Every human or
nation is capable of the worst and while nations are not moral agents,
they do need a foundation of virtue (itself an ephemeral and illusory
entity, often conveniently usable) stemming from their leaders. America
was blessed in having some of the most well read, intelligent and
outwardly upright men of honor amongst its founders. Yet they practiced
slavery legally in stark contrast to the words of the Declaration of
Independence and indulged in lies, defamation and anonymous character
assassination (Jefferson and Hamilton), promulgating the Aliens and
Sedition Act (Adams) in diametric opposition to the First Amendment,
changed positions for convenience, abandoning principles (Madison) and
reneged on promises of freedom to black soldiers of the Continental army
(Washington and the legislatures). Interestingly the least educated
Washington was the most honest and upright of the founding fathers and the
most popular and educated Jefferson was more like Catiline in character.
The highly educated Adams was often peevish with an exaggerated sense of
self-importance.
Madison was the father of the Constitution. To prove my point, I will
impose on you by taking up the case of Madison, the greatest intellect of
the Revolution and show you his genius, inconsistency and failure. His
concern was the tyranny of the majority and a monarch (executive), thus he
detested democracy and kingship. He devised a form of government which he
hoped would consist of propertied individuals. Thus he desired to
perpetuate the rule and tyranny of the minority, who he conveniently hoped
would be enlightened and virtuous. Unfortunately this blind spot caused
trouble for himself and the nation even until today.
Madison on legislators----"No man is allowed to be a judge in his own
cause, because his interests would certainly bias his judgment, and not
improbably, corrupt his integrity. With equal, nay with greater reason, a
body of men are unfit to be both judges and parties at the same time; yet
what are are many of the most important acts of legislation but so many
judicial determinations, not indeed concerning the right of single persons
but concerning the rights of a large body of citizens; and what are the
different classes of legislators but advocates and parties to the causes
which they determine?"
Madison on preventing the tyranny of the majority---"By what means is this
object attainable? Evidently by one of two only. Either the existence of
the same passion or interest in a majority at the same time, must be
prevented; or the majority, having such co-existent passion or interest,
must be rendered, by their number and local situation, unable to concert
and carry into effect schemes of oppression. If the impulse and the
opportunity be suffered to coincide, we well know that neither moral nor
religious motives can be relied on as an adequate control."
Madison on wisdom and virtue in legislators and the electorate----"The
effect of the first difference is, on the one hand, to refine and enlarge
the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of
citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their
country, and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to
sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations. Under such a
regulation, it may well happen that the public voice, pronounced by the
representatives of the people, will be more consonant to the public good
than if pronounced by the people themselves, convened for the purpose. On
the other hand, the effect may be inverted. Men of factious tempers, of
local prejudices, or of sinister designs, may, by intrigue, by corruption,
or by other means, first obtain the suffrages, and then betray the
interests, of the people."
" I go on this great republican principle, that the people will have
virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom. Is there no
virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No
theoretical check, no form of government can render us secure. To suppose
that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without
virtue in the people is a chimerical idea. If there be sufficient virtue
and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection
of these men, so that we do not depend on their virtue, or put confidence
in our rulers, but in the people who are to choose them."
Madison on war and the executive----"War is in fact the true nurse of
executive aggrandizement. In a war a physical force is created, and it is
the executive will to direct it. In war the public treasures are to be
unlocked and it is the executive hand that is to dispense them. In war the
honors and emoluments of office are to be multiplied; and it is the
executive patronage under which they are to be enjoyed. It is in war
finally that laurels are to be gathered, and it is the executive brow they
are to encircle. The strongest passions and the most dangerous weakness of
the human breast, ambition, avarice, vanity, the honorable or venial love
of fame, are all in conspiracy against the desire and duty of peace.
Madison had read Hobbes’ Leviathan and Plato and was familiar with
Glaucon's story of the ring of Gyge. The ring made the wearer invisible
and the average person who possessed the ring indulge in every conceivable
immoral and illegal act from prurient voyeurism, molestation, rape, theft
and murder. He knew that men are selfish, ignorant, acquisitive and in the
bulk foolish and manipulable. He thus chose to conveniently believe in
their virtue and intelligence to orchestrate a form of government of the
propertied few, to whose class he belonged. His scheme to hold the
Constitutional Convention using the prestige of Washington and his
convenient collaboration with Hamilton who represented the powerful
mercantile and financial interests of the northern oligarchy, together
with his acquiescence in suppressing the Shay and Whiskey rebellions and
assumption of state debts by the federal government, prove that he was a
knowing conspirator in bequeathing us our form of government. His tantrums
against the Jay treaty and other convenient waffling between Federalist
and Republican positions during his presidency confirm his lack of loyalty
to principles. This is why Washington totally severed his relationship
with Madison. Finally in spite of his prescient analysis of war and
executive abuse of it , he led the country into a disastrous war in 1812
from which he was saved by the tactical genius of the puny American navy
and the army under Andrew Jackson.
The unfortunate reality of human nature is that people and their leaders
and reporters, who are merely a section of the people are not endowed with
pure virtue and are often woefully lacking in knowledge, integrity and
intellect. The press are supposed to be the monitors and disseminators of
truth, but are often partisan liars with pecuniary motivations. Thus all
of us are seriously tainted with vices which override our virtues and that
is often the problem that prevents good government. The Congress,
Executive and similar powers in the states have been on a spending spree
and promised retirement benefits without fiscal prudence that are
impossible to deliver without confiscatory rise in the tax burdens. This
is why Plato laid down Draconian restraints on the freedom of guardians
and the Catholic Church borrowed celibacy for priests from him and the
example of Christ. We all know that led to the priesthood becoming a safe
heaven for closet pedophile homosexuals who were sheltered by the church
hierarchy for political reasons until their exposure, which has led to the
bankruptcy of many a diocese. We know that state and federal regulators
leave their agencies for lucrative positions in industries they regulated.
House and Senate members do the same and retired military generals get
positions with arms manufacturers for their past connivance. Even
presidents, who are not afflicted with retirement economic security due to
their munificent lifetime pension benefits, collect millions of dollars in
speaking fees for past favors, while sundry speakers of the House and
Senate majority leaders jump out of suitcases in advertisements or tout
Viagra because of their physical impotence buttressed by their political
and mental impotence during their long careers of feeding at the public
trough. The irony is even in their names.
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