Our Democracy

 

Our Democracy

Our democracy can be likened to a two-hundred-thirty-nine-year-old grandfather clock. Construction started on our beautiful timepiece in 1776, and it was made operational in 1789. Just like the USS Constitution, also known as “Old Ironsides,” the exterior was made from white oak known for its strength and resistance to rot, and its vertical framing was made from live oak so tough that cannonballs could bounce off it.

The design was conceived in the Declaration of Independence, laid out in the US Constitution, and further refined in the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments. The pendulum, gears, weights, springs, and hands were made of the finest materials available by the best of American craftsmen. It was a masterpiece of American ingenuity. Its gear train regulates the speed and power of the pendulum, and its’ time-keeping gears move the clock’s hands. The suspended weights turn a pulley to provide power to the clock held in place by chains. It’s mainspring stores and releases energy.

Our democratic clock can work with precision when properly balanced, cleaned, and oiled. It needs regular maintenance by qualified professionals to keep it functioning with accuracy. Our clock has survived a Civil War, two World Wars, and countless other threats to its existence. Many have given their lives for its survival.

Like our metaphoric grandfather clock, our democracy is founded upon a robust framework of laws and principles, designed to uphold the rights and freedoms of its citizens. It was designed to last through the ages. The pendulum is at the heart of our clock, and it is a symbol of steady progress. It gets its kinetic energy from the will of the people. That pendulum continually sways between the policies and ideologies expressed by those people through their representatives in government.

The internal workings of our democracy rely on the balance of our institutions. The executive, legislative, and judicial branches must work in consort, and each provides a critical role. Like the clock of this analogy, our democracy requires a vigilant and informed citizenry to hold its leaders accountable to preserve the integrity of the system. Neglect can lead to an erosion of democratic norms and the rise of authoritarianism.

A grandfather clock displays the time and chimes regularly to mark the incremental changes. Our democracy marks change through elections, legislative updates, and civic engagement. Our democracy, like our grandfather clock, is a national heirloom that represents a legacy of enduring freedom and equality. Each generation inherits a civic responsibility to cherish and preserve this legacy for the enjoyment of future generations.

When that democratic precision instrument fails at its intended purpose, it is time to make adjustments. We may need to replace a worn part. It is not a time to break out the sledgehammer, prybar, and pickaxe. Reducing our democracy to a pile of rubble to start over is like a child kicking the game board because he didn’t get his way. Our man-child president seems bent on splintering our way of life to fashion something from the kindling that pleases him and others like him. We need to protect our national heirloom from all foreign and domestic predators.