Solving real problems -- The balkanization of America

By Curtis Harris

"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Abraham Lincoln, June 16, 1858.

Lincoln was speaking of free states vs. slave states when he spoke these words. These same words apply to present-day America. The founding principles of this country no longer unite us as Americans. Instead, we find our identities through our memberships in sub-sets of American society, and, as such, we compete for special rights and favors from the Federal government. These internal divisions threaten the future of this country.

It is natural for people to form groups based on common characteristics and interests. It is also natural, even though we wish it were not so, for people to compete for resources and advantages by leveraging their group's power and influence against others. History is full of examples of groups or classes or kinds of people benefiting from their domination of other groups, classes, and kinds. Entire kingdoms and civilizations used domination of others as a foundation of their wealth and security.

By design, America was different. Our founding principles of individual freedom and equality put citizens, regardless of group membership, on an equal footing before the law. In America, no group is supposed to benefit by dominating their fellow citizens. Success, prosperity and, yes, dominance are to be determined by free and fair competition. America's history is the story of the struggle to actualize these founding principles for all Americans.

"Special interest groups" are a universal boogeyman in American politics today. Both major political parties routinely charge each other with domination by these nefarious special interest groups. However, life in modern society means we are all part of special interest groups. It is perfectly legitimate for these groups to have a voice in public affairs. The problem is that, all too often, these groups seek unfair advantage over other members of our society. Why do these groups seek unfair advantage? Because our Federal government, with power and scope far greater than our constitution allows and our Founders intended, benefits from the competition between special interests seeking unfair advantage. Granting these groups their advantages creates a greater advantage for the government -- power over society. Much of this began when FDR and the New Deal established the roots of socialism in America during the Great Depression. The July/August 2003 issue of the Cato Policy Report features an article by Jim Powell, How FDR Prolonged the Great Depression, that provides insight into the real effects of FDR's policies. Due to the growth of socialism in the years since, America is no longer a true representative democracy featuring free markets and equal opportunity.

On the surface, it is evident that many group distinctions divide American society. Race, gender, sexuality, religion, politics, wealth and income, and geography are examples of the lines along which Americans divide and compete for the favors of government. These divisions are a symptom of the underlying issue. The ever more powerful Federal government uses these divisions as a tool to control the American people. While we argue over which group gets what special treatment, the Federal government sits above the conflict -- a puppet master building a socialist state.

I use the quotation from Lincoln at the head of this column to set the general tone. I read the entire speech in which he used those words for background. Lincoln gave the speech at the Republican State Convention in Springfield, Illinois when he accepted the nomination for the U.S. Senate. The famous quotation is Lincoln's paraphrase of a statement by Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels. Just as the quotation applies to our time, I found the speech does also. What follows is the opening of Lincoln's speech that I have modified to fit our situation today. His original words are italicized. My modifications are in bold text. The source for the speech is The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, edited by Roy P. Basler.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention.

If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.

We are now far into the eighth decade, since a policy was initiated, called the New Deal, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting the Federal Government in charge of the American economy and of the course of American society.

Under the operation of that policy and subsequent legislation, the power of the Federal government to control all aspects of life in this country has constantly augmented. Career politicians and bureaucrats control our destiny. Financially ruinous federal programs create dependency on government. Groups of Americans compete for government favors and benefits. One-third of Americans believe in individual freedom, free markets and individual responsibility. Another third have accepted socialism and tolerate amorality. The final third are not engaged in the contest for this nation's future.

In my opinion, this contest will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."

I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half socialist and half free.

I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided.

It will become all one thing or all the other.

Either the opponents of socialism, will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till America shall become like all the socialist States, governed by a ruling elite and a place of class distinctions, corruption, limited freedom and opportunity, and amorality.

Have we no tendency to the latter condition?

Let any one who doubts, carefully contemplate that now almost complete legal combination -- piece of machinery so to speak -- compounded of entrenched members of the Congress, powerful federal bureaucracies and activist Federal courts. Let him consider not only what work the machinery is adapted to do, and how well adapted; but also, let him study the history of its construction, and trace, if he can, or rather fail, if he can, to trace the evidence of design and concert of action, among its chief architects, from the beginning.

Lincoln's speech goes on to discuss the status of the legal and legislative challenges to slavery then occurring between the free and slave states of the Union. Today, it could just as well go one to discuss the creeping progress of socialism in America since the 1930s and FDR's New Deal. The point is the same. America is a house divided and that division will be resolved. Either America will move forward in renewed freedom and equality, or we will move backward into more socialism and failure.

This column, and the previous column on God in government, covers the prerequisites for solving America's real problems. Ethics and morality based on the spiritual values all religions share must guide public policy and governmental conduct. All Americans must stand equal before the law and be free to participate in society without regard to membership in any sub-set of society. All people stand equal before our Creator, subject to natural laws. On that basis, we can move forward to solve America's problems and create America's future.

© Curtis Harris