The Re-Establishment of America

American Thinker ^ | February 18, 2010 | Herbert E. Meyer

[neverdem]

America is on the verge of something unprecedented in history: the peaceful, Constitutional replacement of our country's entire political establishment.  This is what lies behind the decisions of so many elected officials, at every level, to step aside rather than fight for re-election.  And it explains how the Tea Party movement can exert so much political leverage without nominating its own candidates or even without formally choosing its own leaders.

Most of the time, we Americans don't pay much attention to politics.  We focus all of our energy on our jobs, our families, and our faith.  We work hard, play by the rules, and wish only to be left alone.  We love our country, consider ourselves blessed to be living here, and ask little from the men and women we elect except to keep from screwing things up.

But in just the last decade Americans were shocked by two catastrophes we hadn't imagined our political establishment would allow to happen.  The first was 9-11, when 19 terrorists successfully attacked our homeland, and by doing so revealed that for years al Qaeda and its allies had been waging holy war against us.  The second was the 2008 financial crash, which revealed that our economy is a house of cards built on a pile of debt so high we cannot possibly repay it.

Republicans blame Democrats, and Democrats blame Republicans.  To ordinary, non-political Americans -- who grasp intuitively, and correctly, that both parties share responsibility for these two catastrophes -- these politicians seem like children who've turned a party into a food fight.  And what do parents do when a children's party gets out of control?  They turn off the music, turn out the lights and send everyone home, including those few who weren't behaving badly and just got caught up in the melee.

Americans don't like getting tangled in the details of politics.  We prefer to stand back and see the big picture.  (Which, by the way, helps explain the extraordinary appeal of Ronald Reagan and Sarah Palin. That's what they do, too.)  What the big picture is showing now is that our entire political establishment has failed.  These were the men and women, both Republicans and Democrats, we relied upon to focus on the details and by doing so to keep us safe from terrorists and to keep the world's most powerful economy from imploding.  And they blew it.  So we'll replace them with a wholly new establishment -- some of whom will be Republicans, others who will be Democrats, and a few Independents here and there -- and hope our next political establishment will get it right.

In the looming political battles, persona will matter more than policy.  As we move toward the 2010 elections, of course we'll ask candidates to outline their plans for how to improve our healthcare system, what to do about illegal immigration, how to bring down the unemployment rate, how to fight the war, and all the rest.  But what will determine who gets elected this year won't be a set of specific policies but something simpler, and in a way much deeper: A recognition among grass-roots voters across the political spectrum that character is more important than personality, that education isn't the same thing as judgment, and that expertise without common sense is dangerous.

Stand back from politics and you'll see the same re-establishment trend unfolding in other public arenas.  Americans have decided that the Mainstream Media has failed, and so we are replacing The New York Times, the television network news departments, and all the rest with an entirely new media including Fox News and websites like American Thinker and Lucianne.com.  Americans have decided that our country's education establishment has failed -- our kids are barely learning to read and write, let alone taught our country's history -- so we're seeing the rise of private schools, charter schools, and home-schooling.  Would anyone like to bet that within just a few years, we'll have a wholly new financial establishment on Wall Street to replace the greedy idiots who run it now?

The re-establishment of America won't be easy, and we'll make mistakes along the way.  Some of the new people will prove to be just as worthless as they ones they replaced.  And some very good people who now hold key positions in politics, the media, education and finance will be swept away by the avalanche.  That's too bad, but collateral damage is unavoidable.

No other country in history has ever attempted to replace its establishments so smoothly, so peacefully -- and so cheerfully -- as we are doing right now.  And it isn't likely that any other country ever will attempt something like this.  How exhilarating to realize that 234 years after our revolution, the United States is still the most dynamic, forward-looking, optimistic place on Earth.  Boy, what an exciting time to be an American.

Herbert E. Meyer served during the Reagan Administration as Special Assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence and Vice Chairman of the CIA's National Intelligence Council.  He is author of How to Analyze Information and The Cure for Poverty.

[Talisker]

America is on the verge of something unprecedented in history: the peaceful, Constitutional replacement of our country's entire political establishment.

I salute the effort that is going into this - it has not been trivial, nor unsophisticated.

Whether it has the courage necessary to finish, is yet to be seen.

[TigerBait]

Amen!

In the U.S. those taking the oath of office of President pledge to defend THE CONSTITUTION.

For some reason that’s become a radical idea. Historically it WAS a radical idea. Americans have been purposefully mislead about our nation’s history to make them easily subject to manipulation. We must rediscover our past to understand the miracle our nation is. It is unique in the history of mankind and we must fight to preserve it.

[Tzimisce]

I don’t think it will be as smooth and peaceful as he thinks.....

[familyop]

"This is what lies behind the decisions of so many elected officials, at every level, to step aside rather than fight for re-election. And it explains how the Tea Party movement can exert so much political leverage without nominating its own candidates or even without formally choosing its own leaders."

I respectfully disagree. The Tea Party effort is a truly good and sincere effort to do what its hard working activists believe to be best for all of us. Their vision of outcome is certainly right. But I believe that the scorched earth policy of avoiding personal purchases is putting more pressure on at least some favored constituents who have controlled politicians toward many unhealthy policies.

Some of my very best friends are or have been Tea Party activists, but even they have suffered the effects of horrid social policies and fads against family and business over the past couple of decades (three decades for many others).

We must save and become more self-sufficient every month. We must each develop a hobby at learning to produce something of value. We must reject contemporary politics for a time. Yes, it will be very painful to many, but for the near future, our Nation is probably at stake. It's time to harden-up.

[Irenic]

I sure liked that article!

[familyop]

"Americans don't like getting tangled in the details of politics. We prefer to stand back and see the big picture. (Which, by the way, helps explain the extraordinary appeal of Ronald Reagan and Sarah Palin. That's what they do, too.) What the big picture is showing now is that our entire political establishment has failed. These were the men and women, both Republicans and Democrats, we relied upon to focus on the details..."

Agreed on that, BTW. Well said. But I don't believe that the special interests in this oligarchy/plutocracy will let go so easily. Much austerity and self-sufficiency on our part could take it away from them, though.

[campaignPete R-CT]

i think that is an understatement, Tz!

POLLYANNA lives!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Interesting article ping!

[backhoe]

[2ndDivisionVet]

Reference your post above:

What Good Can a Handgun Do Against an Army.....?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/backroom/2312894/posts?page=242

[Deagle]

Love the article. I do have to say though that if this does not work... things will be changing anyway. Not sure how, but they will change!

[screaminsunshine]

That is what is supposed to happen. Out with the Communists and Crooks.

[screaminsunshine]

This strikes fear in to the heart of every Liberal. Taxpayers Revolting.

[backhoe]

[American Constitutionalist]

I agree...

[x_plus_one]

Constitutional replacement of our country's entire political establishment

It ain't over till the fat lady sings and Hillary et al are just getting warmed up. Don't count your chickens until they've crossed the road to get to the other side....

[x_plus_one]

The tea party conservatives are just getting started, if they are cheated out of a fair election by acorn there will be hell to pay.

[SkyPilot]

There is too much of a cavalier approach by this author in blaming both parties equally. Yes, Republicans are spineless, let spending get too high, etc.

The blame for our present, terrible, situation lies 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999998% with the Democrats, and every thinking person knows that.

Runaway spending? MEDICARE out of control? Payments to illegals? SOCIAL SECURITY funds off the books, and then spent? Union thuggery and political payoffs? Whipped up racism and ethnic hatred? Oppression of free speech rights? Abortion? Moral decline? Contempt of the Constitution?

You can lay all of that and more at the feet of the Democrats.

God referred to their kind in this way:

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness."

Isaiah 5:20

[familyop]

"The tea party conservatives are just getting started, if they are cheated out of a fair election by acorn there will be hell to pay."

If we don't see a good candidate in the whole lineup, just re-elect Obama, until ACORN members and the like all starve. ;-)