Democracy demands vigilance
The horrific, apparently politically motivated shooting in Alexandria, Va., and the news that President Trump is the subject of a criminal investigation, provide a grim reminder of the social, economic and legal conditions integral to the preservation of American democracy.
The core values of our system forbid resort to violence against those who seek or serve in public office. They require economic conditions that would diminish the gulf between the haves and the have-nots. And they demand from governmental officials rigorous adherence to constitutional principles and legal norms, the essence of the rule of law. Particular social conditions, none more important than the absence of intimidation and violence, are what sustains our democracy. Politically inspired violence shortcircuits participation in the governmental process. It discourages citizens, who fear for their safety, from seeking office. It chills and, indeed, depending on its frequency and severity, may still the voices of all but those intrepid few who would risk danger to engage in robust discussion and debate, the very engine of democracy.
Political violence, whether a function of sociopathic tendencies, unleashed and fired by the allure of radical ideology, or a reflection of desperation, grounded in frustration, resentment, isolation and a sense of inefficacy, is anathema to our fundamental values and democratic principles. Abstinence from political violence on those, or any other grounds, certainly can be encouraged by a government dedicated, as the Preamble of the Constitution provides, to the promotion of the general welfare, liberty and justice for all Americans, and by the majestic words of the 14th Amendment, which impose upon states the duty to ensure the “equal protection” of the laws.
The framers of the Constitution constructed a system of government built on the foundations of governmental transparency and accountability, pillars that they believed would obviate the need for political opponents to resort to violence to change programs, policies and laws. Public trust in governmental institutions, however, will be eroded by the perception of deception, corruption and illegality. Desperate men may resort to desperate measures, if they think their hopes, dreams and very futures have been robbed by unfair economic policies and unjust laws. Aristotle, the wisest of the ancient Greek philosophers, observed that the leading source of instability — and violence — in any society is the unequal distribution of property, which results in a chasm between the haves and the have-nots. James Madison, and many of our nation’s founders, shared this conclusion.
Accordingly, it has long been held among champions of democracy that government must adopt economic and tax policies that include not merely incentives but genuine opportunities for people to improve the quality of their lives. Preclusion of opportunities — chains on the future of citizens to grow and prosper — historically has resulted in political violence. Everyone, rich and poor alike, has an interest in a governmental system that affords economic opportunities and treats citizens with dignity. Preservation of the rule of law is critical to the future of our republic. Deep suspicion that governmental officials ignore constitutional provisions and shrug off their responsibilities and duties, which they swore an oath to honor and perform, undermines popular confidence in the integrity of our system. Governmental violation of the Constitution and laws, Justice Louis Brandeis observed, will encourage lawlessness among the citizenry because government “teaches the whole people by example.” Brandeis added: “If government becomes a law breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.”
The most effective means of ensuring public confidence in our governmental institution is through accountability and, when necessary, investigation. That is why all Americans, liberals and conservatives alike, should embrace Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into whether President Trump has impeded the investigation into whether his campaign team acted in concert with Russian officials to undermine the U.S. presidential election.
Presidential obstruction of justice is a heinous crime. It vitiates the integrity of an investigation, deprives the citizenry of knowing facts and truths, and destroys accountability. If a thorough investigation concludes that there was no coordination or collusion with the Russians, then we can all breathe a sigh of relief and find comfort in knowing that every stone has been turned in an effort to ascertain facts.
But if Mueller’s investigation reveals that President Trump has engaged in obstruction of justice, then our commitment to constitutional democracy, civil liberty and the rule of law compels us to support resolution of the issues, wherever that may lead. The preservation of our constitutional system comes with a price. That price is vigilance.