Failing Democracy: Knowbody Does It Better Than Democrats

On September 1, 2022, President Joe Biden delivered a blistering, Labor Day speech about the 'clear and present danger' facing our nation by MAGA Republicans.  It was direct, clear, and completely truthful.  It was necessary, free from hyperbole or exaggeration.  

The Battle for the Soul of the Nation

But I’m an American President — not the President of red America or blue America, but of all America.
 
And I believe it is my duty — my duty to level with you, to tell the truth no matter how difficult, no matter how painful.
 
And here, in my view, is what is true: MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution.  They do not believe in the rule of law.  They do not recognize the will of the people. 
 
They refuse to accept the results of a free election.  And they’re working right now, as I speak, in state after state to give power to decide elections in America to partisans and cronies, empowering election deniers to undermine democracy itself.

His message could not have been more clear.  Of course no one person in our country has singular power to make any change:  we all depend on the support of others to affect change.  Trump doesn't stand without the support of his 'cult,' and President Biden doesn't enjoy success without the support of his party, and others.  Please correct me if I'm wrong, but where is the political support from other members of the Democratic Party for the important, 'call to arms' message in President Biden's speech?  I heard nothing from them.  I heard more of the same from leaders of Republican Party, and nothing from the so-called supporters of President Biden.  This abject failure to rally around the President and the dire threat he described is exactly what is so terribly wrong, incomprehensible, and indefensible by the Democratic Party and its leaders.  

Absent, and criminally so, given the urgency of his message.  Why was it Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson who offered the most support?

"Biden was right: This is an emergency. And he was right to implore the rest of us — Democrats, independents and “mainstream Republicans” — to turn back the MAGA assault on democracy with our votes.

Was it appropriate to use a prime-time address — the venue for presidents to speak to the nation about important affairs of state — to deliver a political message? Yes, because the attack on our democratic norms, as with any attack on our country from actors outside it or within it, is a fundamental threat to the nation. And because that threat, like it or not, can only realistically be seen as partisan in nature.

Was it proper to use Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed, as his backdrop? Absolutely."   Eugene Robinson in the Washington Post

Without reservation, the clear and present danger comes from the MAGA Republicans.  They are surely and dangerously helped by the complacency and willful failure of their oaths of office by the Democrats.

"...the most substantial gun safety legislation in decades."

 That statement is true only because it's the ONLY "gun safety legislation" in decades.  So much for applauding this watered-down bill.  It's nothing short of an embarrassment, far, far from the legislation needed to address the killing of innocent children, which happens in our public schools, no less.  See below for previous gun control legislation.  I personally gave up hope of actual, substantial gun control legislation after the Newtown Massacre:  if that didn't bring action, nothing will.  And 20 years later, now we have Uvalde.  Again, the new legislation is so weak, it's embarrassing.  This certainly doesn't stop our elected officials from trumpeting this bill, though.  

What is the problem with us?  It's Congress.  It's filled with long time, very old, white men, who are serious only about being re-elected.  They have been shirking their oath of office for decades.  The Founding Fathers, in writing the US Constitution, did an absolutely incredible job of acting on current circumstances and on realizing that those circumstances would change over time, and therefore incorporated a means to address those changes, through amendments.  

The trouble is, now its been 244 years since the Constitution was ratified, the ten amendments of the Bill of Rights almost immediately, then four more in the 1800's.  in the 20th century, only 12 more were added.  Is that enough?  What do you think?  Has there been grand changes since, let's say, 1980?Let's look at a few barometers of change over that time

At our country's founding, there were just 3,929,000 citizens, 94.9% of which lived in rural communities.

In 1900, there were 76,212,000 of us, with still 60% living in rural communities.

By 2000, there were 291,424,000 of us, and just 19% living in rural communities.

Add in technological advances and the pollution that came with it, increased crime, etc., etc., etc., and yes, I think we can all agree we are overdue for several amendments.  

Yet here we are, stuck with a frozen, do-nothing Congress.  Remember, once a new amendment is ratified, it is part of the Constitution, thereby over-ruling what the US Supreme Court may or may not rule on a decision.  

So let's at least keep our eye on the right ball.  Voting for incumbents as a bad, bad action to take.  Let's get real people into the Congress.  

 The Federal Assault Weapons Ban (Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act), part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on Sep. 13, 1994. The ban outlawed 19 models of semi-automatic assault weapons by name and others by “military features,” as well as large-capacity magazines manufactured after the law’s enactment. The ban expired on Sep. 13, 2004 and was not renewed due in part to NRA lobbying efforts.

The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 (also called the Brady Act) was signed into law on Nov. 30, 1993 and required a five-day waiting period for a licensed seller to hand over a gun to an unlicensed person in states without an alternate background check system. [116] The five-day waiting period has since been replaced by an instant background check system that can take up to three days if there is an inconsistency or more information is needed to complete the sale. [114] Gun owners who have a federal firearms license or a state-issued permit are exempt from the waiting period.

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 was enacted as a condition of the Brady Act and provides incentives to states (including grants from the Attorney General) for them to provide information to NICS including information on people who are prohibited from purchasing firearms. [114] The NICS was implemented on Nov. 30, 1998 and later amended on Jan. 8, 2008 in response to the Apr. 16, 2007 Virginia Tech University shooting so that the Attorney General could more easily acquire information pertinent to background checks such as disqualifying mental conditions.

Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and Child Safety Lock Act of 2005 was enacted on Oct. 26 by President George W. Bush and gives broad civil liability immunity to firearms manufacturers so they cannot be sued by a gun death victim’s family.  The Child Safety Lock Act requires that all handguns be sold with a “secure gun storage or safety device.”

16th	Permits Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the various states or basing it on the United States Census	July 12, 1909	February 3, 1913	3 years, 206 days
17th	Establishes the direct election of United States senators by popular vote	May 13, 1912	April 8, 1913	330 days
18th	Prohibited the manufacturing or sale of alcohol within the United States (Repealed December 5, 1933, via the 21st Amendment)	December 18, 1917	January 16, 1919	1 year, 29 days
19th	Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on sex	June 4, 1919	August 18, 1920	1 year, 75 days
20th	Changes the dates on which the terms of the president and vice president, and of members of Congress, begin and end, to January 20 and January 3 respectively. States that if the president-elect dies before taking office, the vice president–elect is to be inaugurated as President.	March 2, 1932	January 23, 1933	327 days
21st[22]	Repeals the 18th Amendment and makes it a federal offense to transport or import intoxicating liquors into U.S. states and territories where such is prohibited by law	February 20, 1933	December 5, 1933	288 days
22nd[23]	Limits the number of times a person can be elected president.	March 21, 1947	February 27, 1951	3 years, 343 days
23rd[24]	Grants the District of Columbia electors in the Electoral College	June 16, 1960	March 29, 1961	286 days
24th	Prohibits the revocation of voting rights due to the non-payment of a poll tax or any other tax	September 14, 1962	January 23, 1964	1 year, 131 days
25th	Addresses succession to the presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the vice president and responding to presidential disabilities	July 6, 1965	February 10, 1967	1 year, 219 days
26th	Prohibits the denial of the right of US citizens, 18 years of age or older, to vote on account of age	March 23, 1971	July 1, 1971	100 days
27th	Delays laws affecting Congressional salary from taking effect until after the next election of representatives	September 25, 1789	May 5, 1992	202 years,     223 day

IF YOU LOVE OUR COUNTRY, SWITCH TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY! IT NEEDS TO BE SAVED!

Our republic is in real trouble, greatly due to because the Republican Party has lost its way.  I'm not kidding, I'm not being sarcastic, I'm pointing out reality.  No one has all the answers, and no one party has all the answers.  We need at least two parties, preferably more, but at least two opposing sides, to make sure we make our country the best it can be.  Unfortunately, current and recent members of the Republican Party don't believe this, instead believe they not only have all the answers, the Democratic Party is pure evil, to boot.  Of course this is ridiculous, self-serving, even insane, in my opinion.  Their agenda is doing nothing short of sending our country down the tubes, and rapidly.  What can we do about it, you ask.  They are frequently either ignoring, re-writing, or skirting objective polices and long-held practices, from voting rights to (fill in the blank).  For an easy and basic and current example, look no further than the current fight over slightly enhanced voting rights:

To be sure, the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 was created with strong support from both parties. In the House, Democrats voted for the final bill by a margin of 217-54 and Republicans by a margin of 111-20; in the Senate, Democrats backed it 49-17 and Republicans 30-1.

Passage of the law, however, was simply the start. Because some of its special provisions were established as temporary measures, the Voting Rights Act was brought up for reauthorization and expansion over the next half century — in 1970, 1975, 1982, 1992 and, most recently, 2006. At every point in this process, Biden noted, the law could count on backing from his Republican predecessors in the White House: “Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush. They all supported the Voting Rights Act.”

It wasn’t simply Republican presidents who supported the renewal of the Voting Rights Act, Biden noted. Republicans in Congress, like their Democratic colleagues, overwhelmingly embraced the measures, too.

“In 2006,” Biden stressed, “the Voting Rights Act passed 390 to 33 in the House of Representatives and 98 to 0 in the Senate.”

Source:  https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/republican-opposition-voting-rights-bills-follows-decades-pretend-support-n1287422

What can we do, asks the millions of Democratic and Independent voters?  The Republican Party has at least 71 million followers, half the Senate (despite the Republican Party Senators representing 42 million FEWER citizens than do the Democratic Senators!), and could win the House of Representatives in the mid-term elections!  Here's is what you and I can do:  switch from a Democratic and Independent voter to Republican!  It's easy to do, perfectly legal, and if enough of us do so, it will encourage sane Republicans to run for office.  There is more than one such member of Congress that has announced s/he is not running for re-election because the party is so completely Trumpian.  This just might disrupt the march and agenda of the Republican Party, and save the House!  

It would also send a very clear message to the Republican Party:  not so fast with your extreme gerrymandering and voting restrictions.  

I am dead serious about this, as I don't see any other way to save our country from failing.  If you agree, and I hope to God you do, switch your party registration now, and get every liberal and independent you know to do the same.