Now that the President has announced his Afghanistan policies for the remainder of his current term, we can all move onto other things domestically and internationally. In several prior TMV posts, I was a vocal opponent of continuing or escalating the war. However I now support the President and sincerely wish our troops all the success their incredible dedication, sacrifice, and hard work deserve in one of the most backwards and challenging places on the planet. So it is now time to move on and stop endlessly debating this war.
NEW MILITARY OUTLOOK
I estimate there will be many more casualties and injuries among American and NATO troops and within the Afghan population. We will borrow at least a hundred billion dollars more from our own citizens and investors around the world for this continuing venture. Since we are fighting a non-aligned group of Islamic radicals not affiliated with any established nation, we can never “win” this war, but merely control them sufficiently that their future destructive actions remain fairly limited. Stateless terrorists never surrender no matter how badly they are defeated in any battles. Unless we use extreme means to completely annihilate them, we will have to tolerate their perpetual global existence.
I sincerely hope we never forget the heavy price a small percentage of our population has made and continues to make in maintaining global stability, which is an important national priority for the U.S. and many other countries around the world, whether they be our allies or foes. I hope both U.S. political parties adequately fund the Veterans Department and other healthcare programs for our troops, including a major expansion of medical coverage to include more veterans that have been cruelly excluded from federal programs to date.
A CHANCE TO CHANGE THE NATIONAL FOCUS
So those who opposed this new Afghan policy should now look at the positive side – “the silver lining” – to this decision. We still have healthcare and banking reform to pass – somehow – someday. We also have massive unemployment and underemployment to address – though drafting all 25 million of them might be the most straightforward and logical approach. Then there still is global warming, cooling, or whatever we think is the environmental worry of the week. Even though the vast majority of scientists on this planet, plus the majority of earth’s human beings understand that our species might be causing some serious negative effects on the world’s environment, we still have a stubbornly idiotic minority that demands more proof. But at least we won’t have to endlessly debate Afghanistan.
CRAZY UNCONSTITUTIONAL SUPERMAJORITIES
Due to the Senate’s relinquishment of all power to just 41% of its members, we might see another 4 years of complete national gridlock and political paralysis. All such supermajority requirements within our National and State Legislatures, particularly for essential government functions as raising taxes, are unconstitutional as violations of majority rule and long-standing basic one-man/one-vote principle of elective government. Even if those provisions are shoved within State Constitutions, does not make them any less unconstitutional. If a losing minority retains complete control over the public’s purse strings, then our elections are essentially meaningless and have no consequences. If any elected official can take office with just one more vote than his opponent, then the same principle should that extend to all our legislative and governmental affairs.
LIMITED PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
At least with respect to foreign and military affairs, American Presidents can act without the need to obtain any significant Congressional approval for their actions in these matters. Perhaps the majority of Americans will finally realize that strange political reality of our antiquated 18th Century Constitution and current political system that is beholden solely unto itself, well-funded special interest groups, and wealthy campaign contributors.
If many Democrats and Independents feel nothing is being accomplished domestically, it will really not be the fault of President Obama. At least we can judge him on the actions over which he has some actual control. Thus his current policies in Afghanistan will be worthwhile for evaluating his competency and likelihood of re-election.
Perhaps the founding fathers really did envision a President that was completely powerless with respect to domestic matters but quite powerful in foreign affairs. Arguably only Justice Scalia really knows what the founders thought and meant – and he has repeatedly stated so in most of his Supreme Court Opinions. Only the 55 wealthy, white men who were the delegates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention know their actual purposes, and unfortunately they are all dead. Fortunately the Constitution is a far better read just relying on the plain 21st Century meaning of its words. We really do not need all that partisan, extraneous and meaningless commentary from both the right and left, particularly by those who claim to personally know the minds of long-deceased delegates.
CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL PARALYSIS
A few months ago, I foolishly joined a chorus of other advocates for a greatly-expanded Congress to better represent the electorate, and to greatly lessen the power of special interests, the wealthy, and lessen extreme partisanship. Those proposals won’t work in reality. In fact, we have too many decision-makers and influence-makers in Washington, DC. We need far greater transparency and responsibility in our national government and from our elected officials to the needs of the vast majority of Americans. We don’t need more elected officials sent to Washington DC, but far fewer. Since the civilian Federal workforce is only 1.4 million people, any publicly-elected small group of individuals can adequately manage this national enterprise.
Few, if any of the 535 members of Congress are actually responsible to all the American Electorate and some from small states wield more power than representatives from much larger electorates. Even fewer still among all members of Congress actually understand the administrative and financial consequences of the complex laws they pass. By gerrymandering their own districts every 10 years to principally face only select voters who already agree with their polarized and partisan positions, American politicians ensure their re-elections but also the perpetual stalemate and gridlock in Washington, DC., regardless of how fast the rest of the world may be leaving our country behind, economically, politically, financially, militarily, technologically and socially.
NEW NATIONAL TRIUMVIRATE
We should merge our Legislative and Executive Branches into a simple Triumvirate. On a nationwide basis, we would elect just 3 people to run everything, with one member being elected every 2 years for a 6-year term. Since the trio would have overlapping terms, the most senior member would be designated the President. The national June primary elections would be non-partisan affairs open to all possible candidates. The two individuals who received the most votes in the Primary would run against each other in the November general election.
To run the U.S., the Triumvirate would only need 2 out of 3 members to agree upon any new laws, policies and governmental actions. The public would be fully protected as one member of the Triumvirate would be up for election every 2 years. Any individual would be limited to serving no more than 2 or 3 full terms. They would all be required to wear white robes or togas and crowns of laurel leaves around their heads as was the custom in ancient Rome. We would retain the 9 members of the U.S. Supreme Court and the Judicial Branch of Government. All our justices and judges continue to wear black robes as has been the custom for hundreds of years.
Under this simple form of representative government subject to regularly scheduled elections, the press and general public could easily trace the voting records, campaign contributions, and various proposals of just 3 people rather than having to follow the convoluted and complex antics of 535 people who operate surreptitiously by handing out endless tax subsidies, special earmarks, and other private deals with little concern for the welfare of most Americans or the best long-term interests of the entire country. However since each member of the Triumvirate would be equally responsible and accountable to all Americans, the suffocating grip that our selfish oligarchy currently has on our national government would be finally broken.
Our current national Constitutional and political system is wholly incapable of adequately addressing any of the many economic, social, environmental, administrative, and global competitive challenges facing our country at the start of the 21st Century. All other proposed tinkering with the current U.S. Constitution, campaign finance laws, political parties, elections rules, and Congressional apportionments ideas are complete wastes of time.
Marc Pascal