Previously Published in The Messenger
The many adages of Benjamin Franklin, perhaps one of the wisest men this country ever produced, still ring true today.
Not only did he acknowledge that the preservation of the republic hinged on the conscientiousness of the people, but that those who “sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither and lose both.”
Last week, we gave a doom-and-gloom report on where we think things went wrong. This week, we’ll offer some ideas that we think would monumentally improve our republic for another 250 years.
As a disclaimer, many of these ideas are filed under the “magic wand” category, but we’re optimistic the “American Dream” can refer to more than just what this country can do for us; rather, what we can do for the country.
America First
We’re not naive to the fact that to whom much is given, much is required. No global superpower can isolate themselves and only deal with the rest of the world when it’s convenient to do so.
But we’re also not naive to the fact that our politicians for decades, of both parties, have gradually abdicated the core duties of any government: keeping the economy humming and securing the homeland. All other operations are tangential at best or detrimentally bureaucratic at worst.
And unfortunately, each Congress has become more unscrupulous and apathetic than the last.
We were taught for many years that “nationalism” was a dirty word, only associated with white supremacists or the Nazis.
In fact, the only countries on earth that don’t practice a healthy dose of nationalism in their policy, domestic or foreign, are the ones that are sinking faster than they can bail the water. Having pride in one’s country, even in recognition of its faults, and working to advance the interests of one’s country are the basic tenets of any civilization.
It’s safe to say we’ve lost the plot as a country. We’ve contorted our core mission into being the saviors of the world – whatever that means – and have decided to punish the current U.S. residents for the crimes of ancestors, whatever those might be. The pathologically altruistic societal model, pushed mostly by progressive Democrats, has turned into a self-defeatist and nihilistic worldview.
On the other hand, Republicans have pushed ideas that are just as pathologically altruistic, especially when it comes to war – the chief export of the U.S. these days, which illuminates why this country can never seem to break its addiction to conflict.
In short, you can’t serve two masters. You will end up hating one and loving the other. If you’re America First, you should live in America. If you’re Mongolia First, go live in Mongolia. If you’re Kosovo First, go live in Kosovo. If you’re Israel First, go live in Israel.
Conservatives have also opined that we can “walk and chew gum” when it comes to watering the gardens within the borders of this nation and those abroad, but they ignore the fact that dependency breeds resentment.
That’s not exclusive to foreign countries who are just as addicted to the almighty dollar as our politicians are, many of them disgustingly so. Americans were traded civil liberties and personal prosperity for equity-inducing social programs that cannot handle the bloat. And when people expect the government to help them, it doesn’t breed affinity or devotion. It breeds, “what can my country do for me?” instead of, “what can I do for my country?”
Is it any question why so many Americans spit on our heritage and legacy? The Marxist programming in higher institutions is undeniable, but the bigger piece of the puzzle, we think, is dependency. And when that dependency is consistently undelivered by the government, it stands to reason that those same Americans have grown unaware of the greatness of this country – only because the government simply can’t deliver every promise and right every wrong. That was never the intention in the first place.
Moreover, those who truly love the U.S. don’t seem to have the time, money, or energy to truly connect with it. They’re worker drones who’ve been pushed beyond the brink of reasonable expenditures of that time, money, and energy, all to end up less free and poorer than they were before. It’s a nationwide burnout that will eventually rear its patriotic head.
America First should mean that the prosperity and safety of the American public should be prioritized by our representatives, who we elect and pay. Anyone who says that’s a “radical” take should be deemed an enemy of this country, plain and simple. Any other country on earth would hold the same prerogative, and rightly so.
It’s not rocket surgery, but the despots pretending to care about the American people will have you believe it is. That’s exactly the deterrent they need to keep YOU from seizing power.
Remember, don’t look left or right. Look up.
Congressional Overhauls
Congress has never been more out to lunch and it shows. While there are some good stewards, most are there simply because of institutional power, monumental checks from the donor class and lobbies, and simply because “they know best.”
Our wish list: term limits for the House and Senate and a mandatory retirement age in line with federal standards. Congressional salaries should be capped at median income for the district or state they represent. Citizens United must be overturned – the Supreme Court case allowed for limitless corporate spending in elections so as to not violate the First Amendment. The Supreme Court itself should reject lifetime appointments as well, and both should be barred from any type of stock, equities, or futures trading – and they should be regularly probed by the IRS while regular Americans could deal with being left alone.
Don’t think these politicians are disgustingly greedy beyond reproach? Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said in a press conference in May that members of Congress should be allowed to trade stocks because their $174,000 annual salary has been frozen since 2009. Yet, many of these people come out of Congress as millionaires, with book deals, cable news spots, or lobbying firms waiting for them after they leave the Hill.
Cry us a river, Speaker Johnson, especially when more Americans are placing necessities like groceries on credit cards and homeownership and children are increasingly considered luxury goods – two canaries in the coal mine that show the country is on the brink of collapse.
Another necessary change: require line-item spending. Congress’ main role is to hold the purse strings. Why then do they pass one, giant, pork-barrel omnibus bill each winter? It’s not because they’re great fiscal stewards or financial geniuses. It’s so they can take more meetings with more lobbyists for more money in their campaign coffers, and so they can grandstand to their bases on whatever hot-button issue is dominating social media that week. They should spend the ENTIRE session budgeting; forget most other things.
Republicans took over the House in 2022 on that prospect alone. They have failed, miserably – the so-called “fiscal conservatives” running Washington.
Additionally, birthright citizenship needs to end. The Supreme Court made a terrible decision this week. It’s a comforting practice and one that’s been utilized for centuries in moral ways, but the abuse cannot be ignored. “Birth tourism” is a real phenomenon that only treats the U.S. like an ATM. A child who is simply born on “magic American dirt” who then grows up in another country now has access to the same benefits and suffrage as an American whose ancestors built this country does. There’s something deeply wrong and illogical with that.
Furthermore, ALL foreign lobbying needs to end. If a foreign nation wants some form of American aid, they can send their diplomats to the embassy and negotiate. Your elected officials for years have taken money from foreign countries to legislate on their behalf.
That is not “democracy.” That is corporate capture of the most insidious and illogical of its kind. It’s gotten so absurd that Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) went on FOX News claiming he’s told his constituents to urge their younger family members to sign up for the military to go fight in another pointless, regime change war in the Middle East. Graham has also traveled multiple times to Israel to coach them on how to get our guys to go to war.
If that’s not treason and a dereliction of duty to the American people, we don’t know what is. Graham and others like him – there are plenty on both sides of the aisle – need to be tried for treason.
Congress’ job is to balance the budget. If they can’t do that, their terms should be immediately invalidated and new elections should be held. If these people ran your business, you’d fire them in a heartbeat. But because they’re politicians, they get re-elected anyway.
The best part is, Congress can sign all of these provisions into law. They don’t, however, and that should tell you everything you need to know.
If you’re not at the table, you’re what’s on it, so the saying goes, and you ought to get it out of your head now that some politician or party is coming to save you.
We did the research. No one is coming to save you – politically, at least. And neither party wants to fix the system because not doing so merely justifies their own jobs.
Time for Another Revolution?
When backed into a corner for too long, an animal will eventually fight back.
The question is, how do Americans do so?
We think there’s ample evidence that alternative media and the ubiquitousness of the Internet has smeared writing on the wall that mainstream media simply can’t ignore. You can’t get away with anything anymore, and that’s for the better. We believe there is a subtle takeover going on now, but those in power are keenly aware.
We hope it doesn’t resort to violence – we don’t condone or want any violence – but is there any question as to why people are more on edge nowadays than ever? Social media brain-rotting and violent video games might be part of it, but we think those excuses peddled by mainstream media and politicians are red herrings.
It’s the angst and ire of a people clearly not heeded when they make decisions at the ballot box. That kind of experiment only ever exists on borrowed time.
Many voted for Trump to not entangle us in another Middle Eastern war — which has been widely proven to have been started at the behest of Israel — yet we got it anyway.
That’s their way of saying, “We know what you want. We don’t care. We’re doing this anyway.”
In our eyes, the Second American Revolution has already begun. Thankfully, it’s in information, alternative media, and diligent dot-connecting. We hope it’s sufficient, but if the ruling class decides to further abdicate their duties, we fear a revolt that will make January 6 look like a middle school play.
We can desire to “keep the republic,” but if we Americans continue to sit idly by, waiting for a political party to come save us, do we deserve to keep the republic for another 250 years?