The institutions of America are the foundation of our republic. Traditions will not hold up America and offer nothing toward progress. Ideology has shifted away from principles and now focuses on proving who is right. The results of an election are not an end but a new beginning. The challenge is how we all begin to hold elected officials accountable for representing all citizens.
It is not traditional to allow presidential nominees to float through Senate confirmation. The role of the president is not an all-knowing, infallible seer. Edward Gibbon said best, “The principles of a free constitution are irrecoverably lost, when the legislative power is dominated by the executive.” We must not allow complacency and desire to override the institutions that protect the separation of powers framework. Simply put, all members of the United States government, elected or appointed, must be highly qualified for the role and recognize that it is all Americans they will steward over. Leaders like Matt Gaetz, who spew hate, are not capable of presenting the unbiased approach necessary to represent all Americans.
Whether your team won or lost in this past election should not affect your overall engagement. It is the starting and stopping of engagement that has allowed the extremes of each party to bleed over. It is a type of response solely based on reaction, emotional decision-making based on fear, lack of facts, and path of least resistance. We cannot continue to hold the line on who is right; instead, we must focus on getting it right. Freedom does not look at each of us through the eyes of our political party, nor should we. The needs of each citizen are diverse; it is not the party we should support but each other.
Whether you add representatives or not, republics fail. A president who desires dictatorship will drive a line towards it, even if it cannot be achieved. When the door is opened, it will be hard to close, and there is no saying who the benefactor will be.
Many signs indicate the erosion of a republic. The first is the concentration of power. Our representative republic has been built on the counterbalance of ideology. In a diverse society, no one should always get their way. Next is the fading of civic virtue, which occurs from an imbalance in common good over factional interests. We must be engaged, and everyone must be allowed to vote for all candidates in all elections. Third is corruption and loss of public trust. Since when have we been people who watch others get mistreated? Leaders should not be revered for how well they make up hurtful names for those they disagree with. Last is economic inequality. No one should be able to buy their way into a position of power with the sole focus of driving their agenda.
Look up and look forward. Enjoy the holidays. As the New Year begins, engage with your neighbors, co-workers, and classmates. Understand the needs and priorities that will support each of us and then get involved.
Dan Barker, Master of Human Resource Management, is a leadership consultant and the chair of the Bonneville County Democratic Central Committee.