Blog #5 – Founding Fathers distrust
Well, the more and more that I read about the Founding Fathers (a term coined by President Harding, a huge fan of alliteration), the more that I disturbed by how much that they distrust the “people” or the masses of unwashed, uneducated voters.
A people’s-led revolt like Shays’ Rebellion in 1786 that came on the heels of Hamilton’s call for a second look at the Articles of Confederation to be scheduled in Philly in May 1787 seemed to “confirm Thomas Jefferson’s fear of democratic despotism… An elective despotism was not the government we fought for” (Pageant 177). Apparently, civic virtue or public responsibility to follow the rules, the textbook authors wrote, was no longer strong enough to stop people from being greedy or “self-interest[ed].” Hmmmm… people shouldn’t follow their self-interest? They shouldn’t pursue happiness, to paraphrase TJ?
Haven’t we been taught from a young age that the Fathers wanted to guarantee the freedoms for which they had fought the British? Haven’t we been taught that this was a fight for the rule of law, for civil rights, for all to be free and equal (except if you were a slave)? As historian Bernard Bailyn stated our revolution’s main goal was “the destruction of privilege and the creation of a political system that demanded of its leaders the responsible and humane use of power” (Zinn 101).
But here’s James Madison, the “father of the Constitution” arguing in Federalist #10 that a strong central government will be able to keep the peace because the passions of the people will be too diffused or spread out: “A rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the Union than a particular member [state] of it” (Zinn 97).
Whose interests are the Fathers protecting? The people? What did the Fathers fear would happen if the people were totally in charge?
To quote Alexander Hamilton, ”
The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true in fact. The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge or determine right. Give therefore to the first class [of people] a distinct permanent share in the government…“” (Zinn 96).
To curb the excesses, the unbridled passions of the publicly elected House of Representatives, the Senate was created as that check. In Federalist #63, a Senate was “sometimes necessary as a defence the people against their own temporary errors and delusions…[b/c] there are moments in public affairs when the people, stimulated by some irregular passion, or illicit advantage, or misled by some artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will afterwards be the most ready to lament and condemn” (Zinn 98).
** The bold type is mine. I think this could apply to both of the political parties in today’s election, or worse yet, the money behind both political parties.
I think the Fathers’ concerns comes from several sources, but mainly from the idea that these men who made the Constitution were elitists and designed a system that protected private property from being taken away arbitrarily by a voting public. We have heard them say time and time again that property = liberty. With a solid system in place, founded on the traditions of English law, America has been able to prosper because property has been guaranteed for over 200 years by courts and the government. If our private property hadn’t been guaranteed by these safeguards, then investments would probably be worthless, and our future would have been dicey. People with money would have taken their money elsewhere or pushed for a different form of government.
This pattern has repeated itself time and time again in many of the Latin American countries that have emulated us with their Constitutions since they overthrew the Spanish in the 19th Century, but because there isn’t a consistent turnover of power or protection of civil rights, the wealthy in those countries have gotten behind any strong man who promises order. In America, we believe in the rules even when those rules frustrate us or look as if they are being abused b/c in the long run, we believe that it will all work out.
For this blog, please answer the following questions:
1. Do you think the Founding Fathers were right to distrust the passions of the American people when they wrote the Constitution? Why or why not?
2. What passions / fears are swaying the American people right now as they currently head towards the polls today? Provide specific examples.
250 words minimum. Thanks.
Due Wednesday, November 3.
1. I think the Founding Fathers were right to distrust the passions of the American people when they wrote the constitution. The public is often whisked into quick rash of frustration when an issue directly affects their moral beliefs or life style. They then act out of anger and take it out on the government. The public proceeds to make choices that seem like a good idea at the time, but will in the long run come back to hurt them. It is also very plausible that when emotions reach a boiling point, a charismatic leader of the public could manipulate them into changing things in a way that could profit him. In short, when the people get angry they do not always think rationally so it is understandable that the Founding Fathers mistrusted the passions of the public.
2. There are many passions/fears that are swaying the American people in the polls today. One of these passions is that the Democratic Party has not fulfilled its promises in two years. This has angered many moderate people who voted for President Obama and many other Democratic candidates on the premise of “change,” and that they would turn the economy around. This frustration at the DEM party has swayed the public to the republican side. Another fear that swayed the voters yesterday is the raising of taxes. Many people are going through a rough time economically and they are afraid that they might plunge further into debt with higher taxes. Some other passions/fears include the high rate of unemployment and the giant budget deficit.
1. At the end of the revolution the American was a democracy complete rule by the people. They spent so much for the right to vote, but in reality, a government like this didn’t exist. The Articles of Confederation, which was too weak and gave too much power to the states. The only way to run the country, there needed to be a system that could manage the country. The founding fathers knew that most citizens were worried a strong central government would turn into a monarch, but in order to run the country this would be required 100%. America was too stressed with the problems of starting a new country and the Founding Fathers were able to act intelligently and it turned out better for the future of the country. The dream Americans wanted could exist but the founding fathers created one that the Americans agreed with.
2. The economy is one of the biggest issues that would cause people to sway their votes. As Obama’s yes we can attitude didn’t change much for the American people many have lost faith in the Democratic Party. Voters also want less control of the government and want the government to cut spending and lower taxes while still fixing the economy. An example is the healthcare issue and other welfare issues. One big social issue is abortion or gay rights that can affect the views of many voters. Some issues are so strong that the tea party candidate making dents in the polls.
1. I don’t believe that the Founding Fathers had the right in not trusting the people but also I feel that they should kind of listen to the people’s idea. I believe that the Founding Fathers should not listen to Americans because they would not have made a fair Constitution. I believe that people automatically have a need to complete self benefit and with the people writing the Constitution they would have only believed in self benefit and not how others would be affected. Although I believe that I think that what the people want should be a factor in making final decisions in the Constitution because of the belief that the people are the ones who have to obey these laws. If the laws weren’t made to make the peeps happy the Constitution would have been disregarded because it would have turned in to a tyranny and not a democracy. By including the people’s beliefs you keep the idea of a democracy but you also make things as fair as you can for all peeps involved.
2. The fears are not being able to keep their current employee. They are lost because of the money issues going on at this day and whether or not they are fixable. They don’t want to lose their jobs and they don’t want to lose their property or anything else. They are sacred that the country will never be the same to the way it was before and if I does they don’t to know who will do that fort that. They don’t want to make the bad choice and be sad because it taws a bad choice, as you can see, leads us into situations which take a while to clean. They are sensible about all these same things. They are scared but are passionate about getting on track and the fact the jobs are coming back. They want the money to start booming and to be able to be as free as they were before the recession. These are the things peeps are believing about whether passion or fear as the walk into the poles to vote.
1.I think the Founding Fathers were right for the most part to distrust the passions of the American people when they wrote the Constitution because this newborn country had just gone through a war only to meet chaos afterwards. Our economy was a wreck, people were rebelling, and the government was largely ineffective. What the people wanted was democracy, but the mentality of America was still set in war mode. The people weren’t yet ready to let go of physically fighting for their desires, and this unstable environment would not become so until it had a stable government with realistic policies. Americans had to settle down and accept that they could not always get exactly what they wanted before they could civilly gain the respect to obtain it.
2.In today’s America, I think the biggest issues that are swaying Americans are both taxes and the differences between the Democratic and Republican Parties. Asking for a 38% tax increase only four years after a record low income tax is going to put people into a panic. They allowed themselves to live on the basis that they didn’t have to pay a large tax and now have to readjust their lifestyles to fit what the government is requiring. Regarding the parties, there is more pressure than usual on both sides that seems to be making people not want to vote, or far more undecided. The parties are split on virtually every issue, leaving absolutely no medium for people to truly feel comfortable voting for either side.
1. 1. I think the Founding Fathers were right to distrust the values/passions of the American people when they were writing the constitution. The public is often quick to be frustrated and angry when an issue directly affects their life style. They then act out of emotional distress and take it out on the government. The public goes on to make choices that seem like a good idea at the time or that will supposedly change things for the better because some politician said he would, but in the long run will come back to hurt them. It is also very possible that when emotions reach a certain point, a great leader, who is very charismatic and a good public speaker could manipulate the masses into changing things in a way that would help him. Basically, when the people get angry they do not always think rationally so it is understandable and a good thing that the Founding Fathers mistrusted the passions of the public.
2. There are many beliefs and fears that are swaying the American people in the polls today. One of these is that the Democratic Party has not quickly fulfilled its promises. This has pissed off many moderate people and many others who voted for President Obama on the premise of “change,” and that they would turn the economy around. This frustration at the Democratic Party has, unfortunately, swayed the public to the republican side. You simply cannot turn an economy around and do all these different things in just two years. Due to today’s technology and other factors of the modern day, people are accustomed to instant gratification. They want it done now, however, they didn’t elect a magician to office they elected another politician just like all the others. Changing the entire economy in two years would be a miracle. Some other fears include the high rate of unemployment and that they might lose their job or go further into debt.
1. Do you think the Founding Fathers were right to distrust the passions of the American people when they wrote the Constitution? Why or why not?
I feel that people deserve freedoms, but I also feel these needs to be justified. I can’t imagine how anyone could justify the Founding Fathers trusting the passions of the American people when they wrote the Constitution. The people have shown time and time again that they are easily swayed by what other people say or think and that the people cannot be relied upon. They have shown that if someone can come up with a catchy slogan or say one thing right the people will swing toward them and support them in ways that are difficult to even be imagined. We need to take the power out of the hands of the uninformed, we need to move away from Partisanship, And most importantly We have to do what is best for the people of this Great Country.
2. What passions / fears are swaying the American people right now as they currently head towards the polls today? Provide specific examples.
There are several fears and or passions that are swaying the American people right now as they head towards the polls. These fears include but are not limited to THE ECONOMY and THE FEAR OF THE GOVERNMENT BECOMING TO BIG. People rightfully fear about the economy, they don’t care about the Economic growth of X.XX%; they care that when they go home and they see their family they see all these bills that they can’t pay, they care that their neighbor has to leave his house due to foreclosure while big companies, such as AIG or GM or Chrysler, or Goldman Sachs, etc are being bailed out and given big loans so they can continue to exist instead of just letting them go under and letting the economy work itself out in the sense of survival of the fittest, if one company goes under, another company will grow and fill the void created by the company that fell. The People fear the Government is getting too big, the government needs to step back and let businesses do their own thing; the businesses would have worked it out even without the help of the government. The people are trying to tell us we need more of a Laissez Faire economy, we don’t want the government to be around every corner; People’re saying “WE WANT THE BUSINESSES TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES JUST LIKE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DO EACH DAY, AND JUST LIKE THE SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE TO DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.”
1. I think the Founding Fathers were right to distrust the passions of the American people when writing the Constitution. The public was often very rash when it came to political decisions especially during times of violent rebellion such as Shays’ Rebellion. Acting off of the rash decisions, the public would have called for political decisions that they would later regret and even condemn. Many times the public’s opinion was swayed by news articles and pamphlets, which could also lead to the Founding Fathers distrust. Also during this time when the Constitution was being written, many Americans were uninformed. Unlike today, they didn’t have instant news coming from the television, so most of the time the people really had no idea what was going on.
2. There are many passions and fears swaying Americans as they head to the polls today. Many Americans are struggling to survive in this recession and are afraid that they will not be able to. One of the biggest issues that is swaying Americans is partisan politics between Democrats and Republicans. With all of the partisan politics going on, many Americans also struggle with finding the political leaders that will help the country out of the recession. Also the issue of raising taxes has sent Americans into a frenzy. Many Americans are mortified at the fact that taxes could be raised. They are afraid that if certain candidates win then taxes could be raised. All of these factors together have added to a very intense atmosphere.