Is it possible for a nation, such as the United States, to actually fall prey to a dictatorial government, as did the German Republic in the late 30’s? Most of us would laugh a just such a contention, crying out that our Constitution would prevent such a catastrophe. After all, is not our government organized to prevent just such a happening, through its system of checks and balances, its tripartite distribution of power and its recurring election pattern, where no elected official can remain in office for more than six years without standing for re – election? The answer to this question is “yes, but……”

The Federal Government is a government of the people, by the people and for the people, at least that is how it is described on paper. The weak link in the chain is not the elected officials themselves, no matter how corrupt any of them might be, and recent events in Washington demonstrate, beyond a reasonable doubt, that we do have corruption in high places. Rather, the weak link is “the people.” We are the key to the success or failure of our republican form of government, through our activism, or the lack of same. Complacency is the nay sayer of perpetual freedom and liberty, and for Americans, complacency has become our watchword.

I used to consider the southern hemispheric nations as hot headed and repulsive, when it came to governance. I could not understand their eternal struggles and mob demonstrations. I always attributed their activism to their nature, not digging deep enough to understand that within that hot blooded nature came the power of the people over their elected officials. And although such power may have been demonstrated in an ugly fashion, at time, it was effective.

The United States has always been just the opposite. Our founding fathers did such a wonderful job in our Constitution, that we have always taken our freedoms and liberties for granted, expecting, but never demanding, that our elected public servants serve us rather than themselves or their party affiliation. Certainly, throughout the ages, we have elected scoundrels to office, and we have been re – payed in kind, for our blind faith in the rhetoric rather than the fact. There is no need to travel the paths of history to determine how many Americans have died or suffered as a result of decisions made in the name of our republican form of governance. The sad fact however is that as technology and time have advanced, each mistake is multiplied tenfold by poor choices in the form of legislation or order.

Today, the United States is at the bottom of yet another economic cycle, brought about by many factors, not the least of which is poor governance, along with the greedy nature of those who were elected to oversee our economy. Our children’s and our grandchildren’s futures are at stake today. What the President and Congress and the Supreme Court decide in the next few years will have little effect on my life and the lives of those over the age of 65, other than an general worsening of its quality, as a left leaning Executive and Congress move to “spread the wealth,” in their attempt to level that evil playing field. After all, how many years does the average 65 year old have left in life? But short term mistakes will have long term detriments wreaked upon our youth.

Today, the United States is also facing a new enemy, albeit about as “blindly” as it faced the right winged facism of Nazi Germany in the early part of the twentieth century. If a man is a true enemy to your way of life, is there really room for compromise? Surely we should have learned that lesson in our last major run up to war. Why is it that “we,” the people, allow our elected officials, who can be described as a bunch of old men, make earth shattering decisions as to the lives of our youth, when it comes to facing the reality of our enemies? What is the old saying? Isn’t it something to the effect that “Old men legislate and young men go off to war to die?” Once again, our elected officials promulgate legislation and we, the people, for whom this government is elected to “serve,” suffer as a result.

Today, we the people face a potentially new enemy in the form of government health care. Our President has no idea what that 2000 page bill has in store for us. Congress has no idea either. To many, what little we have heard about the perks given to a few Congressmen and women, in return for their votes, may just be unconstitutional. And yet, are we the people having anything to say about it. Most of us don’t want our system of health care to be changed. A few of us have risen up and remonstrated against such legislation. But most of us have just turned out the light, shut our windows and doors, and hoped that they come for our neighbor, rather than us.

Complacency about Nazi Facism blinded the German people, in addition to the rest of Europe, into the catastrophe of war. Complacency about a booming economy blinded us into the worst recession since the 1929 crash. Complacency is blinding us to the real dangers of an Islamic threat abroad and within our own nation. Complacency is allowing our elected officials to legislate 2000 page bills about which neither they nor the “people” have any idea. Complacency is allowing us to become bogged down in another Viet Nam. Complacency has allowed us to become convinced that rhetoric equals results. Complacency is the cancer which can lead a republican form of government down the road to a dictatorial form of government. No, you do not need a singular dictator to have the same result. All you need is a government leaning either too far to the right or to the left, a Supreme Court unwilling to support the Constitution, and “the people” nowhere to be seen. When all of your protection has been taken, what will you do when they come for you?

JLK