Watching Capone made me think about how the mob was really able to flourish and take hold and hold everything down in the country. There’s nothing more romantic than America’s fascination with the mob. But what’s often not looked at is why they were able to be who they were. For our entire history save for the depression, our governments composition has always leaned more to a self governance principle. Thus essentially neutering our ability to govern society at large. This is how localities were able to hold onto discriminatory laws that should have been eradicated post civil war. This self governance principle is rooted in Jefferson’s idea of the role of government. It’s been around forever. Madison on the other hand saw a need for a government more overarching. One to unify a many people in a vast land. The one our current times are demanding. But for our entire history, for the most part, our government has been rooted in Jefferson’s ideal. That’s fine. I guess. Except when you look at the needs of every day Americans. They are great and they are many. Because our government hasn’t really been focused on people’s needs for a very long time. Businesses have been able to coerce our government into writing law that has not only harmed everyday Americans but keeps everyday Americans down in their needs. It must change. After citizens united our government was fully bought and paid for by corporate America. What’s important now is to look at alll of these critically and debate the best way forward. But watching a movie like Capone you’re able to get a sense of why we need to move it forward to begin with. Entrenched power has massive effects for a society. Just think about how, even in defeat even as they lost so many young men and their land the south because of entrenched power were able to erect statues of these traitors that have shaped perception and public opinion for centuries. We’re still talking about this! That’s the power of entrenched power. And the mob had entrenched power for many decades, who’s reach stretched far further than the perceived coasts of the northeast, which they called home. But their arms stretched across the entire country, and yes our government. They killed a President. Making sure the greatest governing force in the country can’t really govern is how the mob was able to flourish. So too, any entrenched power. The march toward a stronger fairer and more just federal government is right by the people. Exploitation of any kind is not ok. At any time in our history. The mob made sure that the people didn’t think of government as the ultimate playing field. They made sure people saw government as a bad. When a good government means the playing field is even, and open. It doesn’t guarantee anything, other than access and opportunity. It’s up to us to make it work. To work. Hard. But right now, and sadly it’s been true for the majority of our governments history-it has not cared about the people. Not really. There have been Presidents, there have been bills there have been lots of laws. But I’m talking about the composition of our government. Our government has never been composed of people who believe in Madison’s vision of America, of the government, of the people. We have always been at war with one another. Instead of seeing that our future is in each other’s hands. It’s time to level the playing field and have a government that works for all of us. That starts by debating the best way forward. Not going on cable news. Debate. Everyone. Everyone in that body-doing their job.
It starts with good law. Because good law alleviates, good law makes people happy. I do not think citizens united is good law. I do not think tax cuts for people like Mike Bloomberg are good law. I do not believe gutting our governments ability to make sure the air we are breathing is clean and the water we are drinking is free of lead is good law. I do not believe letting a crook off the hook because he helped you steal an election is a good example of law. I do not believe asking the Supreme Court, our most important court, to stop the people from seeing who their leader is in debt to is an example of good law. The Affordable Care Act should have been good law, if Republicans weren’t scared instead of engaged in debate. If Republicans didn’t sabotage the process and the utility of the law-it would have been good law. Because we would have debated it. And only through debate can come good law. Because only when you distill from ideological positions into fundamental realities can you compromise on a vision for the future. Our futures depend on our ability to compromise. Our futures depend on each other. It’s high time we start behaving like that. And stop letting cable news hosts talking heads on my phone internet trolls rappers or anyone else convince us otherwise. We got this.