OK, I am going to say it, this is an open rant about something I know the Founding Fathers didn't intend to happen in this nation, but none the less has occurred. I am talking about old people folks. When the nation was founded and we declared Independence for ourselves from the perceived tyrannies of the British Crown, it was a fairly young group of men who undertook such a monumental task.
When we declared our Independence:
Thomas Paine was about 39. John Adams 41. Thomas Jefferson 33. Ben Franklin was 70, but had the progressive mind of a 30 year old and was left handed. Robert Livingston 32. Thomas McKean 42. Benjamin Harrison 50. Samuel Chase 35. Roger Sherman 55... and so on.
Do you notice a trend? I do. There was young, and very intelligent blood in the mix. Ideas people such as Jefferson lead the march in many ways. Men of experience, but who held minds of progressive thought such as Franklin helped steer, and these completely foreign men to each other were able to compromise and come to an agreement on removing the British crown's ability and power over us as a "nation of free states". These men were "wealthy" for the time because of life position, but most chose not to die in public service or live off the public dollar, but had farms, businesses and lands to upkeep. They had their own interests, and in the name of those interests would convene in Congress to discuss creating laws to assist those ends, then RETURN to their own lands to get an idea of what the people they represented felt about the issues of the day. There were laws against trading in certain commodities and there were heavy laws AGAINST corporations. Our first established laws on corporations were very strict. You could only own one company. You could not be tied to or have any interest in another company. You had to spend you time maintaining your corporation. There was no board for a corporation and if there were a fellowship or group of owners, the members of that board could only sit on that single corporate board. You were not to set up unfair trade deals between yourself and other corporation, and you were not to attempt to hurt other corporations progress. Seems like a fairly easy system that would keep things such as today's unbridled theft and corruption that is our corporate world at bay for a little time, and may actually create a construct of caring for the corporation you represent. Instead of having 10, and only worrying about the profits, you get one and have to make it go to get profits. Interesting idea in my opinion.
In modern times you are wasting your time if you don't have millions in the bank, or access to people with millions to back your ideals. This either costs more than all but 99% of people can afford, or would put 99% of people in debt immediately to those who paid to get them in office. Most who run now are old. Republicans seem to have a particular love for the elderly, like letting grandpa run the country will force the brakes on abortion and all other social issues of which they worry. There is a serious issue with the line of thinking with current Republicans. Go right, get more hard lined on all issues and compromise not. This is sad. Do they even realize who they are in name at least? Jefferson was a progressive Republican, move to Roosevelt who also was a progressive Era Republican who railed against corporate control of America. Neither of these men thought corporations should be given total power over anything. Barry Goldwater didn't believe allowing the religious right to control the voting block in the Republican party was good for the party because they are single issue voters who are easily fooled. Now Republicans seem to support corporations against their own personal interests, they want social issues nailed to everyone against the same Constitutional powers they claim to love and want the entire nation to abide by. There IS a separation of any church and the state. There is NO reference to Christianity or the Christian God. The line about man and Creator are left that way for personal interpretation, and not meant for people to interpret as total all encompassing Christianity to take over the nation. Jefferson told the Danbarry Baptists this, Reagan spoke the same.
I would love to be a Republican, many of my heroes politically are Republicans... but it seems they and their ideals are long lost memories to the greater Republican pride.
I think how age ties back into all of this is: When you get older you have investments you want to protect from others, so you are more likely to be Republican and angry about Entitlements or perceived give aways that aren't to YOU. You are less likely to want any change because Status Quo is what has gotten you where you are. You are not likely to give up a cushy job like Congress or current public life unless you are forced out because we all want a nice stable forever income when we get older. Older people have money, and therefore control laws because they have decided corporations ARE just like the rest of us... living breathing people who deserve a voice. Old people seem to suck.
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