Part 2: Representation and Inclusion

(7/2023) "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time; but there is the broad feeling in our country that the people should rule, and that public opinion expressed by all constitutional means, should shape, guide, and control the actions of Ministers who are their servants and not their masters."—Winston Churchill 1947, in a speech to the British House of Commons

He may have been a little annoyed after being voted out as Prime Minister in 1945, but the idea that the public has a voice, and leadership has to listen, is a driving force for support of democracy. Our candidate might win. If they lose, we still win because we have the ability to try again. Each year since we became citizens of the United States of America, we have had the ability to move closer to the ideals of our Constitution.

When the British colonists in America held their first and second Continental Congress of the brewing rebellion, representatives attended from each colony. Like any era, representatives came from the property owning, better educated groups. The group debating and deciding how to confront the British King was not a melting pot by twenty-first century standards, but each delegate to Philadelphia in 1774 - 1781 had a unique story and set of interests in colonial America. Their variety of concerns led to the organization of our government into three equal branches of decision making elected leaders, with detailed distribution of representation in the two Houses of Congress.

Our country was founded on the desire for a balance of power. The colonial rebels were not powerless, they were simply eternally less powerful than a king, and could be made powerless at his whim. That is one thing that everyone in society wants, the security to know that all they have will not be taken away. So the Founding Fathers came up with the most flexible government they could envision. With all its flaws, it is still pretty sweet.

Our Constitution is a combination of Articles and Amendments, outlining powers and responsibilities of our government, and guidelines how to create and implement new rules and laws into the future, e.g. the minimum number of states required to ratify an Amendment to the Constitution. Every stage of decision-making for our government was and is driven by the act of voting. Voting sends representatives to the government, who in turn vote for or against new laws, and how to spend money. The fuel for voting is debate. It starts at our kitchen tables, moves through campaigns for office, and right onto the floor of the House and Senate.

Benjamin Franklin said "[It’s] a republic, if you can keep it."

I say "The Founding Fathers understood that to protect themselves from each other they had to agree to protect each other from themselves." A codified version of the Golden Rule. This a foundational statement of ethical behavior for many belief systems.

Quotations singing the praises of the US Constitution invariably refer to compromise, either implied or bluntly stated. No US citizen was to have more rights than or power over another US citizen. With power over our fellow Americans coming in the form of property rights, this was not true at the beginning of our independent country, but the Constitutional covenant signed by the representatives of each of the colonies, created a government with the ability to evolve as one by one more groups established their rights as citizens. Over our 253 years, our votes have grown in unity and purpose. Decades were invested in solid steps. Emancipation and the abolishment of slavery, voting rights for African Americans, women, ultimately all citizens of the USA.

Here in Frederick County the Women’s Democratic League, founded in 1923, is celebrating 100 years as the longest continuously active political group in the county. The WDL is dedicated to the promotion of democratic principles and the participation of women in every facet of our government and political process. wdlfrederick.org

The words of our Constitution were chosen carefully, born from risk and reward. The wealthy British subjects who rebelled, prevailed, and founded a new country, risked everything in their fight. When they ultimately wrote and signed a Constitution with the logical (but long time coming) conclusion that each citizen would have a vote, the risk was that people would vote only for their individual interests. The worst case scenario, you have an under educated majority of voters who see no value in compromise.

Over time We the People have come closer to the meaning of By the People by setting goals that are For the People. With a larger percentage of the population voting, we get a variety of ideas, levels of education, and abilities to see how compromise between the needs of society and the individual affects us all. The reward is that when we find common ground we are an unstoppable force.

Our US Constitution and state constitutions created guidelines for public safety and education. Having them work for us takes participation. Successful participation takes learning as much as we can about our different experiences and shared history as Americans. Studying all of America’s history helps us understand the impact our voting decisions today have into the future.

If we want these rights for ourselves we have to extend them to others. Our votes are how we balance things out. If we want great things for our country, we have to be better educated voters. When groups recognize that their vote—their voice—is suppressed, they fight for it. When you don’t vote you suppress your own vote. A lot of people would be delighted with your apathy.

We keep our republic by participating in voting. And every year we celebrate the Founding Birthday of our Democracy with as much fanfare, fireworks and burgers as we can muster.

Happy Birthday America!