SELF-GOVERNANCE

Self-Government by We the People does not exist in America. Instead, we have a burdensome system of top-down governance imposed upon us by a consortium of special interests—essentially none of which benefit the general welfare.

A decade and a half ago we had a flash in the pan, the Tea Party revolution, unfortunately, while it made noise, it lacked a plan and thus fizzled after a few years. Some assert it morphed into the Republican platform and others into what is Trump’s agenda and called MAGA. What all lack is a bottom-up coherency.

We the People have to learn how to work together to make our voices heard. Not like the protesters who incite violence, but instead a voice of reason and common sense to help solve our nation’s problems. And, we need to learn how to nullify unconstitutional acts of our government.

For example in California, as an example of judicial overreach, the Supreme Court overruled the will of the people in 1964 case Reynolds v Sims, such that the balance of power was shifted, to what appears to have become a permanent monopoly over the legislature and hence the laws it creates. Why are we not protesting this clear case of judicial overreach, which has effectively destroyed any semblance of balance of power in the State of California? Some could argue that turning California around could turn the nation around.

Those who are in control continuously pass legislation that is counterproductive—though well sounding—yet institutionalizes problems at the State and Federal level that would best be handled by the local community.

Our Constitution is pretty clear on what the responsibilities are of our Federal Government, and the 9^th and 10^th Amendments in our Bill of Rights, clearly state that those not enumerated in the Constitution as Federal responsibilities, are the prerogative of the States or the people. Clearly, most domestic issues were intended to be the prerogative of the States and the people, not the Federal Government.

Since the Federal Government started usurping powers over domestic issues, our domestic problems as well as the size and cost of government (and ensuing waste, fraud and corruption) have skyrocketed.

If We the People had local control over these issues, they would not be the problem they are today:

· Community values

· Local self-governance

· Vagrancy, mental illness, and crime

· Housing

· Education

· Employment and entrepreneurial opportunities

· Nutrition and public health

· Cost of living

The above cartoon would be funny if it was not becoming obvious to more and more Americans every day, and that is that when it comes to crime, government is the far greater and more destructive culprit.

Somehow, we need to force the Federal Government to eliminate its overreach and scale back its operations to comply with the Constitution. We also need to learn how to gain and maintain control over our local communities and its needs to support the American dream.