Once upon a time, there was a brave and courageous people who fought for freedom and liberty against all odds. Their enemy was one of the mightiest empires the world had ever seen, run by a ruthless king, with vastly superior military and naval forces. But these people had heart, they had determination, and they had each other’s backs. They truly believed in their cause, and were willing to risk everything, because they knew that living under oppression, isn’t really living at all.
To help raise the army and support needed to win their war for freedom, a Declaration was drafted to announce their Independence from the king. With promises of equality and a new form of self-government, the Declaration inspired those who read it to join in the revolution. It united the people in a common cause, offering hope for a better future. Ultimately, it was this unity that allowed a group of outnumbered and overmatched rebels to pull off the impossible, and triumph over the mighty king and his empire.
By winning their freedom and establishing a new form of government, the people changed not only their own lives, but the lives of future generations, and millions around the world who would be inspired to act and duplicate their story. These revolutionaries were true heroes who changed the course of history. Although it would later be the politicians and generals who were most remembered, it was the courage, sacrifice, and conviction of ordinary people who came together for a common goal that forged a nation.
As the years passed, the sacrifices of these first patriots were forgotten, and the promises of equality gave way to the personal interests of connected politicians and wealthy businesses. Laws were enacted not because they were in the best interests of the people, but because they benefitted certain individuals and agendas. The people were kept blind to the back room dealings, and became conditioned to believe that their government was the best there was to be had. Most never questioned the merits of the system, and accepted the influence of money as an ordinary part of the process.
Eventually one day when a wealthy businessman with questionable ethics, an immeasurable ego, and no prior political experience was elected President, things seemingly went from bad to worse. For his supporters, this President was a shot across the bow to the established political hierarchy, and a clear attempt to shake things up. Though many could relate with a desire for change in government, for them, this President was the opposite of what they believed in, and the absolute wrong kind of change. Thanks to his abrasive nature and divisive views, this controversial President stoked the political and racial tensions running through America. It appeared the nation was regressing, and taking steps backwards from the progress made throughout its history. But as the old saying goes, it‘s always darkest before the dawn.
You see, love him or hate him, one thing was clear, this President was polarizing, and the federal government was getting attention unlike ever before. With a steady stream of new controversies, staff firings, Twitter outbursts, and 24/7 news coverage reporting on every detail, even those without any interest government, or who stopped paying attention long ago, couldn’t help but take notice of what was going on.
Once the spotlight was turned on, however, the people soon began to realize just how dysfunctional things had become. It was more than just the President, the whole system was failing them. Partisan politics and special interests had warped their government to the point where the people were an afterthought. But keep in mind these were not just any people, and this was not just any country. This was America, a nation founded upon rebellion and protest. And so millions took to the streets, marching to call attention to injustices and hypocrisy. They marched against police brutality, racism, and sexism. Even the nation’s youth marched for gun control when they saw firsthand the influence a powerful lobbyist group can have on the laws of the land.
There seemed to be a growing sense among the collective of the people that unity was the key to solving their problems, but they lacked a common cause to bind them together. Their efforts, like their opinions and their politicians, were often divided, preventing any meaningful change from taking place. Until one day, along came an idea aimed at helping to fix the flaws in the system, instead of any one particular issue. This idea sought to transfer real power to the people and create a form of government predicated on fairness and equality, instead of wealth and influence. Ultimately, this was an idea to allow the people to govern themselves, instead of being governed by a select few.
At the heart of the idea was technology, and technology would prove critical to its advancement. Thanks to the internet, unlike ever before in history, the people had a medium to communicate and mobilize independent of any government or formal media outlet. Through this idea, people started talking to one another again, and more importantly, they started trusting and believing in each other once again. Strangers became new friends, united by a shared goal. And as the number of people who embraced the idea continued to grow, for the first time in a long time, there was once again a genuine hope that a better tomorrow was possible.
With the nation desperate for change, and fully tuned into the issues of government, the idea began to spread like a wildfire. Had it come along at any other point in time, it most likely wouldn’t have gotten enough attention, or been considered impractical, but the setting was just right for one small spark to ignite a roaring blaze.
Eventually the idea turned into a true movement of the people. Theirs was a movement grounded in love and inclusion, not hate and division. Rising up together as one, the people took back their country, and made good on the promises of equality first announced in 1776. By choosing to rely on one another and stand together, they evolved not only their democracy, but in the process, they evolved themselves. Like their revolutionary counterparts who fought for freedom before them, those who joined in the movement became heroes, helping to change the lives of millions, and eventually the course of history.
So you might be wondering at this point, did they live happily ever after? Well, that part is actually up to you. I obviously took some creative liberty when writing the ending to the story above (call it wishful thinking on my part), but the real ending is yours to write. I may have taken the first step in outlining the vision, but it’s up to you to carry it forward into reality. Without you, these are just words on a page with no real meaning. But with you, this can be the start of something monumental. Whether you realize it or not, you and I have the ability to create lasting and meaningful change in our world, but we can’t do it alone. We’re going to need to raise an army to succeed in this revolution, and so recruitment is priority number one.
Unlike revolutions and armies of the past, our ranks aren’t limited to young men willing to risk their own lives and to take the lives of others. Rather, our army is open to men and women alike, and persons of all ages, young and old. All races, all religions, all are welcome. And you certainly don’t need to risk your life or take anyone else’s, because this army isn’t about killing. Enough have died already preserving our freedom. Instead, our revolution is about establishing an era of peace and prosperity, and making good on the sacrifices of those who gave their lives for our country.
Though we may not bear arms like our military brethren before us, we must emulate their warrior spirit and determination if we’re going to be victorious. In this revolution, there is no foreign enemy to defeat, but rather our true enemies will be apathy and distraction. More now than ever, we’re being conditioned to move on to the story of the day. Forget about what happened yesterday, look what’s going on right now. In a world with so much information and so many diversions at our fingertips, it’s really easy to lose focus. And so our challenge will be not only to get people to pay attention, but to hold that attention long enough to see these changes through to completion. Particularly with a project of this magnitude, long term focus is crucial, and so we must resolve to never give up, no matter what, not until the end goal is reached. Little by little, day by day, we must fight to gain ground, to spread the word, and advance our position. If we refuse to accept defeat, then eventually we will achieve success.
For any army to prevail, it must provide its soldiers with basic training, and prepare them for their opposition. Our opposition is most likely to come from those already in power, who would rather keep things the way they are, or from people who are simply afraid of change. In order to win over the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens in a war of information, and to convince those who may be apprehensive, it’s not going to be enough to point out the benefits of a reformed system. We must also actively dispel the concerns of the naysayers. To this end, there are four main areas which seem most likely to be raised in opposition of the idea:
- Cybersecurity threats to a digital voting system.
There will be concerns that a digital voting system can’t be kept safe. But the one thing we learned from 2016 is that our elections aren’t secure now. As a nation, we maintain a decentralized patchwork of voting systems, which are vulnerable and underfunded and from a security standpoint. Even with the use of paper ballots, voter registrations, vote tallying, and vote reporting all still utilize technology in some capacity, which means they’re subject to possible attack and corruption. Unless we take the process off the grid completely, which seems counterproductive and impractical in today’s day and age, there will invariably be cybersecurity concerns surrounding our elections.
While there has been a heightened awareness placed around election cybersecurity and increased cooperation between federal and state agencies since 2016, if we expect to adequately protect the most fundamental of processes in our democracy, we must take a unified approach, and put national resources and investment into the tools needed to develop a sustainable defense. In particular, blockchain technology has the potential to solve our election security issues. Although this technology is still in its infancy, it can be a bonafide game changer thanks to its incorruptibility. As evidenced by the billions being invested by the private sector and even foreign governments, blockchain isn’t just another tech fad, it’s rapidly becoming the foundation for security in a digital age.
Nearly every person who works in cybersecurity will tell you just how critically important it is to have an incident response plan in place to be able to react to cyberattacks. Having pre-defined procedures helps to ensure there is no panic if and when something happens. Like anything else, preparedness is key. Under our current structure, however, we have no established procedures or plan in place to deal with the fallout if our elections were ever successfully hacked. We have 50 states, each with their own sets of rules. But with a singular system, and a set of rules administered jointly together between the federal government and the states, it allows us to get organized, and get on the same page. It means there doesn’t need to be panic and pandemonium if the worst case scenario happens, because we’ll be ready and prepared for it, just in case.
- Lack of efficiency in a system that requires regular public voting.
Concerns over efficiency are probably best addressed by pointing to the fact that the current legislative process is highly inefficient in its own right. Look no further than the filibuster, a time honored tradition in the Senate since the early 1800s. The filibuster allows a senator to speak indefinitely on any topic, unless at least 3/5 of senators vote to conclude the debate. Some senators have gone so far as to read from the phone book and recite recipes in order to waste time and prevent a vote from taking place. In fact, the longest filibuster in history came from South Carolina Senator Strom Thurman, when he spoke for just over 24 hours straight, reading from the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and even George Washington’s farewell address, as he sought to stall a vote on the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Together with his fellow senators from the south, they consumed a total of 57 days filibustering before the Act eventually passed.
To put a public vote in context, as long as the technology is there to support it, we’re really only talking about adding as little as a day, and a probably no more than a week at most. In a system that once allowed a nearly two-month long blatant waste of time before the passage of the Civil Rights Act, it sure seems there’s room to spare an extra few days for something as important as giving the American people a legitimate role in the legislative process.
- People are not capable of governing themselves.
This particular opposing view is likely to take on several different forms. People aren’t smart enough. It will be mob rule. The masses are easily manipulated. I imagine these arguments are most likely to come from those who think they’re smarter than everyone else, or from the glass half empty type of folks. But the logic necessarily fails with each. We’re all people (including our current officials), and so if people are not smart enough, then who is exactly?
Concerns over mob rule are generally unfounded thanks to the Bill of Rights. These first 10 Amendments, ratified in 1791, provide all Americans with certain basic human rights that cannot be infringed upon by the government, regardless of who’s in charge. Whether it’s the people at large, or a system of representatives, the Bill of Rights draws a line that cannot be crossed without running afoul of the Constitution.
As for the masses being easily manipulated, though I do believe we are each fully capable of making up our own minds, it’s true that some of us are more inclined to be leaders and others to be followers. Good, bad, or otherwise, persuasion is a part of the equation when dealing with public opinion, which is why we’ll still elect our officials, even in a reformed system. The Senators and Representatives will provide an official source of information and opinions to the voting public to prevent us from being a leaderless group. Ultimately, the official and the people will work in tandem, with each acting as a check on the power of the other.
The real truth of the matter is that the American people have never been given an opportunity to lead in this nation, and so no one actually knows how it will turn out if we get the chance. What we do know, however, is that the current way of doing things has resulted in bitter partisanship, distrust, and division amongst our government officials, and even fellow Americans. If we ever hope to end up with different results, then we’ve got to try something different.
As individuals, we all have our limitations, but when we work together, we accomplish amazing things. So why should we be afraid of working together for purposes of government, rather than rely on a system which is comprised of individuals? It’s impossible for any single person to possess the knowledge of the people at large. Our collective views and beliefs are what establish our societal standards, but yet our government and system of laws is a byproduct of the views and beliefs of a select few. There’s wisdom to be found in the collective, but so far throughout our history, it’s never been given a chance to fully shine through.
- It’s too big of a change.
There’s no doubt that these proposed changes are significant, seeing as how they seek to alter the hierarchy of power in our government. But the end result isn’t really all that different from what we have now, only with key changes to help fix the problems. We’re not talking about overthrowing the system and starting over. We’re talking about reforming it. The institutions, the officials, and the structure will all still be the same, only with the people as active participants.
Slavery wasn’t abolished because it was easy. A war was fought to rid our nation of this stain because it was the right thing to do, and because human beings aren’t meant to be controlled by other humans. Women weren’t granted the right to vote because it was a good time for a change. It was earned over fifty years of raising awareness, and because equality actually means something here. Our nation didn’t become what it is today because the American people sat on their hands and turned a blind eye to injustices. It became great because we recognized our flaws, and there were enough of us willing to stand up, stand together, and do something about it, even if it meant taking on a well-established hierarchy. We don’t fear the underdog role, we embrace it, and we use it to inspire us onto victory.
We’re at a point in our history where we either do something to fix the problems, or we watch as division destroys us from the inside out. The time for ‘me’ first must come to an end. If we’re going to continue to prosper and thrive, it’s time to start putting ‘we’ first. Though it may seem like a daunting task, we have history on our side. This country was founded by rebels who stood up against oppression. A nation of pioneers and innovators. We’ve done this before, and we can do it again. The time has come to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. It’s our turn to leave our mark on America.
According to a 2018 report published by Scientific American, the tipping point for new ideas to make their way into the collective mainstream is around 25% of the population. If the first 25% adopt the idea, then the majority of the rest will follow naturally. Though there will always be some small percentage that will never be swayed, we don’t need to convince everyone. We just need a quarter of the population. When you consider the impact of social media and the countless forms of communication available to us, 25% isn’t a pipe dream, it’s a number we can reach.
So how do we get there? How do we achieve the critical mass needed to actually make this happen? Once again, it all starts with you. This is your idea now, and it’s up to you to make it a reality. Consider it my gift to you. One of the main reasons why I chose to author this work anonymously and publish it for free was to be able to give it away to you. It’s no longer my idea, it’s yours. Just promise you won’t treat it like an ugly sweater you got from your grandma one year for your birthday, tucked away in the bottom drawer, never to see the light of day. This idea isn’t something to put on the back burner, it’s something to act on.
Despite what Hollywood shows us, there’s no Superman or Wonder Woman coming to save the day. The superheroes we see on the big screen are fictitious characters, the products of someone’s imagination. What’s interesting about these characters, though, is that despite being the product of one person’s imagination, they’ve made their way into our collective consciousness, to the point where virtually everyone knows of them. Even if you’re not into comic books or superhero movies, you know who Spiderman and Batman are. Ideas are imagined into life every day, and some grow so big that they reach us all. Just because we’re not children anymore doesn’t mean that we have to stop imagining. We may not have super powers, but you and I can save the world if we work together. The opportunity to be a real-life hero is right here in front of you, right now. So will you choose to act?
You don’t need to commit your life to this cause, but if we’re going to be successful, we need citizens like you to be active in your efforts to effectuate change. Talk to your friends and family, talk to your co-workers or classmates. Just keep talking, and keep the conversation going. Explain how it will work, explain how this idea will solve our biggest problems, or simply encourage them to read this book, and formulate their own opinions.
Try not to focus your efforts only on like-minded individuals, who share the same political or social views. You never know where an ally might come from. Remember, this idea is about everyone, and we’re going to need as many to join our ranks as possible to win this fight. Is your heart beating? Are you breathing? Then this movement is about you, and giving you a voice.
At various points throughout this book, I’ve been openly critical of our current President, and to a lesser extent the Republican Party. And though I do believe the criticism is justified, my hope is that it doesn’t alienate those who don’t share the same opinions. One of the major goals of this whole idea is to lessen the impact that individuals and political parties have on the process, and so it shouldn’t be construed as favoring one party over the other. To think that we all fit neatly into one of two boxes, as either a liberal or conservative, doesn’t do justice to the complexity of human beings and the issues we face in our modern society. Yet for whatever reason, we take a simplistic binary approach to law and government, limiting ourselves to just two choices. That approach may have worked in simpler times, but right now, it’s plain to see that it’s holding us back.
As you look to spread this idea out into the world, if you’re met with opposition or animosity from someone who doesn’t agree or has a different opinion, don’t be deterred. Resist the urge to respond with anger or hostility, and instead simply explain to your fellow citizen that this idea is just as much about them as it is about you. Though we’ve talked about raising an army, and drawn several military comparisons throughout this chapter, this isn’t actually a revolution at all. It’s an evolution. Revolutions are violent and bloody, but an evolution is a natural progression. Species evolve and adapt to changing environments in order to survive, and so must we.
Virtually all of the major world religions, and in particular Christianity, the belief system for more than 70% of Americans, teach that we were gifted with free will, and that we ought to treat each other how we want to be treated. Even for those who aren’t religious, these basic concepts still ring true. At the end of the day, that’s what this idea is all about. It’s about giving us a chance to exercise our free will on a regular basis, and it’s about looking out for one another and having each other’s backs. So when we compare it to what we have presently, there is no real comparison as to which is a more natural means of governing.
When we think about our freedoms as Americans, most of us initially recall the First Amendment and its protections of free speech, freedom of religion, and a free press. But also included in the First Amendment are two other freedoms: the freedom to peaceably assemble and the freedom to petition the government. The freedom to assemble has, of course, been used quite famously and extensively throughout our history by groups who marched on Washington in an effort to spur change. Unlike those movements of the past that relied on assembly, we have technology available to aid our efforts, which makes our freedom to petition even that much more of an effective tool.
Generally described as any nonviolent, legal means of encouraging or disapproving government action, the Supreme Court characterized it this way in a 2010 decision: “The right to petition allows citizens to express their ideas, hopes, and concerns to their government and their elected representatives. . .” In the past, this meant mailing letters to your local congressman or gathering signatures at rallies or by canvasing a neighborhood. No longer, however, are we constrained to the number of physical signatures we can track down in person, or the number of letters we can hand write and mail. We have the ability to reach millions of fellow citizens instantly through the internet, and thanks to email, communication with our government officials is quicker and easier than ever before.
It’s unfortunate, but it seems our officials are becoming immune to the efforts of citizens to assemble and rally around certain issues. Though our modern-day marches get national media attention, those in power seem content to simply wait it out, assuming the public will lose interest soon enough, rather than take any action in response. So instead of simply assembling, we must use our freedom of petition to get their attention. If you don’t already know who your government officials are, or how to get in contact with them, there are a number of available resources online. In particular, the website www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative is a quick way to find this information, simply by inputting your address. And remember that your freedom to petition isn’t limited to just the federal government, but applies to state government, as well.
So here’s my suggestion for a simple way to exercise your freedom to petition, which can have a powerful effect. Send five emails a month: two to your U.S. Senators, one to your U.S. Representative, one to your State Senator, and one to your State Representative. (For those in Nebraska, who don’t have a state representative, four emails will do.) Don’t worry if you’re not much of a writer, or are short on time, as I’ve got you covered. Just put ‘Evolution’ in the subject line, and copy and paste Amendment nos. XVIII – XXX from Chapter 6 into the body of the email. You’re certainly free to write more or less if you want, as that is, after all, your First Amendment right. But know that great care was taken when drafting these proposed new Amendments to ensure they addressed all of the practical details necessary make these reforms functional.
Once you know who your officials are, and have their email addresses, the whole process shouldn’t take more than ten minutes. If we each commit just ten minutes a month to exercising our Constitutional freedom to petition our government, and we are steadfast in our efforts, we can’t be ignored. Together, if enough of us speak up in unison, our voices will be as loud as thunder, shaking the very foundation upon which our government rests.
Another simple, yet powerful way to exercise your freedom is to sign an online petition. To help get things started, I’ve started one already at: https://www.change.org/p/the-american-people-the-evolution-of-democracy. Awareness is key, so please be sure to spread the word to as many as possible. Having a count of how many citizens support this idea is critically important, as it quantifies our reach. Though the power of the people in government may be limited now, we still hold the right to elect our officials. And so if we make it known that enough of us stand in favor of this idea, our officials will eventually have to support it as well, simply out of self-preservation. If not, then we elect someone else into office that does. It may take time to drive our numbers high enough to force the hands of our officials, but it doesn’t necessarily have to. After all, if we were able to make a laughing soccer mom in a Chewbacca mask and doped up kids leaving the dentist overnight celebrities, known to millions of Americans, then why can’t we do the same or better with something as meaningful as this?
Before the Bill of Rights or the Constitution were drafted, the Declaration of Independence granted the American people rights with respect to our government, even before it was formed. These rights were given to us at a time before the war for freedom was won. These were not the victors dividing up the spoils, but these were truths written by those seeking to forge something new. These words were meant to inspire action. When we dust off the less quoted language of the Declaration, we find that our government isn’t meant to be static, but rather it’s subject to change by the people when we see fit:
“. . .Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
These were the original rights given to us as Americans, before anything else, but yet we have never exercised them. Our government remains essentially the same as when it was formed, only now, its age is starting to show. It’s no longer adequate to support a modern society like ours, and it’s impeding our progress. The time for us to rise up together as one, and exercise our original rights as Americans has come. Although the words of the Declaration were written centuries ago, they provide a guiding light to show us the way as we seek to evolve our democracy. Like the patriots who first found inspiration in these words, so too shall we.
As you begin your journey, and follow in the footsteps of the revolutionaries who came before you, I wish to leave you with three final things to further inspire you along the way. Each has proven inspirational to me at various points throughout my own two year journey of writing this book, and I believe that each truly captures the essence of this idea. Because this work has been primarily political in nature, it seems only fitting that we conclude it with a quote, a speech, and a slogan.
Rather than cite to one of the many great quotes from the founding fathers, our final quote instead comes from Dr. Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine. Through his work, the lives of millions of people were saved. And even long after his own death, his work continues to save lives. What would otherwise be a deadly and debilitating disease, is now virtually non-existent, all thanks to him. Though he could have patented his vaccine, and reaped a financial windfall, Dr. Salk decided to give it away for free, and never made any money from it. When asked why, he simply explained that he felt it belonged to the people. A true hero in every sense of the word, his life’s philosophy is embodied in the following quote, which is etched in stone at the Salk Institute in San Diego:
“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.”
The speech was delivered by perhaps an even more unlikely candidate, as it comes from Charlie Chaplain, who is best known for his work in silent films. In 1940, however, Chaplain wrote, directed, and produced his first sound film, The Great Dictator. This film was a political satire comedy-drama, intended to condemn the rise of Hitler and Mussolini and to call attention to the growing anti-Semitism that much of America and the rest of the world outside of Europe wasn’t aware of. At the time when it premiered, America had not yet entered into World War II. Though The Great Dictator was commercially successful in its day, money wasn’t what drove Chaplain to make the film. He was looking to make a difference in the world. Unfortunately, the film didn’t win any of the five Oscars it was nominated for, but eventually Chaplain’s efforts were formally recognized when the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the national registry for its historical and cultural significance.
In the film, Chaplain plays two roles, one as the dictator (his spoof on Hitler) and one as an ordinary Jewish barber, who happens to look like the dictator. At the end of the film, thanks to a case of mistaken identity, the barber has an opportunity to deliver a speech to a giant crowd, who think he’s the dictator. This speech has since become famous, and you may have even heard it before. I found it myself about a year or so ago, while I was about halfway through writing. The first time I heard it, I felt as if Chaplain had written it specifically in support of this book and this idea, and I knew it needed to be included somewhere. Although some of the technological references in the speech are dated at this point, I’m still astounded at just how applicable his words remain still, more than 70 years later.
I’ve probably listened to it a dozen or so times since, as it’s only about 3½ minutes long, but every time I hear it, I’m just as inspired as I was the first time. And so if you even if you’ve heard it before, I would encourage you to listen again, only this time putting it into the context of this idea. There are several versions of the speech on the internet, but my favorite is this particular one on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WibmcsEGLKo. (A direct clip from the film, without the added images and background music, can be viewed at https://www.charliechaplin.com/en/articles/29-The-Final-Speech-from-The-Great-Dictator-.)
Lastly, throughout American history, slogans have proven to be an integral part of the political process. From the original ‘Tippecanoe and Tyler Too’ through to the more recently used ‘Change We Can Believe In’ and ‘Make America Great Again,’ slogans are a short and simple way of expressing what a candidate or a movement stands for. Their purpose is to inform and rally support, and the good ones have been successful in doing just that. For this evolution of our democracy, I believe the following slogan best sums up what it’s all about:
Heal the past. Script the future. Live in the moment.
Remember why we are doing this, and where we have come from. Our past is our past, and cannot be changed, but it need not define us going forward. Instead, think about who we can become, and what we can achieve. Take stock each day of where we are at from a progress standpoint. Until we reach our end goal, we must continue to advance the line, stand united, and stay strong. But perhaps more importantly, don’t forget to enjoy the journey, and take it all in along the way. After all, it’s not every day that an opportunity comes along to be a part of something bigger than yourself, to change history, and to save the world. So what do you say, will you join me in this movement? Together, we can be heroes.
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