AMERICA'S UNCIVIL WAR

AMERICA'S UNCIVIL WAR
When the thirteen colonies freed themselves from British rule, they were held together (loosely) by the Articles of Confederation. This document carefully avoided an Executive function in deference to the colonists vehement dislike of the authoritarian rule of a monarchy.
When legislatures in the various States were in session, they appointed one of their number to preside, whom they referred to as the president. Tensions between the States soon erupted after the War of Independence, having to do with funding required by legislative acts approved under the Articles of Confederation.
The need for a new Constitution to form “a more perfect union” was recognized by a number of men who had leadership responsibilities during the war, including George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin and John Jay (Thomas Jefferson was still in Paris as the American ambassador).
The new Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia and consulted behind closed doors to hammer out a new document which would then require ratification by each of the thirteen original States. This document which begins with the words “We, the People” created what the framers called “a representative government”(notice they didn't call it a democracy). This document introduced a limitation of power by means of dividing authority between Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of this new (federal) government.
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay then submitted articles to newspapers, written anonymously and signed “Publius”. These articles were given the name “The Federalist Papers” and gave the rationale for public acceptance and official ratification of the new Constitution. The year was 1786.
Political parties were not contemplated by the Constitution, but were soon formed due to differences within the legislature concerning States Rights versus Federal powers. In the intervening (over two hundred) years we have seen the efforts of political parties in their attempt to usurp the balance of power provisions enacted by the founding fathers. By controlling both the Executive branch and the two houses of the Legislature, a political party can then exert supreme governmental control ------ except for the constraints held by the Judiciary. That stumbling block,as far as the political parties are concerned, has been a thorn in their side as they continue to lust for power.
For over two hundred years, the two major parties (names changed but the fight did not) have been working to defeat the constitutional principle of a balance of power; a principle designed to avoid having absolute power fall into the hands of one group. Abraham Lincoln warned that “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. Fortunately we have had elected officials at critical times in the past who recognized the need for bipartisanship for the sake of the nation. It was also recognized that arguments about policy “stopped at the water's edge”.
That is obviously no longer the case, the result of which is that we now have four hundred and thirty-five experts on military strategy and what constitutes the US National interest in other portions of the globe, particularly where the reserves of fossil fuel are located.
The sophistication of modern weaponry makes it incumbent upon our “representative government” to pursue a unified course, based on honest debate and acceptance of a national policy, once established, to support the outcome of those debates. To achieve this objective and bring the “Uncivil War” between the two major political parties to an end, it will be necessary for the American electorate to seat Independent candidates in the US Congress. Defeating incumbents is the language that political parties understand and to which they are constrained for their own survival to find a positive response.
Eventually, and that day may be imminent, there will be enough Independent Congressional Representatives to elect an Independent President (in a case where there are three contenders of which none has the requisite electoral votes and the House of Representatives must decide).
Richard Todd Snoqualmie WA 4/30/08