ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY DISTORTED

On this day, the 5th of March 1770 five Americans were fatally shot by British Troops in an event which became known as the Boston Massacre. This would contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War which began 5 years later on the 19th April 1775 culminating on the 3rd September 1783. The Constitution of the United States was created in September of 1787 and became effective on the 4th March 1789 virtually 19 years after that Bostonian event. Yesterday was the 237th anniversary of that document which firmly established the rule of law in the United States off America. It is of course accepted that the birth of that nation was with the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. That Declaration was written by Thomas Jefferson with John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston and Benjamin Franklin. Together they were known as the Committee of Five of the Second Continental Congress. The declaration  was presented  and ratified on the 4th July 1776 and signed by 56 delegates to that Continental Congress. This year will be the 250th Anniversary of the formation of the United States of America; but in my view the true birth of the nation was with the date on which the Constitution became effective. 

From left to right: John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin.

It is on that day that the foundation of a Nation was established. It has been underpinned on 27 occasions. The first ten pillars created the Bill of Rights, specific protections of individual liberty and justice, with restrictions on the powers of Government within the United States. These amendments from 13 on, predominantly expanded individual civil rights and addressed issues relating to federal authority and modifying government processes and procedures. The main body was the strict establishment of the checks and balances between the three branches of Government, the Executive, the Legislators and the Judiciary. The whole of the document was very clear about preventing any one branch of acting without the oversight and agreement of the other. In particular the purse strings were to be controlled by the most representative and largest of the  branches, the Congress. This was to prevent any possible skulduggery by the smaller executive over public funds, and to maintain a specifically impartial and independent judiciary, through whom any grievances between the citizens and public institutions could be decided. 

It is clear that the so called founding fathers, when creating the Constitution in September of 1789, did not contemplate that the rule of law thereby established would ever be violated, given how so many had given their lives and fortunes to actually produce such a document. Given the general character, education and willingness to compromise of the members of the Continental Congresses that produced it, and, despite their prejudices (including racism, bigotry and misogyny) they did not fully foresee the possible dangers down the line. They were so caught up with notions of freedom, liberty, the rights of man and pursuit of happiness (nothing to do with left and right) that it never occurred to them that the compromise would or could fail. Indeed, the subsequent Civil War four score and seven years later, appeared to settle once and for all that government of the people, by the people and for the people would not perish from the earth. Yet many more people gave up their lives and fortunes for that principle and the rule of law under the Constitution of the United States. 

Sadly, that document has now become so frayed and tattered by the festering prejudices (including racism, bigotry and misogyny) that seem to have infected the three branches of government. The impartiality of the judiciary has seriously eroded into partisanship. The legislative branch has lost any integrity through weak and pusillanimous sycophancy towards a venal and corrupt narcissist and his cohorts. It is he who now runs the executive without any care or concern of any kind for the people of the world, let alone of his own citizens.

The mental putrified chaos the seeps out of his brain and those of his squad of goons has caused calamity across the world. His braggadocio during his campaign, post election and after inauguration for his second term in office revealed a fantasist’s grasp on reality. He thinks just by saying something he might have dreamed in his demented brain, it will magically happen. This allows anyone with a keen sense of strategic flattery to get him to do anything they want. Putin plies   him with a false narrative about Ukraine and he swallows it whole. Netanyahu pulls him round by the nose.  There is clear evidence of this. One hears the analysis from Rubio and a completely different version of decision making from Trump. Rubio at least knows that if Netanyahu sets out a plan of attack, Trump will be drawn in. So, he phrases things to make it seem perfectly  reasonable to suggest that if Israel attacks Iran, the Iranian Government will blame the United States anyway; therefore, it is only right to steam in with a preemptive strike. In self defence of course. In the meantime back at the ranch, Trump talks about dead American service people and his golden curtains and ballroom in the same breath. There is something decidedly off about the man. Trump's other Secretary of War/Defence brags about killing and people being toast. It is a TV episode of Bonanza and the High Chaparral mixed together, with everyone trying to play all the parts at the same time. What is wrong with these people? La La Land, is no longer just Hollywood, it is the entire country.

Americans still have a vote coming up. If those able to vote do not take up their civic duty, then all will be lost. The effect on the world is disastrous enough. I would argue for all European nations, whether a member of the European Union or not, to dissociate themselves from any thing to do with the United States, such as it currently is. Total separation and imposition of sanctions until such time as that country comes to its senses and returns to the rule of law under the Constitution it so proudly hailed not so long ago. Freeze or seize US assets along with those of Russia, gangsters one and all. They only seem to value money, gold curtains and turning people to toast. Trump talks of shit hole countries. Look in the mirror Donald.