Been a while since we added a Word From Our Founders but I was moved by an Alexander Hamilton Quote and thought it might be worth a few words.
When The American Experiment in Democracy began, the Founders adopted a very conservative approach. They believed in an Aristocracy of Talent that would guide public policy. They purposely created Constitutional Institutions as a buffer against what they saw as the vagaries of sheer popular opinion. Senators were elected by State Legislatures. Presidents were elected by an Electoral College which was originally meant to be a deliberative body.
They left voting rights up to the states and in the beginning only white male property owners were allowed to vote. What was called male suffrage which allowed all male citizens to vote remained in place until 1821. The last state to adopt it was New York.
Over the course of the last two hundred years we have moved away from this approach and towards a popular referendum model for public officials and in some cases social policy. Senators are now elected by popular vote. The Electoral College is a pro forma and is not a deliberative body per the Founder’s intent. Women were given the right to vote.
Impact of Social Media
Now that we live in a world of social media, it is easy for highly motivated minorities to dominate the conversation and even elections in response to the momentary mood of the day. The Founders did not want governance to be a function of a popular referendum and for a very good reason. They wanted a system where passions could cool and time would allow for reasonable considerations. Alexander Hamilton who sponsored many unpopular policies as the first head of the Treasury Department made the following assertion.
“When Occasions present themselves in which the interests of the people are at variance with their inclinations, it is the duty of the persons whom they have appointed to be the guardian of those interests to withstand the temporary delusion in order to give them time and opportunity for more cool and sedate reflections.
Instance might be cited in which a conduct of this kind has saved the people from very fatal consequences of their own mistakes and has procured lasting monuments of their gratitude to those what courage and magnanimity to serve them at the peril of their displeasure.”
Thank you Mr. Hamilton. One can only hope.