Master CraftsMon - Aired Monday, February 20, 2006 at about 11pm CST - Segment 2
Master CraftsMon - Aired Monday, February 20, 2006 at about 11pm CST
Segment 2
There's a book called the Federalist Papers. I did not study it in high school, nor in college, but I knew it existed. The Federalist Papers were a set of essays put into the newspapers in 1787 and 1788 in New York City to support the ratification of the Constitution. The by-line for the essays was Publius. Each one of the Federalist Papers had a number.
Federalist Paper Number 10 dealt many things, but it has a warning about factional fighting. Almost all the democracies in history fell because groups of people hardened their positions to such an extent that they would not budge when the other side won the elections. James Madison, the author of Federalist Number 10, defined faction as "a number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community."
Madison was certain that factional fighting could not easily occur in America because it was unlikely that a given faction could be formed that had cohesion across a broad enough agenda that members would not budge. Because Madison expected our country to be large, he could not believe that there could be a set of ideas or ideals that people would harden around.
When George McGovern was elected as the presidential candidate to face Richard Nixon, he split the Democratic party. His militant pacificism did not appeal to the majority of Democrats. As time has passed, more and more Democrats have switched to being Republicans because they cannot believe that the government has the answers.
I just read an article that stated that people on the Left and Right are becoming more extreme. That is, people on the Left view people on the Right as not just mistaken, but morally bereft and crazy. The people on the Right perceive that the Left is made up of not just people who are mistaken, but morally bereft and most likely crazy.
In short we are entering into a period where factional fighting is possible. The loss at the polls for the Left is not accepted. I mean, many on the Left do not accept that the people have spoken. They perceive that the voters have made a mistake and with the correct packaging their platform will get them elected. In reality, people KNOW what the Left has to offer and do not want to buy.
Look at Air America. When Air America was launched, it was supposed to meet an unmet need. The programs on Air America are strident and VERY few people listen to that channel. Why? It's simple. Hatred of George Bush is not an agenda. The policies of the past are NOT working. Democrats should be willing to look for new solutions for every day problems, but so far there are no new ideas from the Left. Just as Air America has no new ideas, neither does the Left.
If you actually have gone out to web sites, moveon.org, dailyKos or democratic underground, they are starting to kick around the idea of an armed revolt. You see, that's how factional fighting kills a democracy. When one of the factions in a country determines that they cannot win through the ballot box, they take up arms to achieve their goals.
When I started this program, I expected to debate people on the Left about means of positive social change, because the means that the Left wants to use to achieve positive social change will not work. Saying anything else is kind of silly to me. If they were going to work, they would work somewhere in the last 70 years. That means to me that the tools the Left is using will not work.
What I am getting at is that the Left and the Right have to truly debate; not just yell at each other. That's a stupid way to handle the problem. Somewhere along the line someone is going to have to debate the issues honestly. I don't know how it can be done. I know that the present format of the so-called debate is not working. I want to change that. So far I have been unable to figure out how to do that.
Well, that about does it for tonight. McKenzie Pequa the third will now take over. I am quite certain she has a set of music that is sure to please.
Take it away Mac.
Segment 2
There's a book called the Federalist Papers. I did not study it in high school, nor in college, but I knew it existed. The Federalist Papers were a set of essays put into the newspapers in 1787 and 1788 in New York City to support the ratification of the Constitution. The by-line for the essays was Publius. Each one of the Federalist Papers had a number.
Federalist Paper Number 10 dealt many things, but it has a warning about factional fighting. Almost all the democracies in history fell because groups of people hardened their positions to such an extent that they would not budge when the other side won the elections. James Madison, the author of Federalist Number 10, defined faction as "a number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community."
Madison was certain that factional fighting could not easily occur in America because it was unlikely that a given faction could be formed that had cohesion across a broad enough agenda that members would not budge. Because Madison expected our country to be large, he could not believe that there could be a set of ideas or ideals that people would harden around.
When George McGovern was elected as the presidential candidate to face Richard Nixon, he split the Democratic party. His militant pacificism did not appeal to the majority of Democrats. As time has passed, more and more Democrats have switched to being Republicans because they cannot believe that the government has the answers.
I just read an article that stated that people on the Left and Right are becoming more extreme. That is, people on the Left view people on the Right as not just mistaken, but morally bereft and crazy. The people on the Right perceive that the Left is made up of not just people who are mistaken, but morally bereft and most likely crazy.
In short we are entering into a period where factional fighting is possible. The loss at the polls for the Left is not accepted. I mean, many on the Left do not accept that the people have spoken. They perceive that the voters have made a mistake and with the correct packaging their platform will get them elected. In reality, people KNOW what the Left has to offer and do not want to buy.
Look at Air America. When Air America was launched, it was supposed to meet an unmet need. The programs on Air America are strident and VERY few people listen to that channel. Why? It's simple. Hatred of George Bush is not an agenda. The policies of the past are NOT working. Democrats should be willing to look for new solutions for every day problems, but so far there are no new ideas from the Left. Just as Air America has no new ideas, neither does the Left.
If you actually have gone out to web sites, moveon.org, dailyKos or democratic underground, they are starting to kick around the idea of an armed revolt. You see, that's how factional fighting kills a democracy. When one of the factions in a country determines that they cannot win through the ballot box, they take up arms to achieve their goals.
When I started this program, I expected to debate people on the Left about means of positive social change, because the means that the Left wants to use to achieve positive social change will not work. Saying anything else is kind of silly to me. If they were going to work, they would work somewhere in the last 70 years. That means to me that the tools the Left is using will not work.
What I am getting at is that the Left and the Right have to truly debate; not just yell at each other. That's a stupid way to handle the problem. Somewhere along the line someone is going to have to debate the issues honestly. I don't know how it can be done. I know that the present format of the so-called debate is not working. I want to change that. So far I have been unable to figure out how to do that.
Well, that about does it for tonight. McKenzie Pequa the third will now take over. I am quite certain she has a set of music that is sure to please.
Take it away Mac.
posted by aRandomTexan at
1:29 PM
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