Cynicism is Easy. Optimism is tough. Be tough.

The founders assembled in 1787 with the original intent that they would amend the Articles of Confederation which had proven to be an unwieldy and inefficient means of governance. They quickly abandoned the Articles and set out to write a completely new document. Our Constitution is the byproduct of that endeavor.

The founders were well versed in the tyranny of kings and well-read in the Greek and Roman histories. One of their fundamental beliefs was that too much power in any one institution ultimately devolved into tyranny. The document they created attempted to make sure that no branch of governance could overwhelm the other. That each would keep the other in check, and that the tension between Federal and State governance would provide another barrier to the assembly of too much power in one place.

Today, in the world of tribal politics, participants attempt to defy the checks and balances and overwhelm the system. They eschew compromise and engage in holy wars rather than debate. They attempt to dominate the system and impose their will. It is not how the system was built! What we get is dysfunctional government. What we get are political leaders who are more talented at social media diatribes than debate and compromise that results in legislation that accomplishes social goals. In the midst of this calumny, we have a Capitalist system that over the last forty years has concentrated more and more wealth into fewer and fewer hands. That wealth commands political power through its ability to litigate and its domination of media both paid and owned.

Citizens United unleashed the ability of corporate and private wealth to put its fist on the delicate scale of public elections. Through their massive investment in negative political advertising, the average citizen now holds a cynical and dismissive view of democratic governance. So, what is the solution? First and foremost, we must restore our confidence that the Constitutional system that has made us the greatest experiment in Free Market.

Democracy works and that it is worth saving. The way to save it is to get engaged. We must forego the pervasive cynicism that grabs for our attention so it can be resold by social media conglomerates. Politics is the art of the possible, and when we think sensibly and talk civilly to each other anything is possible. Self-governance is not easy; Something our founders knew well. They struggled mightily to construct such a system in the summer of 1787. They provided us a form of governance that preserves our freedoms while it provides and promotes the general welfare. All I can say to those who shake their heads at what they see in the general malaise of today’s political dysfunction; Cynicism is easy, optimism is tough. Be tough.