There is a rush to fix America, take caution that democracy is not shattered in the process
By Norman Franklin
Norman Franklin
We’re trying to fix America. Restore the narrative of America to “truth and sanity.”
The Oval Office/DOGE is unmercifully slashing programs and services. Alleged waste, protecting taxpayer dollars. The Department of Education is targeted to be dismantled. Deci sion making will be returned to the states. The Department of Defense is a run-away tank plowing through the archives of history. The his tory narrative must tell the story in the right tone, and hue.
I say we, to be inclusive. I say we’re trying and need to be inclusive, because minorities, the marginalized, the poor have defended our democracy. This is our America. African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans have always answered the call to arms, we are the American way.
I say we because we are not a footnote, it is a declaration. We, minorities, the marginalized and the poor, will not be pushed to the margins as footnotes in the American history narrative.
We have mined the archives of history to bring recognition of the hidden, untold stories; we helped build America’s greatness.
In our fixing of America, under the guise of “restoring truth and sanity” to history narratives, these contributions are being scrubbed from the archives, diminished, devalued and scribbled as footnotes.
Sometimes, in the process of fixing things, the unexpected can happen, alter the outcome, and bring unintended results. Things can shatter and literally destroy the things you were trying to fix. There’s a new reality. Some things are just gone, unrecoverable. Sweep up the shards of what once was and move on.
It’s like Humpty Dumpty, no efforts by the skilled and wise can put it back together again.
The rapid and chaotic restructuring of government will prove baneful to democracy. The process lacks the application of critical thinking.
A skilled rehab specialist follows a methodical process to gut an old building. They’re careful not to remove loadbearing walls without assessing the results. The structure could fall on them.
Our democracy is ruled by the people through elected representatives. We have the tripartite structure of government: the Legislative, the Executive, and the Judicial Branches. They operate independently but are designed to check one another.
The three branches are separate in their roles, but mutually dependent to maintain balance. This avoids tyranny, no one branch has unchecked power. In our frenzied approach to fixing America, these boundaries are intentionally challenged. If attempts succeed, what will be the face of democracy? If we continue to tighten the screws, will democracy shatter?
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has shuttered agencies whose services are vital to impoverished nations. Mass layoffs, and terminations of federal employees have handicapped, if not shutdown serval government services.
Foreign aid, once a hallmark of Biblical principle – to whom much is given, much is expected – trickles out to underdeveloped regions. Many lives have perished in the wake of diminished resources to combat the ravages of poverty.
DOGE, without legislative approval, disman tled the U.S. Agency for International Develop ment (USAID). The workforce was downsized from 14,000 to just under 300 worldwide.
That’s a tight fix. We haven’t fully measured the humanitarian impact.
I had been working to fix my tempered glass shower door. It has been a vexation for me. I would tighten the door guides. They would come loose. I applied some silicone chalk and tightened the screws.
The screws were tight. I was certain I had secured the fix. The doors guides will not come loose again. I had the door in my hand and prepared to mount it. I positioned the guides, juggled them to settle it into the track. I had the perfect fix.
The door suddenly shattered. I was left holding the handles. Thousands of pieces of shattered glass lay on the floor. I overtightened.
Such is the fate of our tightly constricted democracy