Empire Salon May 2024

During more than two decades of our existence, the Committee for the Republic has addressed a broad spectrum of cutting-edge political issues. Before the summer break, the last salon of the season will be dedicated to dispelling confusion and providing clarity. What have we learned in all these years of investigation and discussion?
As long ago as Ecclesiastes, there was a clear recognition that “What has been will be again; what has been done will be done again — there is nothing new under the sun.” The French are fond of saying the more things change, the more they stay the same. Lord Byron noted “history, with all its volumes vast, hath but one page.”
These observations instinctively recognize that — as the scenery and choreography change — the human story is sadly consistent. Chairman John Henry and Vice Chair Bruce Fein will lead a discussion about how the laws of human behavior are as discoverable and eternal as Isaac Newton’s laws of motion.
As a group, homo sapiens go to great lengths to avoid the question of why we exist. We are easily preoccupied with the pointless and narcissistic pursuit of hormonal gratifications: power, sex, wealth and fame. Confronted daily with indeterminacy, the thirst for certainty appears to be unquenchable.
Our species will never do the right thing for the right reason. Socrates gave his life to prove that truth. Political genius is fragmenting power to force the government to do the right thing — the opportunity to march to your own drummer — for the wrong reasons. As James Madison put it, “ambition must be pitted against ambition” to prevent the tyranny of the one, the few and the many.
Separation of powers is the centerpiece of the world’s oldest constitution. If honored, it is the deliverance of Americans from the scourge of war. Yet no other country in 235 years has incorporated separation of powers into their constitution. Unchecked power has been entrusted to the executive with legislators or judges reduced to the insignificance of extras in a Cecil B. DeMille cinematic extravaganza.
To ease the pursuit of empire, the United States abandoned separation more than a century ago by endowing the executive with limitless power. Liberty — the glory of our founding — has been crucified on a national security cross.
We have fallen below the educational threshold necessary to generate public support to restore the Constitution’s separation of powers. The Committee’s mission is to overcome that daunting educational deficit. No matter how remote the prospects of success, we dare not fail to try.

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