It seems to me like the society has changed a lot in the past couple of weeks, the trade agreement fast track and the gay marriage, for example. Those changes and the general disposition of politicians are worrisome to me, but maybe not for the obvious reasons.
The Trade Agreement
The president went against his own party with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Well, there are democrats who think that free trade is good. Maybe in this case it would be good for votes from South-American countries (not really clear, though). The labor unions, definitely, were against it. Republicans support it, probably because of businesses. I think if the US doesn’t invest in education and research, all kinds of trade unions will be harmful. There is always someone who will do something for cheaper. They might not be able to do it better.
But that is not why I was worried about all this. As I understand it, the President gained more power. He has the authority to enter into trade agreements, and the congress can only vote up or down on it. They can’t change it. To me that seems like the power shifted. Maybe a little, but still, it did.
The Gay Marriage
I figured that the Supreme Court would somehow give the reason to gay marriage supporters, maybe invalidate the laws that prohibit gay marriages, or maybe say that the anti-gay-marriage laws need to be validated by a referendum (I am not a law expert so I don’t know if either of those options is a tool in their perusal).
See, in a way the legislative branch failed to resolve the issue. Some states banned it, some didn’t. The executive branch rally didn’t have a say in this issue.
I was surprised that the Supreme Court would step on the states rights. Traditionally it has been a state issue. State gives marriage licenses. Now the Supreme Court dictates about the states giving a license. Should there be a federal marriage license, then? In Utah, the state constitution was amended to say: “Marriage consists only of the legal union between a man and a woman”. The Supreme Court just invalidated a part of Utah constitution.
Also, they created a new fundamental right. Creating a fundamental right is not new, but I wonder if marriage is really a fundamental human right. See, on the list of other US fundamental rights are:
- the right to due process
- the right to freedom of speech
- the right to freedom of religion
- the right to privacy
- the right to interstate and intrastate travel
- the right to equality
- the right to assemble
- the right to bear arms
And now… the right to marry. Really? Now marrying is a fundamental right, without any referendum, amendment to the constitution, just because it was decided by a small group of appointed people. Also, a lot of the same people who support this new fundamental right to marry, are against an older, existing fundamental right, the right to bear arms. Just interesting.
I am always worried when judges, instead of interpreting the law, create a law. Of course in his opinion, Justice Kennedy referred to the 14th amendment (citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws). But, in my opinion they created law.
The Majority is Always Right?
Bertrand Russell said:
The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widely spread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.
In Finland there is a saying that “Stupidity concentrates in a group.” I truly think that the majority is not always (or most cases) right.
Even Jesus Christ said:
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:13-14
By that definition, the majority is never right when it comes to spiritual things.
Unwillingness of Politicians to be Statesmen
We need men who don’t care about polls, who believe in God (I don’t mind which religion), who just want to do what is right. Being a politician should not be a career. In the Book of Mormon there were a couple examples of this. First King Benjamin. He said:
I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;
Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded you—
And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you
I understand that nowadays it is not easy to be a statesman and also have a day job. In Utah legislature, the people only convene for some weeks, and the rest of the year work in their jobs. Maybe a good solution would be to limit the term of any politician.
There are also bad examples. King Noah was mainly bad. But even he got to a point that he thought that maybe he was doing something wrong. But then his advisors convinced him that he is being an awesome king. His advisors were even worse than him.
Apathy
We should all vote. Vote whoever you want but vote. I almost think that voting should be mandatory, with an option to abstain. I mean you can vote blank, but at least you have to go there.
Elder Maxwell said:
By focusing on himself, a selfish person finds it easier to bear false witness, to steal, and covet, since nothing should be denied him. No wonder it is so easy for governments to pander to the appetites of the natural man, especially if the trains continue to run on time, reassuring him all the while that his permissiveness is somehow permissible.
Whether it is free iPhones, entitlements, or any other thing that people want to get from the government for free, it is really just a bribe.
We should all be more involved in our communities, societies, and in the political arena. We can’t just let the politicians run unbridled.
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