Like many of you I have been frustrated by the apparentlack of...well, lets just say courage that is exhibited by the opposition party in D.C.
I will be first to admit that we outside the beltway may not fully appreciate the political machinery at work in the Nation's capital. I will concede that we out here in the grassroots may be somewhat naive when it comes to governing.With that being said, I would like to repeat a question to the leaders of the oppostion party that I posted originally in "an open letter" here:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
It is simply this: WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU DEMOCRATS?
We have to marvel at the discipline of the right to stay "on message". This is something that the left does not seem to be able to accomplish. The Dem party is a "big tent" but I submit that it is held together by a few simple principles. I would request that Dr. Dean consult with the image and marketing team to plan the next installment in "The American Experiment", "The Return of the Founders:A Declaration against King George". If we could find some Democrats that could pass a screen test and are willing to stay on script without adlibbing(at least until the idea is firmly established in the national dialogue)I think we might see some gains. The following is part of the story I would like to pitch. I got the idea from Tom Jefferson. Enjoy the contemporary read. The thoughts in parantheses are mine. The rest comes from the original. There has been some deletions, but for the most part, it all corresponds to our current situation.
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. -- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, (versus the manipulation of electronic voting machines)-- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.( this is where the Dems find themselves presently) But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. -- Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present (Executive Administration) is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over (The People of the United States). To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refuted his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. (He apparently feels he can do what he wants.)
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. (We don't torture, but you can make that a law)
He has (refused to provide influence, sworn testimony, or aid lawmakers in their requests for) Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has (repeatedly attacked the character and patriotism of many Americans) for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, (to authorize recommendations made by the 9/11 commission, and send them to the legislature for approval thus allowing the Nation and its people at large,) in the mean time to be exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for (maintaining the separation of U.S. constitutional) Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices (namely that of Homeland Security), and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance (by looting their treasury of monies intended to promote the welfare and and wellbeing of the public).
He has kept among us, (in times of a relatively low security threat, a spying program, designed to invade the privacy of our citizenry without ) Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops (without a formal Congressional declaration of war):
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on (any of)the Inhabitants (of any sovereign states):
For imposing Taxes on us (by giving tax breaks to corporations that he himself, and those associated with him, and then paying them an inflated fee with OUR tax dollars) without our Consent:
For depriving in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting (persons) beyond Seas to be (tortured for any testimony that the executive states that they have):
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For (impairing) our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people( through incompetence and the appointment of incompetents to oversee and direct federal emergency actions).
He is at this time (employing black sites and) Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has excited domestic (propaganda and manipulations) amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our (own towns and cities), the (rabid right wing) whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished (character assasination and )destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A (President), whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our (rightwing) brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our ( political stance and and reasons for our actions). We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred. to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the (people) of the United States of America, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of (this great nation), solemnly publish and declare, That (we the people) are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to (any laws that are contrary to our nation's constitution), and that all political connection between (our people and the principles of these usurpations), is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as (a) Free and Independent (nation), (We the people, through our openly elected congressional representatives and senators) have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which (an) Independent State may of right do. -- And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.