Then we come to 1866. The moderate Republicans and the Democrats were having it all their way. They were reimposing a system on the South that hundreds of thousands of Northerners had died to destroy. The people of good will in the nation watched with horror. They handled it the way Americans have traditionally handled dissatisfaction with the political situation. They voted the suckers out.
1866 was a key year in the history of our republic. It was a year of mid-term elections. The moderates were in control and they were doing moderate things. 1866 swept in the radicals. The radicals passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866. 14th Amendment was passed out of Congress and approved by the states.
A moment on the 14th Amendment. Most people are aware of the first section.
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”In addition it took away representation from states that kept people from voting (section 2). It prohibited many leaders of the Confederacy from being elected to Congress (section 3). It cancelled the debts incurred by the Confederacy to fight the war (section 4).
How does this relate to today? The moderate Republicans are still with us. They are in control of the House of Representatives. They are often called Rinos. The Democrats, of course, are still with us trying to keep minorities on the plantation by getting them dependent on the government with welfare and subsidies. They understand that where Federal money flows, Federal control goes. In the wings we have the modern equivalent of the Radical Republicans. We call them the Tea Party. They are Republicans, Libertarians and Independent voters that are trying to get the country back.
Are you mad? Are you willing to do something about it? We don’t want it to come to war so do the American thing: Vote the Suckers Out.
Is it 2014 1860, 1866 or samo, samo. It is up to you. Elections have consequences.
homo unius libri
Very true, but I fear that you're preaching to the choir, my friend liberals don't read anything that doesn't agree with their preconceived notions, and the mindless middle doesn't read at all.
ReplyDeleteThen join me in never encouraging anyone to vote. If they are not registered they are not paying attention.
DeleteGrace and peace.
let's just hope the choir is big enough to get the suckers voted out.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of choirs big enough to get the pastor voted out. Good thing I don't run a democracy here.
DeleteGrace and peace.