The CARING Essays
People, what is happening to democracy?

It is the same thing that has happened to every democracy in history. It is nothing new. It is the natural evolution and disintegration of a democracy. WHY?

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government; it can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority will always vote for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with a result that a democracy will always collapse over loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.”

Credited to Alexander Frasier Tytler

“If a society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”
John F. Kennedy

The Institute for CARING has a solution to these dilemmas. It is not Conservative and it is not Liberal. It is both and it is neither, but no matter what your persuasion you will like the CARING System.

But here is where we are now. Democracies basically run on three systems; Political, Legal and Economic. In many cases, and particularly in American democracy, the Political and Legal systems, as they were originally designed, are good, well-meaning and workable systems. The Economic systems are usually Capitalistic or some form of it. This is because you need a free market to have a free society and Capitalism is the best economic system to deliver goods and services in a practical and efficient manner, to create jobs, wealth, good competition and to breed creativity and innovation. It also can allow people to improve their lives in any ways they choose; financially, culturally, charitably or socially, etc. However Capitalistic economies have two negative dynamics: (1) they create dislocations. Changing technologies and trends will change markets which creates business failures or shrinkage. This creates loss of people’s jobs. Capitalism is a strong enough system that these people will eventually be reabsorbed but, in the meantime, there is a lot of pain. (2) The more serious negative dynamic is that Capitalism polarizes wealth. I used to think that “the tide raises all boats” and the “trickledown theory” was correct. However, with study and especially with recent observations it is plain to see that these are not true.
An easy way to understand this is to play the game of Monopoly which is a microcosm of capitalism. If you play it long enough, one person ends up with all the money and the game is over. In a democracy the majority of the people elect the Government. As this polarization of wealth takes place the society is broken into two financial classes; the very wealthy and the not wealthy. Obviously, the latter becomes the majority. This creates one of two events to happen. One, as Tytler infers, is that leaders of the less advantaged class (the majority) say, “these bastards have been exploiting you long enough. Elect me and I will take their money and give it to you……. we will call it your entitlement”. (Socialism). Or the “military- industrial complex” sees our wonderful country turning to socialism, which eventually always turns to dictatorship. They see themselves losing the “American way of life” and the things they have worked so hard for, so they come down on and take over society. (Fascism). So, the conundrum is that Capitalism is the best and really the only type of economic system for a democracy, yet it eventually destroys the democracy it tries to serve.

Right now, the Democrats and Progressives see the polarization of wealth and the pain it creates to so many of our brothers and sisters out of no fault of their own. They see so many people losing their freedoms, not just by the lack of the right to vote, but through the cruelty of increasing polarization and poverty. They see access to quality education, healthcare, human services and retirement being more and more out of reach. They feel that there are many people in America who do not care. They feel American democracy is unsustainable with this kind of society. They are angry AND THEY ARE RIGHT!

Right now, Republicans and Conservatives see that their country is heading toward financial and cultural collapse caused by unstoppable debt which is mostly caused by wasteful government programs and the so-called entitlements benefiting those whom they perceive as undeserving Americans and non-citizen immigrants. They see us losing the American dream and way of life. They see themselves pouring their hard-earned treasure into the abyss of government programs, yet the problems that they were meant to cure are getting worse. They see America, as it was supposed to be, being destroyed. They are angry AND THEY ARE RIGHT!

Through logical and natural evolution, democracy inevitably keeps going down the road of government entitlements and what we now mistakenly call Progressivism, because the majority rules – the “Tytler principle”. Republicans see this happening right before their eyes. Former bastions of conservatism such as Texas, Georgia, Arizona are turning more toward supporting government ineffective and wasteful programs. They see existing failed programs creating disgusting perversions in our cities. Republicans and Conservatives see no way to stop the destruction of our beloved country because “if you take money from Peter and give it to Paul, you can always count on Paul’s support”- That is human nature. They know that, long term, they cannot win at the ballot box. So, what is their only choice? LEGAL, and illegal PHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL REVOLT. In their minds the ends will justify the means. And the irony is that this revolt will also destroy the American democracy and dream that they are trying to save.

This is where we now find ourselves and America. We are watching the natural evolution and disintegration of Democracy. A people who tried to build a country based on freedom, brotherhood and sisterhood, charity, fairness, goodness, self-reliance, upward financial and social mobility, are now fighting over power to control a society that no matter who wins, will fail. And with that failure will come tremendous pain.  Conservative or Liberal, This is a no-win situation.

There is a new, exciting and unique solution that is explained in a new book, CARING for DEMOCRACY, The American Fix,  published by The INSTITUTE for CARING, a not for profit, nonpartisan Corporation. We ask you to read it and if you believe it can save our beloved country, join us. Go to our website to learn how.

Instituteforcaring.org.