American Ideals are Still Radical

The Orange Felon is trying to reverse the last 100 years of progressive change

As national radio commentator Thom Hartmann wrote recently, “The American Revolution wasn’t just a break from Britain — it was an uprising against three ancient tyrannies: warlord kings, the morbidly rich, and theocrats. Today, those same forces are clawing their way back into power, and if we don’t fight them now, everything the Founders built could collapse.”

 Every time I hear the Orange Felon rail against some “radical” judge or Democrat who just ruled or spoken out against his illegal executive orders on immigration or habeas corpus or deporting people without a judicial hearing, I say yes! The American legal system is supposed to be radical — it was meant to be. In fact, our entire system of self-governance was conceived to be the radical fortress against Burger King bullies who believe themselves to be above the law rather than beholden to it. We are a nation of laws. Not men. Look around the world at the number of countries ruled by autocratic regimes. Rights to “life, liberty, equality and the pursuit of happiness” are just as radical now as they ever have been.

Free speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion are threatened in more places than they are protected. More countries are becoming like Russia, claiming to have free elections but persecuting journalists and opposition activists. Think of Alexei Navalny dying in prison after his attempted assassination by poisoning. Or Jamal Ahmad Hamza Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist and dissident brutally murdered on the orders of the Saudi crown prince. Since 1992 until now some 1,682 journalists have been killed, 21 most recently this year in Gaza.

As of Dec. 1, 2024, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) documented that at least 361 journalists were imprisoned around the world. This is the second-highest number CPJ has recorded since 1992. Journalism is known as the Fourth Estate (branch of a republic) and is often one of the first institutions to be attacked by dictators. If you silence the media, then it’s easier to gaslight the populace.

 The very idea that We the people are endowed with certain inalienable rights is just as radical an idea today as it was when some educated wealthy white men wrote the constitution,  they just didn’t go far enough in enunciating just who the “We” included. It’s taken 250 years to rectify this imperfect but evolving document to this point … until now.

 In the last three months, the Orange Felon has tried to reverse the last 100 years of progressive policies that have brought a better life to the majority of the working classes. His policies are truly “regressive,” turning back the clock to the time of the robber barons  a period with politicians who had a price and traded votes for cash and abused their oaths of office. A period when child labor laws, labor rights, old age insurance and food and drug regulation were nonexistant. The Orange Felon in the Oval Office is specifically the example that the founding fathers warned us about. See how many of these pertain to today:

1. Tyranny of the Majority: Many Founding Fathers, particularly James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, were concerned about the potential for majority rule to infringe on the rights of minorities. They feared that a pure democracy could lead to mob rule and the oppression of dissenting voices.
2. Concentration of Power: They were wary of any single entity or individual accumulating too much power, which could lead to tyranny. This concern influenced the separation of powers among the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, as well as the system of checks and balances.
3. Factionalism: The Founding Fathers were concerned about the rise of factions (political parties or groups with specific interests) that could disrupt governance and lead to conflict. Madison, especially in Federalist No. 10, the foundational text of American political thought, argued that while factions are inevitable, a large republic would help mitigate their negative effects.
4. Foreign Influence: They feared external threats and foreign influence, which could destabilize the new nation. This concern led to calls for a strong national defense and a cautious approach to foreign alliances.
5. Economic Instability: Economic issues, such as inflation and debt, were significant concerns. The Founders worried about the potential for economic crises to lead to social unrest and the rise of demagogues.
6. Loss of Individual Rights: The Founding Fathers were committed to protecting individual liberties. They feared that a strong central government could infringe upon the rights of citizens, leading to a loss of freedoms. This concern ultimately resulted in the Bill of Rights.

Overall, the Founding Fathers sought to create a balanced government that would protect against these fears while promoting liberty, justice, and the rule of law. These are what the Orange Felon’s regime is  currently attacking. 

 These foundational rights of man are inherently a radical threat to authoritarian sensibilities and cannot be legitimately taken away by any monarch, dictator, government or oligarchy. The Declaration of Independence asserts that these rights are “endowed by their Creator” and are not granted by any government, king or Biblical authority — they are natural laws. 

So, the next time you hear some MAGA nut or the Orange Felon in the Oval Office accuse you or someone else of being “a radical,” tell them, “Damn right! Democracy has always been radical.” You are a proud American radical because it’s the patriotic duty of living in a free nation.