The Parlous State of Our Politics
To the editor; The Founders enacted two revolutions in the late eighteenth century. The first was a war of independence against England, which they won. The second was the creation of a new system of government based on the will of the people rather than the will of royal or religious autocrats. The new government was a democratic republic based on the Enlightenment values of freedom, equality, justice and fairness for all. Although policy differences between factions would inevitably exist, the founders believed that citizens would engage in reasoned discussion that would result in bargaining and compromise for the common good. Loyalty to the fundamental …