Whither Resides The Loyal Opposition?

One of the best references I found when I worked for the Federal government was “The Secrets of a Dynamic Subordinate” by William J. Crockett.  It begins with the premise that we all have a superior to whom we answer (even POTUS).  The key revelation for me, however, was that the subordinate’s primary duty is to help his/her boss succeed. 

In that capacity, a “yes man” makes a poor subordinate, as does the constant contrarian.  A successful subordinate adds value to the managerial process by providing honest, objective feedback that leads their superior to an optimal decision. 

Along those lines, I am reminded of “The Kissinger Rule” that I learned at the Department of State.  Secretary Henry Kissinger is said to have told his staff, “Never bring me a problem, unless you also have a number of solutions from which I can choose.”  This practice will also lead to success for both the subordinate and the superior.

Now, let me turn to the political arena, where there is a parallel concept known as The Loyal Opposition.  The paradigm has its origins in 19th-century Britain and is one of many traditions we have adopted on this side of the pond. 

This dynamic should be at play in all three branches of our Federal government.  For example, the Supreme Court always publishes the opinions of the dissenting justices. This provides evidence that alternate views have been given due consideration. 

In the Executive Branch, the role of The Loyal Opposition is supposed to rest on the shoulders of the career Civil Service.  These are the folks with extensive knowledge and experience in their program areas.  These are the people who can keep the Chief Executive from inadvertently violating the law or just doing something stupid.  They are there to help the boss succeed.  However, when career public servants are purged indiscriminately and replaced with political appointees selected for their loyalty rather than their merit, the balance is lost, and it will take decades to repair. 

It is in the Legislative Branch, however, that the concept of The Loyal Opposition should be most vigorously practiced.  Ideally, the party in the majority should seek out the best thinking of the minority, and the minority party should offer it.  Then, once a decision is made, the duty of the subordinate party would be to make the best of it.    

 Our reality is far from ideal, and I think all Americans know it.  The minority (subordinate)  party exhibits no interest in seeing the predominant party succeed or in helping them arrive at the optimal solution.  Meaningful communication is a lost art within our Legislative Branch.  In fact, the DNC and RNC demand that our elected representatives behave not as dynamic subordinates or as members of a loyal opposition.  On the contrary, party members are encouraged to engage in sabotage and subversion to ensure the failure of any and all initiatives by the “enemy.”  In this scheme, there are no winners, least of all the American Citizenry.    

In the spirit of The Kissinger Rule, I suppose I must now offer at least one solution.  My rebelutionary colleagues have actually offered a hundred options, but I believe the time is near when we will need to settle on one approach and go all in.  As my Masonic Brother Benjamin Franklin warned, if we do not hang together, we shall most certainly all hang separately. 

Each time I study one of the numerous reforms now being advocated, I return to my own with greater conviction, convinced that it offers the best return on investment and the best hope for lasting systemic change.  What sets The True Democracy Amendment apart is that, rather than impose a particular magic bullet, it seeks only to establish the mechanism by which We The People may identify issues of great general concern, determine our own remedies, and have our decisions bind the other three branches of government to action. 

That’s right.  The True Democracy Amendment formally makes The Citizenry the fourth and highest branch of our federal government, with a key role in setting national policy.  This innovation restores the balance of powers we cherish, inoculates America against the cancer of party, combats voter complacency by giving citizens a meaningful role in their own governance, and delivers the sovereignty we have been so long promised. 

Link to the full text of the amendment (right click):

https://6e03f4c6-9b1b-4add-8251-5e539e5c87b1.usrfiles.com/ugd/6e03f4_31887ab250254b4a872a101f86aa0deb.pdf