We are now at an inflection point in the political history of the United States. The people are being subjected to increasingly arbitrary and ideological rule by a small governing minority. There have been several episodes of similar disconnect in our history. The election of Andrew Jackson, after the “corrupt bargain” of 1824. The Federalists of 1824 had as much fear of a backwoods candidate as the present day Democratic Party fears Sarah Palin. He was uncouth and did not understand the subtleties of governing as did John Quincy Adams, for example.
The present day Democrats celebrate Jackson as an exemplar of the Democratic Party when, in fact, he is the antithesis and would feel comfortable in the tea parties of 2010. James Buchanan is another example of rule by a president who did not support the policies and aspirations of the public. He disdained and opposed the policies of the new Republican Party of the day. He sympathized with the Confederates and, it is widely believed, assisted them in weakening Federal control of US property. He later attempted to defend himself and his record is mixed.
Finally, Woodrow Wilson is a revered figure of the Democratic Party although his well known racism (He segregated the civil service and military) would normally affect his reputation. His government in the World War had many characteristics of Fascism and has been the model for corporate government ever since.
Now, we come to an essay that everyone concerned about the present trend to statism should read. Angelo Codevilla is a retired professor of International Relations and former Foreign Service Officer.
As over-leveraged investment houses began to fail in September 2008, the leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties, of major corporations, and opinion leaders stretching from the National Review magazine (and the Wall Street Journal) on the right to the Nation magazine on the left, agreed that spending some $700 billion to buy the investors’ “toxic assets” was the only alternative to the U.S. economy’s “systemic collapse.” In this, President George W. Bush and his would-be Republican successor John McCain agreed with the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama. Many, if not most, people around them also agreed upon the eventual commitment of some 10 trillion nonexistent dollars in ways unprecedented in America. They explained neither the difference between the assets’ nominal and real values, nor precisely why letting the market find the latter would collapse America. The public objected immediately, by margins of three or four to one.
When this majority discovered that virtually no one in a position of power in either party or with a national voice would take their objections seriously, that decisions about their money were being made in bipartisan backroom deals with interested parties, and that the laws on these matters were being voted by people who had not read them, the term “political class” came into use. Then, after those in power changed their plans from buying toxic assets to buying up equity in banks and major industries but refused to explain why, when they reasserted their right to decide ad hoc on these and so many other matters, supposing them to be beyond the general public’s understanding, the American people started referring to those in and around government as the “ruling class.” And in fact Republican and Democratic office holders and their retinues show a similar presumption to dominate and fewer differences in tastes, habits, opinions, and sources of income among one another than between both and the rest of the country. They think, look, and act as a class.
As to Republicans, here is some evidence of their contempt for the tea parties who do not accept direction from above.
Former Senate majority leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.), now a D.C. lobbyist, warned that a robust bloc of rabble-rousers spells further Senate dysfunction. “We don’t need a lot of Jim DeMint disciples,” Lott said in an interview. “As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them.” But Lott said he’s not expecting a tea-party sweep. “I still have faith in the visceral judgment of the American people,” he said.
The rest of the essay is worth the time to read it. Nicole Gelinas, in her book, After the Fall, explains how the actual purpose of the TARP fund defeated the chances for an orderly liquidation of the assets that banks held and which no one could set a price for once the mortgage backed securities (MBS) had lost their value.
The consequences of this division between ruled and rulers has incalculable consequences.
Government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed; that is a foundational principle of our republic. To a stunning degree, however, Americans don’t believe that their own government meets that standard. Scott Rasmussen finds that only 23 percent of voters believe that “the federal government today has the consent of the governed.” A remarkable 62 percent of voters say that our government does not enjoy that consent.
How can this be, given our seemingly free and vibrant democracy? I think there are two main reasons, one specific to our present political environment and one more general.
The immediate cause is the fact that the Obama administration and its Congressional allies have embarked on an ambitious, left-wing program that seeks to transform America into a country quite different from what most Americans want. Elections have consequences, as the Democrats never tire of telling us. The problem is that the Democrats, most notably Barack Obama, did not run on the divisive, far-left program they are now trying to implement. Obama postured himself as a rather centrist, post-racial figure. His style as President has been the opposite.
So it is no wonder that most Americans believe they have gotten a government that they didn’t vote for.
I think the more significant cause, however, is the general one–a growing conviction that America is governed by a political class that has its own agenda, involving its own enrichment as well as the endless expansion of its own power, and that this political class is contemptuous of the opinions of ordinary Americans and is determined to impose its will regardless of how Americans vote. I think this perception is in fact true.
Study that chart and see if you can discern the source of Americans’ distrust of the governing class. Republicans fare little better than Democrats as many, including George W Bush, advocated big government in spite of objections from a significant segment of their party members. There is an opportunity for the Republicans to join the wave sweeping the country, but Trent Lott is not a good indicator.
UPDATE: Instapundit has a list of ways to fight back, including ways of communicating if the governing class shuts down the internet and other common means of communication like cell phones.
Jonah Goldberg thinks the left is failing as the rules change. I’m more pessimistic as I wonder if they will let them change without a fight.
I agree that electing old-style Republicans probably won’t be enough. Washington politicians from both parties are just rearranging the deck chairs and as long as that’s the case, we have to think about whether it’s time to jump off this Titanic.
DRJ, I think we are heading for a fight. I remember well the survivalist concerns of the 70s before Reagan came along. I think this time is far more dangerous. Carter, for all his faults (and they were many) was able to learn. He began the Reagan military buildup and he brought in Paul Volker to stop inflation. I cannot see this president doing that.
[…] (This is the beginning of a post at a blog called A Brief History, by Mike Kennedy, a retired thoracic surgeon and perpetual Renaissance man, with interests in medicine, science, history, boating and politics. I also contribute to the blog from time to time. The blog’s title refers to Kennedy’s fascinating book, A Brief History of Disease, Science and Medicine. […]
Yes, but what kind of fight? I see the parallels between now and the Carter years, but I also see similarities between now and the birth of our nation. As a conservative, I’d much rather save America from within the current system but I fear some will not see the value of remaining one nation.