of running such a system efficiently.
Or we should return to the Founders vision of a limited government.
What we can’t do is keep trying to run a big government with a system that works only with a small one.
"The way to have safe government is not to trust it all to the one, but to divide it among the many, distributing to everyone exactly the functions in which he is competent....To let the National Government be entrusted with the defense of the nation, and its foreign and federal relations..... The State Governments with the Civil Rights, Laws, Police and administration of what concerns the State generally. The Counties with the local concerns, and each ward direct the interests within itself. It is by dividing and subdividing these Republics from the great national one down through all its subordinations until it ends in the administration of everyman's farm by himself, by placing under everyone what his own eye may superintend, that all will be done for the best." Thomas Jefferson
"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed and that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press." Thomas Jefferson
F-ing Communist pinko Asswipe atheist Homie.
First duty of a successful revolution: Kill all the revolutionaries.
You give Democrat-Socialists way too much credit (for being stupid as an excuse). What they did and how they behaved was obviously intentional to most of us. I am surprised that they didn't ban the Constitution and elect themselves permanent positions on the Politburo
Seems to be working, and the more ticked off you and your ilk are, the more this fact is confirmed. This reinforces my faith in the genius of the Founders.
The Founders knew a thing or two about the vanity of royalty - and those who crave to exercise royal power.
Although our would-be Masters in the various government-related positions ALL seem to wish they might be King or Emperor, the constitionally mandated checks and balances have worked - more or less - so far.
However compromised they may be at present, abandoning them would lead to disaster imposed by a happy oligarchy of Egomaniacs, as the author clealy shows.
A damned good thing, too, you traitorous piece of marxist dung. Spend some time in China under communism, jackass. You know you'd last all of eight minutes before someone put you down like the rabid dog you are.
Don’t forget an active and informed citizenry. First and Second Amendments. And a religious people.
The Founders rightly feared powerful government. What example of powerful government in the history of the world has ever been congenial to the rights liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
Only a citizen can pursue their own best interests. No government will ever pursue any interest other than that of the powerful individuals who control it. Those powerful ones, tyrants or tyrant as it may be, will only pursue their own self interest at the expense of everyone else.
Humanity is corrupt, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:24). “ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (I John 1:8) Without checks and balances, sinful humans holding the reins of power abuse that power for their own benefit at the expense of others. When has that ever not been the case? Never.
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