The Politics of Division

Politics is seen in many spectrum, interpreted in so many ways, and written in a way that will capture our interest. Political debates span the test of time, all of us are duty bound to elect the politicians who host them, and we are eventually obliged to listen to their endless political bickering and redundant speeches.

The Constitution of the United States, perhaps one of the oldest in the world, was written to fight abuses experienced by the colony from their abusive British King. Fundamental rights have to be respected, government boundaries clearly defined, and there should be separation of powers from the co-equal branches of government.

The people who voted for the government should never be afraid of their government, for it is theirs. It emanates from them. It is by them. For them. The government is their agency, and they are the sovereign.

Much as the original intention of writing a Constitution is to safeguard abuses of their government, but as though it might seem, a government, still, has to function properly that is free from harassment or self-proclaimed interests, in order to serve the people. And it must do so without any fear in promoting the general welfare.

There are several attempts lately to test through the checks and balances of the Constitution with the accusation of foreign interference in an election that put President Trump into office, by voting to impeach the President for obstructing Congress and abuse of power. These charges are outrageous, and proving them is close to futile.

Obstructing Congress means blatantly disregarding Congress, and this is tantamount to a Constitutional Crisis. When one branch of government fails to work within the framework of the law, the Constitution becomes ineffective and a revolutionary government may be on its way. To say simply that the President obstructed Congress is a very vague term, and executive privilege might, yet, be tested again.

And then, there is abuse of power. Executive power within the context of the Constitution is very broad, and it was left in the hands of the US Supreme Court to interpret it. In as much as the equality of the three branches of government operates in the sphere, the Court is very careful to draw limitations within the term Executive Power to prevent Congress fron gaining too much power and usurp the executive.

Congress can pass a law to make it illegal for the President to do things out of his own whim. They can force a bill into law by overriding the President's veto. But Congress is a collegial body, and there is a politics of division. 

It is how the framers intended their government: to encourage bipartisan support on questions that matter, and leave the politicking behind.

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Picture from Pixabay.