DemosResPublica

At the Crossroads

   This site is dedicated to politics, government and their interrelated social issues in the United States . The name of the site is taken from the Greek word “Demos” - people; and the Latin “Res Publica” - which is the origin of “republic.” Translated, this means republic of the people. “Demos” and “Res Publica” are also the root words for Democrat and Republican.

   Today, America is at a crossroads: politically, socially, economically, and ecologically. Which direction America takes at this juncture is in question. However, it is obvious that the American path taken in recent times is the easy path; that path is also a path towards decline. This decline is not about Democrats versus Republicans, or Conservatives against Liberals; both sides have made mistakes; both profess ideology over solution, rhetoric over substance. Politicians practice re-election above all else.

   “Conservative” and “liberal” are loaded terms.  Calling someone a liberal creates an automatic negative reaction from a segment of the public; this is true even though many do not truly understand what the term represents. The same is true when you label someone a conservative; it is signal to reject that person and their values.

   This is the politics of divisiveness. This style of politics is destructive. It is intended to be so.

   Conservatism and liberalism should not be a “one or the other” choice. Both philosophies have proven value to society over time, and both should be part of our future. Both philosophies should be understood, and both appreciated for their contributions. Both can, in fact, be held at the same time. For example, our society needs to move ahead with new solutions to the problems we face (a liberal value), but tempered by past practices which have proven successful (a conservative value). In other words, let us move forward, while learning from the past. We can take from both ideologies to meet the future. However, to do this, we must get past the politics of divisiveness.

   The founding of America was a remarkable event in human history. America put to the test the question of whether man is fit to rule himself, whether man is capable of providing equality and justice, or must man be ruled by monarchy or aristocracy for his own good. To answer this question, America became the world’s first democratic nation. To guarantee that Americans did not fall prey to dictators or totalitarianism, America was to be governed under a Constitution, not by the will of men. The final source of authority was to be the people, not a Monarch, not a President. The rights of the people were set above all else, to be preserved for all posterity.

   Since its inception, there have been those that charge America is destined to fail; and yet, this democracy has survived over 200 years. However, America will not survive if its people fail in their desire to maintain the principles that founded America: liberty, justice, equality, and virtue. It is a burden that America chose to undertake in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence, carried through a bloody Civil War, and through two World Wars. Can the American people continue to carry this burden? If this is to be, it must be through the people, for in a democracy, there can be no other.

Rick Lawrence

February 28, 2009                                                      

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   Abraham Lincoln was a courageous President, the cost of that courage was ultimately paid with his life. As a politician, he was equally courageous. Lincoln validated this courage in his re-election campaign in 1864.

   In the face of accusations of being a tyrant, Lincoln insisted that the 1864 election go forward: "If the rebellion could force us to forego, or postpone a national election, it might fairly claim to have already conquered and ruined us..." Lincoln set a precedent that guaranteed the right of the people to vote even during times of national emergency. A tyrant would use a national emergency to preclude the people's right to an election.

   During the 1864 election, Lincoln formed a partnership of the Republican and Democratic Parties. It helped to hold the north together. It also put the country above politcs, a move not duplicated since. Without Lincoln's re-election, the Civil War likely would have ended in a truce, a result which would have meant continued slavery in the South.

  Lincoln led America in that troubled time with a sense of virtue, taking the right path regardless of the cost. This reflects Lincoln's legacy as a great democratic leader.