The Inevitable end of the American "Democracy."

I recollect it has been about 30 years since I first heard someone define "Democracy" as simply "mob rule." I thought it clever and could see why it could easily be that.

 As I grasped for concepts of what was right vs what was popular, it was clear that just because  a majority wanted something did not make it right or moral. That, in itself, is probably the main failure of Democracy. Though the concept of "Democracy" can take many forms and variations the basic premise of a Democracy is pretty much doomed to failure should it be carried to it's furthermost limit. That is where I believe we are.

Now I don't think we're there because America has been around for over 200 years. We are there because America was not founded as a Democracy. It was a Republic by definition and by it's Constitution. "Democracy" certainly began trickling in by the 19th Century..... but it really took off in the 20th Century. In fact, most people now will always refer to America as a Democracy and don't know what you mean if you say it was founded as a Republic. I, personally,  do not remember being taught in school that America is a Republic. It was always referred to as a Democracy. Wrapped tightly in that foundation is the idea that government leaders exercise power according to the rule of law. The foundation of the rule of law was to be the Constitution. Somewhere along the way someone declared that the Constitution is some kind of "living" document which in such a fluid form can be reinterpreted for each generation. However, it is the rule of law which brings life, not the reinterpretation. Redefining law can't really happen. Once it is done it is a new law. It may have a slight tint of the original, but it is not the original law.

The Constitution, especially in the last century, has been moved from it's original foundation and is hardly recognizable as "The Constitution." Some of the procedural stuff are still utilized from the Constitution..like candidate requirements and political offices ...but the actual Constitution is largely been reinterpreted to mean various things over the years by various members of the Supreme Court and other officials who probably shouldn't be doing any interpretation of anything "legal" to begin with. Court members are chosen now out of the rubble of partisan politics as opposed to any ability to either interpret the law from the Constitution or even have any interest in doing so. Once upon a time when an issue went before the Supreme Court, it did so because it was vague in it's application in light of the Constitutional foundation of American law. Now, issues go before the court in hopes that it will swing left or right on an issue.

 This was NEVER intended to be the way the Court or Constitution was to be used, nor even designed for. 

Many crazy things have happened in the last decade and, in particular, from the pivot point of the events of Sept 11, 2001, where suddenly Americans woke up to the fact that we are not impenetrable.  Currently, the surge of Donald Trump is probably one of the more dominant issues...but was preceded by several years of the Obama presidency which shook the foundations of racism in America to levels unheard of before. Suddenly if you disagreed with something, it wasn't just because you were from another party or an ideologue of another color. It was because you were a hateful racist. The problems of racism have NOT made any progress under the Obama administration. If anything, it took 3 steps back from where it was when he became president. We have also seen numerous examples of addressing the issue of mass murder by a lone gunman by banning a flag and then southern history itself. The fact that none of that will stop a mass murder by a lone gunman was/is irrelevant.

Those are just a few examples. Some of many issues -  from the way the economy is dealt with -  to issues with foreign policy. As one who certainly leans right...I could certainly point left to lay blame...but that would then stray from my point. Those who lean left will say the same thing.  The problem is there is a major paradigm shift going on right now on planet earth as a whole. And "Democracy," as volatile as it is anyway, is going to inevitably fail.

An issue, as I mentioned earlier, is that the push for Donald Trump to most seasoned culture watchers is mostly bizarre when weighed with the way things have been. I mean, since when does conservatism attach itself to populism? And anyone who defines Donald Trump as a conservative based on previously held views of what it means to be a conservative are simply deluding themselves.

That, however, is one of the first issues to identify:

Peter Roff, editor at US News and World Report wrote in a recent column on the surge of Donald Trump:

•  People have lost faith in the system so they have placed it in a single man because they are tired of waiting for the change they want. They want to win, and now, and no longer particularly care how. His campaign is a populist uprising against a party leadership and a partisan culture that stopped listening to the voters some time ago.

It may be tainted with revenge but I don't think it's that as much as it is just being tired of the same old same old. It cant be weighed like it has been. The concepts of conservative, Republican, liberal, Democrat, socialist, left wing, right wing, and even establishment, etc are all starting to blur a bit. Frankly, I don't know if they will survive. Right now all Republicans claim to be conservative,  but in reality all Republicans are not conservative.  "All Republicans should be conservative" may not even be a true statement since the Republican Party no longer has any foundation platform on which it rests. They do as the Democrat Party does and just wing it as it goes along. It's not a matter of conviction...it's a matter of striking a chord with voters. (Part of the mob rule mentality...or part of the "Noisemakers Mentality" when it comes to main stream media).  Where this will end is anybody's guess...but I can guarantee it will not be the same as it is. And in light of the search for the magic voter "chord," populism also makes sense. Those of us who lived through the last twenty some years of American Democracy will need to realize that we cannot go home. That is gone. Prepare for what is new.

"Mob rule" has been displaced somewhat simply by "The Noisemakers Rule."  At least with a mob the parameters and size were clearer. Noisemakers can come from anywhere at any time. They can suddenly claim, for example, that the Academy Awards is racist because not enough black people get nominations. And if a few say it loud enough...they become the "Noisemakers" who will affect some kind of change even if they are actually in the minority when it comes to actual counting. But the results will affect everyone. In this case, one could wish the Academy Awards had a flag that could be banned if it would just stop the whining. 

The idea of "Taking America Back" is a futile plea. Back to what? You would have to literally destroy at least 100 years of jurisprudence and legislation in order to even get close to "Taking America Back." It is truly that entrenched. At the same time..America is not an island in this plight. Similarities are going on in countries across the world with just the names and players being changed.

Should the Lord tarry...and though I am tempted to go that route in closing and paint the picture of the final days of planet earth...I cannot adamantly say that we are there yet. Naturally, that's up to God and He may very well see things here as worse then I do or maybe not as bad. So..you should always be ready...but.....should the Lord tarry....it's time to be prepared for the United States of America to change. Mob rule [aka, Democracy] is going to run it's course.
[c]Zorek Richards 01.21.16