gov·ern·ment

/ˈɡəvər(n)mənt/

Noun – the governing body of a nation, state or community

 

In my fourth grade Civics class, (it might have been fifth or even sixth…I have to pull a lot of time-based memory indistinctly out of my ass), page one of the text book, the cover of which was emblazoned with pictures of the US Capitol, the Statue of Liberty, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, contained only the above definition.  ‘This class is going to be easy,’ I thought. ‘How simple is that?’  Well, as it turned out, not very.

My teacher, whose name I don’t recall, seemed to loved teaching and I remember him peaking the class’ imagination, (well, mine anyway), by going off book and giving a flowery overview of historical governance, tribal, religious, imperial, monarchal, despotic, democratic.  His verbose sincerity, while continually inserting that the freedom we enjoyed as Americans was provided by the best government of all, was infectious.  Although I am sure that even Mr. What’s-His-Name would be given pause by Trumpian America, the idea that spawned us, the radical assertion that over time, the better angels of the total population would guide it to the best version of freedom and equality, still seems attainable.  That power corrupts, was an important topic in my 1950’s classroom, but it was revealed by examples of other places and other times without the slightest hint that it was prevalent or even possible in the US of A because of the many checks and balances envisioned by our founding fathers.  In the fast forward of more than sixty years, that assertion has been challenged by the political shenanigans of special interests that have ignored the public welfare, sowed the seeds of doubt and left most of us, more than 80% of us, dissatisfied by the performance of those we send to Congress.  And now, no matter what his blind followers fervently cling to, a lawless President has diminished our standing as the shining example of democracy throughout the world while taking a public dump on the revered document that has guided us and set us apart for nearly 250 years.

Government, both the specific and implied concept of it, is based on a set of known rules, expectations and promises.  The rules and expectations are supposed to remain set and clear until those in control, (we, the people, in our democracy), deem it necessary to change them.  Over time those basic precepts, delivering protection and infrastructure and implied and exacted health and welfare benefits have been debated, poked and prodded but never, ever left in doubt.  Since Reagan, for over thirty years, the ever-growing chasm between Left and Right has threatened our confidence that those government assurances will not be rescinded and in less than four years, a puss-filled zit has bloomed on the face of America that threatens democracy all together.  It must be popped!