A New Word to Consider and Some Thoughts about the Midterm Elections

The United States was originally founded as confederation of states, which initially went well inasmuch as it guaranteed each colony’s sovereignty which was seen as essential. However, it soon proved fatal to the stability of the emerging democratic republic. Its principal failure came over the lack of a singular currency, continuity of interstate commerce, taxation, and the ability to pay its bills. Ultimately the only hope for its longevity was the merger into a single union---the United States of America.

Today, some 250 years later, the nation remains, albeit in a watered-down form thanks to unregulated taxation, the unrelenting assaults on our freedoms (particularly freedom of speech, association, search and seizure, and right to bear arms). We’ve gone from a democratic republic whose emphasis was on individual freedom and maintaining a small and limited government into a something akin to a “Anocracy”, which has characteristics of both a democracy and an autocracy.

For many of you, “Anocracy” (or sometimes referred to as a “hybrid regime”) is a term you’ve never heard of, so what is it? Some of its features include an uneven judicial system with one set of laws for the wealthy and powerful and another set for everyone else. Flawed elections in which everyone votes, but those votes don’t always count (figuratively and literally). Elected officials often ignore the wishes of voters (or at best, give lip service to ordinary voters while pursuing their own objectives). The election playing field isn’t level, Some individuals and groups are permitted to participate, or at least equally.

For instance, one political faction may have to jump through additional hoops (such needing more signatures to get on the ballot or meet unreasonable requirements). Partisan control over electoral districts (gerrymandering). Elections become uncompetitive and executive authority grows. Unequal checks and balances between the branches of government start to become the norm while the judicial system loses its political independence and impartiality.

Undue influence from outside sources to the near or total exclusion of voters. (such as found in a corporatocracy or plutocracy). Other characteristics of an Anocracy included a deep, and seemingly hopeless, division among the populace along with a decrease in tolerance for diverse opinions, a growth in surveillance and reduction of civil freedoms, the increased militarization of the state, and the rise of demagogues of all stripe.   

Historically, an Anocracy tends to be unstable and often relatively brief. They often slid into civil war, revolution, coups, or full-blown authoritarian systems. This is the delicate nature of democracies (and republics) that not just our Founding Fathers warned about, but so to did the likes of Cato the Younger, Marcus Tullius Cicero, Plato, Aristotle, Alex de Tocqueville, Friedrich Nietzsche, and countless others. 

The United States currently falls within the guidelines to quality as an Anocracy. We are a de facto corporatocracy with Wall Street calling the shots; its lobbyists often writing the legislation that will become laws. Meanwhile, issues which matter to us---jobs, taxes, infrastructure, environment, gas and food prices, education, crime, illegal immigration---have little or no importance to their emphasis on profits expanding control over our lives. We are rapidly devolving into a Orwellesque surveillance state as we watch our freedoms decrease almost daily. We are expected to embrace our cages without ever looking up from our glowing screens and carefully crafted diversions.  

I mention this as we head into the midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3rd for a reason. We can still impact the path this nation is on. Reach carefully the positions your choice for office represents. Go to your Secretary of State’s website and check out who is funding the candidates. Visit each candidate’s webpage and see where they stand on issues important to you. Disregard their party designation. Both parties are corporate owned and controlled anyway.

Same can be said for news media “endorsements”. They want you to vote for the candidate who supports their agenda, not the agenda which necessarily represents your interests. Unless a certain candidate has a proven track record you like, seriously consider voting for the Independent or third candidate candidates on your ballot. It’s time we started voting for our interests for a change, not theirs.

Same goes for a candidate with a lot of corporate backing (often hidden behind names like “Citizens for….” or “The People for…”). If you can’t google them, chances are they’re just a front for some organization. They aren't getting these endorsements (and money) because they're photogenic!

It's time we said enough of this “voting for the lesser of two evils” nonsense such as the race for mayor in Louisville, Kentucky where the only serious choice is the write-in candidate, Jeff Yocum (due to a serious screw up by local GOP leaders in the Primary, there are two Democrats on the ballot running for mayor in the general election. Jeff filed to run as write-in). Finally, on any ballot initiative, read them carefully. If it sounds like it benefits the government, there’s a good chance it won’t benefit you!  

We can still change things around. If I didn’t believe that I wouldn’t be wasting my time and yours by writing this article if I felt otherwise. However, time is quickly running out. We must act and act now. We’ve gone from a democratic republic, the result of a long and bitter war, to something our Founding Fathers would be horrified to see. Let’s make them proud us again.

 

 

What is an Anocracy?

 

Hybrid regime

America might not be a democracy for much longer

The USA Downgraded from a Democracy to an v Anocracy (Part Democracyand Part Dictatorship)