The
American republic since its inception has been a shining exemplar of
success. The nation ascended from fledgling British colony to the sole
superpower in the world. It built an economy that generated
unparalleled wealth, liberated
millions from oppression by wielding the might of its magnificent
military, and attracted a diverse and vibrant society proud to live in
the bastion of liberty.
Yet a perpetually dissatisfied and influential minority is endangering the continuing prosperity and stability that catapulted the United States to first amongst free nations. The cause of these citizens' animus and their incessant drive to break down America's institutions, only to be remolded according to the designs of central planners, is a fetish for perfection in a world that will always remain imperfect due to human fragility and the role of chance.
What made the nation thrive from its onset was a political architecture that explicitly acknowledged that human beings are flawed. The Constitution was founded on the truth about human beings, which is that men are no angels. The entire system of checks and balances, divided powers, federalism, and individual rights is drawn from Madison's notion that natural ambition must be made to counter ambition. If the ambitious were to wield power without check, then their foibles would only become amplified, and others would suffer due to actions that are not their own.
Yet a perpetually dissatisfied and influential minority is endangering the continuing prosperity and stability that catapulted the United States to first amongst free nations. The cause of these citizens' animus and their incessant drive to break down America's institutions, only to be remolded according to the designs of central planners, is a fetish for perfection in a world that will always remain imperfect due to human fragility and the role of chance.
What made the nation thrive from its onset was a political architecture that explicitly acknowledged that human beings are flawed. The Constitution was founded on the truth about human beings, which is that men are no angels. The entire system of checks and balances, divided powers, federalism, and individual rights is drawn from Madison's notion that natural ambition must be made to counter ambition. If the ambitious were to wield power without check, then their foibles would only become amplified, and others would suffer due to actions that are not their own.
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