Editor:
There are pivotal moments in history when events and individuals combine to reshape our world, such as the American Constitutional Convention of 1787, and also the presidential elections this year. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention had the courage to fashion the crucial elements needed to form a stable government. We can be proud of their efforts. Our Constitution, with critical provisions for amendments, has lasted for over two centuries, and our democracy is strong. But to protect it, we have to also have courage this November.
During the Philadelphia Convention there were two major arguments put forward, which we still face in the current presidential campaign. One argument was the Federalist idea, in which our country would be run by the rich and powerful landowners. This powerful group was headed by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. They wanted voting especially election of a president to be restricted to wealthy white males. The Federalist delegates to the Convention were the forerunners of the current Republican Party. On the other side our side was Thomas Jefferson who wanted the voters to represent the common people. He felt the real strength of our country was in the farmers and the back-woodsmen. Jefferson was the forerunner of our current Democratic Party.
Fortunately Jeffersons ideas won. America extended voting rights to all males regardless of skin color (Fifteenth Amendment, 1870), to all adults regardless of gender (Nineteenth Amendment, 1920, and to everyone over 18 years of age (Twenty-sixth Amendment, 1971). For over a century our democracy has become stronger by giving more and more of us the right to vote.
In this presidential election we are seeing counter-currents against the historic democratic trend favored by Jefferson. We see the wealthiest candidate to ever run for president, being supported by unrestricted funding from wealthy individuals and anonymous corporations. We see Republican governors restricting our right to vote, taking it away from the elderly, minorities and the poor.
Will the powerful get their way, or will we voters continue the trend toward a Jeffersonian democracy? It depends on us. Lets do it!
Bill Jobin
Cortez
Via CortezJournal.com