Citizens should participate in government

To the editor:

One of the most glaring hypocrisies in American politics today is the elaborate focus politicians have on possessing public trust. In the first place, public trust naturally results when officials operate using “Rule of Law.” but is a forced contrivance when they operate using “Rule of Men.” In the second place, for citizens to resign themselves to just trusting that elected officials will govern properly is exactly what empowered history’s aristocracies. The rationale for aristocracy has always been that the general population has neither the time (from making a living) nor the understanding (from ignorance or mental incapacity) to truly contribute to government.

Therefore, it’s shocking to see our elected officials using the same methods history’s aristocrats did. Then as now, people are listened to merely to learn enough to know how to keep the majority docile and appeased. Then as now, money is spread around to popularize leadership, laws and regulations are enforced to satisfy popular prejudices, and favors are granted special interests that “creatively” lobby for such.

Here’s plain evidence of what I mean. When was the last time any of your elected representatives asked you to personally contribute to working out policy or law to govern successful life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? And when did you do this duty because you were certain your contributions would get real respect?

So consider this. The only legitimate recipients of public trust, being faithful to our political heritage, are the minds of fellow citizens. Who are fellow citizens?

• True fellow citizens insist that all information vital to government policy-making honestly be made public so the fruits of citizen minds are relevant.

• True fellow citizens don’t deny their mental liberty by compulsively delegating their right to think and understand to leaders, experts and the media — who are all vulnerable to using half-truths to manipulate.

• True fellow citizens personally comprehend the supremacy of each of the ideas of our constitutions. Hence they can withstand the temptation to handle emergencies by allowing constitutions and their dependent laws to be subordinated to leadership judgment and discretionary power.

• True fellow citizens protect their leaders and themselves from human imperfection by getting their sincere contributions to government accepted and used.

In this fashion, fellow citizens empower themselves to honor their pledges of allegiance to our constitutional republic. How many such citizens do you know?

Stuart Thompson

Wasilla