“The Great American Experiment”

From what I could determine, the phrase “The Great American Experiment” derives from Alexis de Tocqueville’s book Democracy in America, written in the 1830’s.  I’ve asked myself “Why was America considered an ‘experiment?’”  Every individual may answer that question slightly differently.  I, however, believe it was considered an “experiment” because it was based on the idea of the citizen being closely involved with government instead of government being a separate entity that rules independently of the citizens.

Early Americans were a group of people from many different walks of life that came together to fight for a common goal, freedom.

1.       Freedom of religion

2.       Freedom from oppression

3.       Freedom from a tyrannous government.

Just to name a few.

Americans understood that in order to be successful they needed to work together.  But along with that they believed in individual freedom.  They believed in the freedom of each individual to determine the course of their life free from force.  They also understood that having the freedom to choose the course of their life meant that they also had the freedom to fail.  Signers of the Declaration of Independence knew that failing to win their independence might be a death sentence for them and their families. 

So what would cause America, “The Great Experiment” to fail?

I propose that it’s a lack of citizens being closely involved in government.  Citizens who sit back and say, “I’m not getting involved.”  Excuses range from lack of time to being uninterested in politics.  These are the same people that have the time to post pictures of cats on Facebook yet say they do not have the time to educate themselves or they fake having knowledge regarding issues facing their communities and nation.  What they really mean is that they lack the desire to educate themselves. 

It’s difficult to blame them for their frustration.  It’s become increasingly frustrating seeing representatives who promise to vote for more freedom and liberty, but when elected, do not carry through with their promises, They say they will vote against any tax increases yet they do not have the testicular fortitude to stand by that promise.  Because of this, individuals begin to feel as if their vote is a waste of time and energy.

Imagine if we had elected representatives who voted according to the very principles they advocated for.  What if we knew exactly how they would vote on any given issue because of their principles?  Recently I’ve heard various elected individuals attempt to justify why they voted against their principles.  Either you believe in your principles or you don’t. 

There is no excuse for any citizen not being involved in this “experiment.”  Being involved does not mean simply showing up to cast a vote for the usual party.  It means that each of us is responsible to fully understand the consequences of our votes and how they affect freedom and liberty.

Individuals running for office have the responsibility of standing firm on the principles that got them elected. Citizens do not want to hear excuses, just results. 

Let’s continue to reach out to the community and work hard to get those individuals elected who will fight for freedom and liberty.  We do this by getting the word out and then holding politicians accountable for their votes and being unwilling to make exceptions for “politics as usual.”

Let’s make this experiment permanent.