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.