Let it be known that democracy died in America while the people shopped. Somewhere in between going to work, taking care of the kids, keeping up with the mortgage and weekend shopping trips to the mega mall, the people stopped paying attention to the leaders that govern them. As a result a real and deep disconnect exist between the governing class and the governed. This chasm was perhaps best exhibited in the Bankruptcy Reform Bill passed by Congress a few years ago, which was nothing more than a shameless gift to the credit card companies, that if the American people had been paying attention would have never passed Congress. It seems the only “people” congress represents, led by the Republican Party, are corporate persons, better known as corporations. And now as Americans continue to sleep, there is presently before Congress bills to ratify programs started unilaterally by the Bush administration, ranging from the torture of terror suspects to imperial power to spy on American citizens without a warrant. As a side note isn’t it interesting that the Republican Party a political party that purports to advocate a strict reading of the Constitution ignores the fact that the Fourth Amendment makes it clear that the government cannot spy on its citizens without a warrant.

The Republican Party strategy consist of two elements fear and apathy. In terms of fear the Republican party believes that making Americans afraid helps their candidates. They do not care what that fear is whether its terror, immigrants or gays marrying. As long as they keep you on edge and afraid of the unknown. They seek to create political apathy and frustration with the electoral process by feeding negative attacks that are often lies and misstatements on democratic opponents. For instance, in some African American communities in Maryland the Republican Party or affiliated organizations has been running ads accusing the democratic party of being responsible for segregation and white violence in the sixties. All of which is a lie. It is shocking how the republican party who systematically and criminally disenfranchised black voters in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004 can run ads accusing the democratic party of racism.

Republicans know that their ideas and beliefs are in the minority yet they maintain complete control over all three branches of the U.S. government. They support the corporate interests, the corporate person over the real person regardless of industry, regardless of the ramifications. Perhaps they should pontificate on a statement by the republican they cite the most, Abraham Lincoln, who stated regarding the growth and influence of corporations,

“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption will follow and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices and fears of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the republic destroyed.”