Readers write
At year 250, we’re not the same democratic republic
Just 11 years ago, had 2015 been the 250th birthday of our beloved country, an assessment of the state of the union would have been markedly different than one offered up today. What has transpired over these past 11 years need not be rehashed here. We are, however, not the same democratic republic we once were.
With remarkable brevity, we have devolved into a nightmarish amalgam of autocracy/oligarchy/kleptocracy/wannabe theocracy, all blossoming under the cynical cultivation of Congress and the Supreme Court, in astonishing subservience to the executive branch. It is as if the Constitution no longer exists. Our lone saving grace is the lower courts that consistently rule against Trump’s worst predilections.
Meanwhile, our allies are shocked at our dismissive attitude toward them, and our adversaries (especially China) enjoy seeing us waste precious resources in wasteful military ventures of doubtful justification.
How did all this come about in the first place? We must look to ourselves: we voted Donald Trump in. Twice! We, the People... so we the people have to forgo the “America First” nonsense, remember we are members of a world community and encourage quality people to run for public office with a view to restoring our now-lost trustworthiness. How wonderful it would be to celebrate the 250th unabashedly! Now it will be only with nostalgia.
FRANK BRENNAN, ACWORTH
Nation was born out of diverse convictions
Our nation, founded 250 years ago, had many imperfections. However, the democratic institution woven by our Founding Fathers on that first Fourth of July and subsequent Constitutional Convention remains a source of wonder to this day.
Our unique American democratic institution was not the result of a lockstep unity of beliefs and viewpoints among its authors. Rather, it was this very diversity of beliefs and convictions that led to the collective genius and foresight to create a system of democratic government specifically designed to function and evolve within a nation divided in many ways, large and small.
Our democracy requires a social fabric built on respect, empathy, tolerance, decorum and a common desire for the greater good to function. Today’s overheated environment of social divisions and unrest, created solely to gain political points with no intention of finding common cause, weakens and frays this social fabric. Fiscal irresponsibility and uncontrolled deficits are not sustainable. The individual liberties inherent in our democracy should be jealously guarded, yet the current push toward the siren’s song of collectivism threatens to surrender these liberties to government decision makers.
On the 250th anniversary of our country, let us celebrate our freedom and the blessings of this great country.
TOM HURLEY, ROSWELL