Does The US Government Have The Consent Of The Governed?

COL Ted Mc — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:13:31 -0400

From "Rasmussen Reports"

“Let the government handle it” is a common sentiment, but how do American really feel about the federal government these days? We decided to find out what America thinks.

For starters, most Americans feel the federal government plays too big a role in their lives and think, generally speaking, that there is too much government power and too little individual freedom. The freedoms granted in the Bill of Rights, such as the freedom of religion, free speech, the press and the right to bear arms are supremely important to voters, but the majority believes the federal government is a threat to those rights rather than the protector it should be. A plurality of 46%, for example, feels the government discriminates against people of religious faith.

Just 19% of voters trust the government to do the right thing all or most of the time.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/what_america_thinks/2015_09/what_america_thinks_back_off_feds

EDITORIAL COMMENT:- Assuming that the statistics are accurate, what does that say about the health of the country?

More importantly, what can be done about it?

What America Thinks: Back Off, Feds! - Rasmussen Reports

Rasmussen Reports - The best place to look for polls that are spot on

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 1:17 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:17:10 -0400

I think they usually don't in the moment, but sometimes it turns around in the long run. The tricky part of governing is making decisions in your constituents' best interests that they may disagree with at the moment.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Sep 30 at 2015 1:17 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:17:33 -0400

COL Ted Mc great article, my opinion is "Government of the Pupil, by the Pupil". Government needs to be more transparent to the American citizen.

Response by SGT David T. made Sep 30 at 2015 1:17 PM

SGT David T. — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:17:49 -0400

Sure it does even if only on a nominal level. If there wasn't consent of the governed, then there would be mass uprisings, rebellions, etc.

Response by 1LT Aaron Barr made Sep 30 at 2015 1:20 PM

1LT Aaron Barr — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:20:22 -0400

That depends on how you look at it. On the one hand, we have free and open elections so one might argue that it does. On the other hand, we have very low voter turnout and a very low percentage of those eligible to vote actually doing so. From what I've read, only about 50% of people eligible to vote actually do so one might argue that 25% of the population is running the country. But again, nobody's stopping people from voting. Perhaps the best way to look at this is to ask if you think the people who don't vote don't because they view the government as benevolent or think their vote doesn't matter.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 30 at 2015 1:30 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:30:56 -0400

No. We have too many career politicians.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Sep 30 at 2015 1:36 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:36:23 -0400

Consent is the wrong word.

I tolerate the government. Repeat. I tolerate the government, much like I tolerate my neighbors. If my neighbor comes into my house uninvited, that tolerance will be very short, and end very quickly.

My tolerance of the government is based on their interference on my life. I love my country. I tolerate my government.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 1:51 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:51:49 -0400

... I think we really put too much weight on the Federal level ... we pay too much attention to them and give them too much power, and they do too much in respond. ...

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Sep 30 at 2015 1:53 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:53:19 -0400

The only solution possible is for the people to take control in the polling places; if we fail to do that we will have lost our Democratic Republic.

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made Sep 30 at 2015 2:04 PM

SSG Gerhard S. — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:04:09 -0400

Two things, first, I would suggest this said nothing about the health of the "country", and a lot about the feelings regarding the progressively unconstitutional actions of our government, it's politicians, bureaucrats, and its expanding regulatory nature.

Secondly, I would point out that the Bill of rights granted no rights, but rather recognizes these rights as inherent, and makes clear, the idea that the Federal government had no place in infringing upon them. To hit the idea home, the last of the Bill of of rights tells us that any powers not specifically granted the government by the Constitution belong in the hands of the States, or of the people.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Sep 30 at 2015 3:08 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:08:34 -0400

I think that the USA certainly has some thoughtful people consenting to what it has been doing including incremental expansion of government depth and breadth of impact in our lives COL Ted Mc. However, I expect that many people lauding the expended government role are consented primarily because they believe they are getting something for nothing or at least very little of their own resources.
i hope that this nation will never get to the point where the majority of voters believe you can get something for nothing and blindly vote in people who promise them things and services with no real expectation of delivering them.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Sep 30 at 2015 3:14 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:14:54 -0400

We have the government we voted into office, for better or worse...

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Sep 30 at 2015 3:24 PM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:24:06 -0400

Our government is supposed to be acting on the will of the people while protecting the freedom of the individual. Unfortunately, it has become a quagmire of political favors, lobbyists, pandering, and deceit. The government has gotten to a point where it ignores the will of the people while trampling the rights of the individual. If we are being honest, I am surprised that the number of people who have faith is as high as 19% of the survey group.

What's worse is that it has evolved to a point where, in my opinion, it cannot be fixed. It started with conditioning people to believe that the only choices we have are Republican and Democrat. To suggest voting for someone else is to be told "you are wasting your vote." Politician is a career, not a term of service. In the military, some of us serve for a career, and others serve for a term of service. The difference is that even a career military person is serving. A career politician becomes loyal to the corporations that fund campaigns. They lose any ideals, or caring for the people that they had when elected. They are paid for life, have great benefits, and control their own pay raises.

So how do we fix it? I am not sure we can. It is like a cancer. How do you cure a cancer? The tumor is violently removed through surgery, this is followed by irradiation or chemotherapy to prevent further growth. It takes a huge toll on the body to kill the cancer. I WANT TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT I AM NOT ADVOCATING FOR VIOLENCE! I do not think that will do anything but destroy our nation. I think that the first step is getting rid of ANY political parties. If we want to make a real change, we need to have candidates that are elected based on position rather than affiliation. The second thing that needs to happen is that we the people need to become educated. I don't mean in a scholastic way, I mean on the issues. We need to understand the positions that we support, and oppose so that we can make better choices at the polls. Imagine a ballot with ten candidates for the office of President. Imagine that those ten candidates all have a legitimate chance to win. Imagine that they are being voted for based on actual support rather than party affiliation. That would be beautiful. Next, we need to take power away from the lobbyists. As much as I hate using public funds, I think that elections should be publicly funded. I think that if we the people are putting the only money into the elections, then the power of those who would use money to get their policies pushed through would lose that ability. Next take the power from the congress to control their pay. I think that midway through the term, we should vote on the salary. I think they should have a zero, three or six percent raise option. That way a good representative can be rewarded, and a bad representative cannot profit from it. I also think that everyone should be limited to one eight year term in office. That way there are no re-election campaigns and politicians do not go to Washington and stagnate.

Sadly, I do not see any of these ideas coming to fruition. I see our government continuing status quo until the government collapses under its own weight. That will be a sad day.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Sep 30 at 2015 3:41 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:41:45 -0400

The problem isn't that most of the country thinks the government meddles too much. The problem is that within that group there are VERY different ideas on what that means to the point that it's almost a meaningless assertion. For example, Gay marriage. People opposed think the government is imposing by "threatening their religious liberty." People for believe the government imposed by limiting it at all. Both sides want the government to impose their particular moral vision on the populace and both think the government has no right to take the opposing group's side.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 5:38 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:38:00 -0400

Sir, it seems like you've confused "consent" as a legal construct with "contentedness" as an attitude.

I would venture that very close to all Americans would view the U.S. Government as a legitimate legal entity that, at least in abstract, rightfully represents the interests of the populace in both foreign and domestic matters. That is, technically speaking, "consent" as construed in the context of that phrase.

Whether or not it represents the populace in a way that makes people content, however, is a whole different matter. Pretty much every American's going to have some gripes with government unless they die as an infant (and thus know nothing of it) or are the ultimate cloistered recluse. Further, right now we have a rather unique, strong strain of general dis-contentedness being actively stoked (at least two, actually -- with at least one general form from each major political party) that is giving people an excuse to find gripes where there aren't actually any, or giving people courage to stand up for gripes long repressed.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Sep 30 at 2015 6:30 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 18:30:00 -0400

Big government is a cancer and yet, I'm not prepared to blame it for all the failings of the American society. Despite occasional news of a screwup (hanging chads) or local election fraud (almost any election in Chicago) We the People are represented by the candidates we have chosen. Thus, it is irrefutable that the governments in the United States have the consent of the governed. Yes there is plenty of evidence that incumbents have not been elected by a majority of the citizenry, but merely a majority of those who choose to participate. This has allowed factions with agendas inimical to We the People to exert far too much influence in the governance of the nation as well as its several states, counties, and municipalities. This inattentiveness has encouraged other minority factions to try their hand at imposing their will on We the People. For example, Islamists, a fairly insignificant minority, have scared the hell out of the majority with their crusade to impose Sharia Law via American courts. They have even enjoyed some modicum of success in a few jurisdictions. However, this also has happened only because the majority allows it to happen. We the People are easily cowed by cries of "racism" and "prejudice" especially when they are not true (After all the true racist or bigot cares little for pejoratives thrown in their direction)

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Sep 30 at 2015 7:36 PM

PO2 Steven Erickson — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 19:36:08 -0400

I am a strict Constitutional Constructionist. A restoration of the power of the States and The People is needed. That should answer your second question.

As to the first, that's a little more complicated. I would consider MOST Americans to be ... well ... herd-animals (e.g., sheep). As long as they're fed, clothed and protected, they'll follow anyone. As a nation, I believe (please note that's an "opinion" word) that we have become intellectually lazy and ethically lost. We consider "freedom" to be "as long as it doesn't hurt me, I guess the government can [insert "new" constitutional right / liberty law here]". Little do we realize that one day, we'll all wake up and wonder what the hell happened to our freedoms. On that day, we'll see the OTHER side of the herd-animal behavior... The stampede.

Response by MSgt John McGowan made Jul 3 at 2016 10:04 PM

MSgt John McGowan — Sun, 03 Jul 2016 22:04:02 -0400

Col. Sir just a short comment. I received a survey recently from one of my Senators want to know how I feel about the mounting debt of our nation and what could we do about it. My response was that i didn't have any control over what they did in Washington and i had plenty of suggestions. But when I write and ask why on something I get the run around reply. Calls and letter writing doesn't get it.