We Self Correct

There has been a great deal of discussion in public media surrounding the election of Scott Brown, as the next Senator from Massachusetts. There are many positives we can link to this incredible upset of the established Democrat party machine in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (Some call it the "People's Republic of Massachusetts...) In my humble opinion, Brown's election represents one of the amazing strengths of our representative republic form of government. We self correct. The people of Massachusetts, being in a position to replace the late Senator Kennedy, a fixture in the senate for decades, chose to change paths from his liberal policies, and elect a person representing an alternative viewpoint regarding challenges facing our republic. Clearly, there were many dynamics at work in this election, going beyond the state to the national stage. The message being sent to the administration, and congressional leadership was clear, they don't like unchecked power to undermine their Liberty. Clearly, establishing that 41st vote was intended to force alternative viewpoints to be heard in the health care, goverment spending, taxation, and national defense debates.

This was no small act, being compared to the original "tea party" revolt in Boston Harbor during the days of British rule. Of course, the beauty of this "revolutionary" act, was that it was done peacefully. Our form of government allows for the people to see extremes in the way our legislature and executive branches are acting, and change paths. We have seen it numerous times in the past; I think of Ronald Reagan in 1980, bringing real hope and change to an America desperate to recover from the Carter years, years when we last heard about a term called "the misery index".

The founding fathers, in crafting the Constitution, and the checks and balances so carefully incorporated into that historic document, understood a key concept. The American people, given reasonable access to the facts, can be trusted to do the right thing. In Federalist 55, Publius, (Madision) is discussing some concerns that people have about the makeup of the proposed legislative branch, specifically the House of Representatives. Scott Brown of course, was elected to the Senate, to complete the last 2 years of a 6 year term. Still, I think the key concept is that Madison concludes that the American people can be trusted to elect and monitor their representatives:

I am unable to conceive that the people of America, in their present temper, or under any circumstances which can speedily happen, will choose, and every second year repeat the choice of, sixty-five or a hundred men who would be disposed to form and pursue a scheme of tyranny or treachery. I am unable to conceive that the State legislatures, which must feel so many motives to watch and which possess so many means of counteracting the federal legislature, would fail either to detect or to defeat a conspiracy of the latter against the liberties of their common constituents. I am equally unable to conceive that there are at this time, or can be in any short time, in the United States, any sixty-five or a hundred men capable of recommending themselves to the choice of the people at large, who would either desire or dare, withing the short space of two years, to betray the solemn trust committed to them. (Madison, The Federalist Papers, No. 55)

When I talk to folks concerned about what's happening today, I try to bring them back to the basics. I think we all need to understand the underpinnings of our form of government. Modern Americans are living in an "instant" world, and may find it difficult to endure representation that they don't agree with. Still, the mechanisms are in place to allow for peaceful change, when the people see the need. The pacing of that change has a benefit too, it keeps us from moving to extreme positions too quickly.

Keep the faith people, and feel good about our chances for the future. Remember that given access to the information, the founding fathers had a great deal of faith in you to make the right decisions!