I am seriously worried about the future of our Republic. The reason I worry is because our system is seriously at risk as a direct result of the quality of our elected officials. They are completely unable/unwilling to do what is right at any point.

To explain:

In Federalist 10, James Madison wrote about the problem of factions and how they destroy governments and societies. In that essay, he specifically explained we are set up as a Republic to fight against factionalism, which runs rampant in a direct democracy.
When a group/faction gets together and pursues a particular objective (even if it is bad and undermines society), then it is hard for anyone to fight against it in a direct democracy. They have the votes so they can force everyone else to go down their preferred path.
Madison noted that you can fight against such factionalism by addressing the causes (denying all liberty to people or having everyone agree) or addressing the effects. It is obviously bad to deny people freedom (see China) and it is against human nature for everyone to just agree
So a direct Democracy is useless in fighting against ignorant or misinformed masses so founders instead looked for way to limit the effects of such factions. They did that by dispersing power and trusting elected officials to behave responsibly.
It is in the last part that the check against factionalism has fallen apart. Idea was these officials "wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country, and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations"
Madison allowed for the possibility that "Men of factious tempers, of local prejudices, or of sinister designs, may, by intrigue, by corruption, or by other means, first obtain the suffrages, and then betray the interests, of the people."

That's why the second check exists.
That's exactly what we have now. Our elected officials now consistently pander to whatever populist passions are developed by the faction they represent without regard for what is good for the country or what is true.
That's why you have Democrats pretending abolishing ICE or defunding the police are sane position, why you have Republicans willing to undermine essential institutions or try to bribe voters with larger checks. Why you have both parties pandering to false conspiracies.
The hope is that the dispersal of power among states and various factions is still enough to check increasingly dangerous populist factions on both sides, but it's clear politicians are just unwilling to do what is right if it could hurt them with their own partisan factions.
And I'm not talking about what I think is right, but what they themselves know is right. You think Dems don't know that CBP facilities are necessary when they yell about "kids in cages" or Reps don't know that Trump's anti-Democratic efforts are wrong or deserve condemnation?
But they are too worried about the next primary, fundraising for the next election, upsetting the base etc. to tell the truth (at least publicly). The result is there is they get trapped and increase pressure on others to pursue actions they know are wrong.

More from Government

Long thread: Because I couldn’t find anything comprehensive, I’m just going to post everything I’ve seen in the news/Twitter about Trump’s activities related to the Jan 6th insurrection. I think the timing & context of his actions/inactions will matter a lot for a senate trial.

12/12: The earlier DC protest over the electoral college vote during clearly inspired Jan 6th. On Dec 12th, he tweeted: “Wow! Thousands of people forming in Washington (D.C.) for Stop the Steal. Didn’t know about this, but I’ll be seeing them! #MAGA.”


12/19: Trump announces the Jan. 6th event by tweeting, “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!” Immediately, insurrectionists begin to discuss the “Wild Protest.” Just 2 days later, this UK political analyst predicts the violence


12/26-27: Trump announces his participation on Twitter. On Dec. 29, the FBI sends out a nationwide bulletin warning legislatures about attacks https://t.co/Lgl4yk5aO1


1/1: Trump tweets the time of his protest. Then he retweets “The calvary is coming” on Jan. 6!” Sounds like a war? About this time, the FBI begins visiting right wing extremists to tell them not to go--does the FBI tell the president? https://t.co/3OxnB2AHdr

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@franciscodeasis https://t.co/OuQaBRFPu7
Unfortunately the "This work includes the identification of viral sequences in bat samples, and has resulted in the isolation of three bat SARS-related coronaviruses that are now used as reagents to test therapeutics and vaccines." were BEFORE the


chimeric infectious clone grants were there.https://t.co/DAArwFkz6v is in 2017, Rs4231.
https://t.co/UgXygDjYbW is in 2016, RsSHC014 and RsWIV16.
https://t.co/krO69CsJ94 is in 2013, RsWIV1. notice that this is before the beginning of the project

starting in 2016. Also remember that they told about only 3 isolates/live viruses. RsSHC014 is a live infectious clone that is just as alive as those other "Isolates".

P.D. somehow is able to use funds that he have yet recieved yet, and send results and sequences from late 2019 back in time into 2015,2013 and 2016!

https://t.co/4wC7k1Lh54 Ref 3: Why ALL your pangolin samples were PCR negative? to avoid deep sequencing and accidentally reveal Paguma Larvata and Oryctolagus Cuniculus?
1/ Here’s a list of conversational frameworks I’ve picked up that have been helpful.

Please add your own.

2/ The Magic Question: "What would need to be true for you


3/ On evaluating where someone’s head is at regarding a topic they are being wishy-washy about or delaying.

“Gun to the head—what would you decide now?”

“Fast forward 6 months after your sabbatical--how would you decide: what criteria is most important to you?”

4/ Other Q’s re: decisions:

“Putting aside a list of pros/cons, what’s the *one* reason you’re doing this?” “Why is that the most important reason?”

“What’s end-game here?”

“What does success look like in a world where you pick that path?”

5/ When listening, after empathizing, and wanting to help them make their own decisions without imposing your world view:

“What would the best version of yourself do”?