March/April 2003 Living Now
What Democracy Would Look Like If It Really Worked

From a speech by Lloyd Marbet delivered at The Spiritual City Club

There is an aphorism that I subscribe to: "Democracy is only as good as the people who get involved." If Democracy has any integrity, it is because each of us gives it integrity. If Democracy works, it is because "we the people" work at perfecting Democracy. It reflects our sacrifice. It rises to our level of compassion. It exhibits our courage. It dwells on those words contained in the Declaration of Independence, which I have deliberately taken the liberty of altering:

"We hold these truths to be self evident that all sentient beings are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among human beings, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed and the compassion of their stewardship. That whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying it foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness embodied in reverence for life." (Underlined text added.)

These powerful words: With the "consent of the governed" mean it is our right to change the way we would govern ourselves and even alter the words of the original agreement.

Democracy that works would follow the requirement from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy:

"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions upon the next seven generations."

This is a form of decision making embodying high aspirations. Imagine weighing the impact it would have upon those who will come after us: our children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children.

So how do we do we get to this democracy that works?" We Must Evolve Into It! We Must Struggle To Create It! We must act on the warnings we have received from our ancestors, for these warnings are now the present state of our democracy:

Thomas Jefferson to George Logan, 1816:

"I hope we shall... crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country."

Alexis de Toqueville, "Democracy In America" 1835:

"I am of the opinion, on the whole, that the manufacturing aristocracy which is growing up under our eyes is one of the harshest that ever existed in the world; but at the same time it is one of the most confined and least dangerous. Nevertheless, the friends of democracy should keep their eyes anxiously fixed in this direction; for if ever a permanent inequality of conditions and aristocracy again penetrates into the world, it may be predicted that this is the gate by which they will enter."

Abraham Lincoln, 1864:

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country...Corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."

Theodore Roosevelt, April 19, 1906:

"Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day."

Newton Minow, Former Federal Communications Commission chairman, 2000:

"We’ve got a real irony here....We have politicians selling access to something we all own - our government. And then we have broadcasters selling access to something we all own - our airwaves. It’s a terrible system."

These Voices and More Are Becoming a Crescendoing Roar for Change.

Remember: "Democracy is only as good as the people who participate."

I ask you to get involved. If enough people care, it will happen.

Finally, I leave you with this warning from Mahatma Gandhi:

Things that will destroy us:

Politics without principles.

Pleasure without conscience.

Wealth without work.

Knowledge without character.

Business without morality.

Science without humanity

Worship without sacrifice.

I wish all of you well in the journey.

Recommended reading (in the order given): "UNEQUAL PROTECTION The Rise Of Corporate Dominance And The Theft Of Human Rights" by Thom Hartmann; and "SELLING OUT How Big Corporate Money Buys Elections, Rams Through Legislation, And Betrays Our Democracy" by Mark Green.

I urge you to get involved with: Campaign Finance Reform In Oregon, Amending our State Constitution to Ban Corporate contributions, Restrict Individual Contributions, Remove the Loopholes! Contact us at Money Is Not Democracy, 503-637-3549; e-mail:democracy@voters.net, on the web at: www.voters.net.