Niccolo Machiavelli’s observations on governments and power always seem painfully true. Today, many in power in Washington and elsewhere push for changes to our governmental system while professing to preserve what we have. They often enact change disguised as preservation or progress. None of these people would be qualified or invited to sit at the table with our Founding Fathers.
“He who desires or attempts to reform the government of a state and wishes to have it accepted must at least retain the semblance of the old forms so that it may seem to the people that there has been no change in the institutions, even though in fact they are entirely different from the old ones. For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities.” ~ Niccolo Machiavelli
Political Correctness
Our modern penchant for political correctness is the elephant in the room when discussing our government at all levels. We now favor political correctness, diversity, and inclusiveness over merit and intellect. The term “We are a nation founded by geniuses, now run by fools” was never more appropriate. This idiom has been attributed to several over the years, but most recently to the philosopher Jeff Foxworthy.
When the Founding Fathers met in Philadelphia to discuss the Declaration of Independence and to write the Constitution, they did not look around the room and count members based on quotas. They were the brightest of their era and were there based on vision, intellect, and a willingness to risk their lives to create a new republican form of government. Often lost in this discussion is their willingness to walk away from what they knew, monarchy, and into the then-unknown world of republicanism. They were many of the most skilled writers, thinkers, and historians in the Colonies. A significant fact often overlooked is that none were professional politicians. They were all working people who derived their income from private enterprises. They envisioned a government as a part-time duty that served alongside their actual work.
Washington Marxists
Today, we often sit at what feels like the end of a long dark corridor where fighting back against the dark insanity of the far-left Marxist in Washington is hard. The far-left Democrats have used both time and ideology to slowly gain control over much of our government, major corporations, and religious institutions. They are intelligent and cunning and know there is a tendency over time for all institutions to become corrupted by power and wealth. This ideology has been used to their advantage by offering wealth and privilege to a few and offering alternatives to voters that are not right versus wrong, but wrong versus less wrong.
Two of our most significant issues are voter lethargy and representation by individuals without the necessary ability in an era of change. The solutions to our challenges are voter involvement and representation by individuals who put our country before party. While this is obvious, in a world infected with these far-left Marxists, dislodging them to reinstate our intended system is more than challenging and will require leadership, strength, and determination.
Finding citizens willing to serve in this dystopian world is a significant challenge. Without them, we are faced with the options of bad or worse, dishonest or corrupt, somewhat qualified or unqualified, and dumb or stupid. We deserve voter options that pit the most qualified against each other, not the barely competent against the incompetent. We need new, transparent, and clear choices.
The Non-Resident, Resident Senator
A recent example of the stupidity roaming our current political system came with the passing of Dianne Feinstein and California Governor Newsome’s handling of her interim replacement. To please his voter base, he pledged to replace Senator Feinstein with a “Black Woman.” He did not commit to replace the late Senator with the most qualified person; he filled a quota, checked a box, and got a few more far-left votes. When he made his selection, Laphonza Butler, a Black lesbian, whose qualifications include her work with a California PAC, an advisor to Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton, and an SEIU labor leader, she checks every box a Democrat wants except qualified.
If Governor Newsome had said, “I am going to pick a replacement for Senator Feinstein, who is the most qualified Californian,” and then the person rising to the top was Laphonza Butler, that would have been a completely different story. Instead, Senator Butler now goes to Washington with the label of quota filler and not as a qualified representative. Time will tell if she makes a good Senator, but she starts with an EEOC label on her, which is not helpful. In his announcement, Governor Newsome stated that she is “An advocate for women and girls, a second-generation fighter for working people, and a trusted advisor to Vice President Harris, Laphonza Butler represents the best of California.” None of these traits are qualifications for the Senate; they describe her service within the Democratic Party. She is just one more far-left Marxist headed to the Senate.
Outside of political activism, her private sector work is limited to being the Director of Public Policy for Airbnb. To make it even worse and more partisan, she did not live in California. She lived in Maryland and had to redefine her primary residence as California to qualify. She had likely served the Democratic Party well; it was her turn at a big job. Apparently, Governor Newsome is admitting that no Black female resident of California qualified for the job. Is this the best our nation has to go to the Senate?
The Squad, Again
And then, following the Hamas invasion of Israel, we have the members of the “Squad” calling for an end to funding of Israel. Collectively, these four lack the brainpower to light a sixty-watt lightbulb. Yet their Democratic brethren support them because Democrats vote as a party block, not as Americans. The House Democrats need their four votes, so they tolerate the absurdity of the “Squad.” Their districts repeatedly return them to the House to disrupt things there, a clear sign of the power of incumbency and a lack of voter intelligence. Our news agencies give them air time because their antics sell to an increasingly cynical public. These four do not represent the best of America!
Guam Capsizes
Last but not least is Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia, who replaced Cynthia McKinney in the House. Years ago, the Democrats were eager to replace her because of her conspiracy theories about the 9/11 attacks and her far-left leanings. Today, she would be a member of the “Squad” and tolerated as a middle-of-the-road Democrat. As her replacement, they backed Hank Johnson, who won and then proclaimed in a hearing that he was concerned that Guam might tip over if we placed too many military assets on one side of the island. Is this the most intelligent we have to offer in this dangerous world?
Our Challenges
We now have failed, bloated bureaucracies like the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the NSA, and others that work to produce the opposite of their stated mission. To clean them out and reset their mission will take more intelligent people with a clear Constitutional vision and the courage to follow through.
Coming out of World War II, we had some luxuries that no longer exist. We had the world’s largest gold reserves, a robust economy, a strong military, millions of people starting their own businesses, and a young and enthusiastic workforce. The world was essentially at peace for a brief moment. Our adversaries had been recently conquered, and the future was bright.
At that time, we could tolerate some incompetence and stupidity in Washington because it was minor, far away, and insignificant to domestic and world events. At times, the little stupidity coming out of Washington was even entertaining. First and foremost, technology had not advanced to a degree that everyone, everywhere, was connected. There were no ICBMs, satellite surveillance, supercomputers, Internet terrorism, massive surveillance operations, hypersonic missiles, or Jihadists. We barely had international phone service in that era, and the world moved much slower. Today’s challenges would have been unimaginable to politicians of that era.
Getting Back to Basics
At our founding, we had the best and brightest our nation had to offer in the seats in Philadelphia. We need people with just as much skill to navigate this dangerous world. In this threatening time, the chairs in Washington ought to be filled with our best and brightest, not quota fillers.
The fault ultimately lies with voters who have either given up or do not care. People with few qualifications cannot rise to power unless we let them. In 2o24, we can begin to right the Ship of State, but voters will need to vote as Americans and not party partisans to make that happen! The clock is ticking, and we no longer have the luxury of tolerating stupidity in our elected representatives.
Resources Used in This Article
America Was Founded by Geniuses, But It’s Being Run by Idiots, by J. B. Shurk for The American Thinker, The International Chronicles: Interactive Forum of Political Culture, theinternationalchronicles.com, July 6, 2021.
California Gov. Newsom will pick Feinstein’s replacement. He pledged in past to
Choose a Black Woman, by Steve Peoples and Michael R. Blood, The Associated Press, September 27, 2023.
California Gov. Newsom will appoint Laphonza Butler to fill Feinstein’s Senate seat, by Kyung Lah and Kaanita Lyer, CNN.com, October 2, 2023.
Democrat slams Squad members over comments about Hamas attack on Israel, by Martha McHardy, TheIndependent.com, October 9, 2023.
Democratic Socialists of America cheer murder and kidnapping of Israelis at hands of Hamas terrorists, Opinion by Post Editorial Board, New York Post, October 8, 2023.
Guam will Capsize and Tip Over into the ocean Hank Johnson, YouTube,com, last accessed October 7, 2023.
