Robust Debate

There is good reason why the words “We the People” begin the Constitution of the United States. These words evidence the legitimacy of our government in a consent of and from the people governed. It is in this eloquence that we witness the democratic vision of John Locke and Thomas Jefferson in our constitutional democratic republic.

In the words “We the People” there is a critical and constant reminder that the responsibility of government begins with us. As a result, robust debate is not dependent on the media, present administration in Washington or Congress. The debate of critical issues that confront our community, our state and country begin with and depend on - us.

With the responsibility of citizenship, there is a duty vested in each and every citizen to seek, engage and pursue information necessary for robust debate. If we are to seek and find solutions to our present economic challenges; develop renewable alternatives to limited fossil fuel resources; reform our health care system to care for health and achieve the highest level of education possible for each person, then we must force ourselves to step beyond the dog-whistle political punditry of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others who offer unsubstantiated conclusions rather than solutions.

Reference to dog-whistle punditry is not a compliment. It is a frequently used device that seeks acceptance of assumed facts. The term also describes a litany of appeals to assumptions that fail any scrutiny under critical review. At the same time, all too many never question.

If probative thought is sought rather a Pavlovian response, then reference must be demanded for reports from the Congressional Research Service, Council of Economic Advisers; or primary source material. The singular challenging fact is the sources do not exist for the conclusions made by dog-whistle politicos.

For “We the People,” Thomas Jefferson envisioned a university plan so broad, liberal and modern to merit public support and tempt even those from great distances. Jefferson’s proposed university was a place of study at the highest level with the greatest of world renowned scholars. In this “We the People” finds renewed vitality. The success of dog-whistle pundits like Limbaugh and Hannity evidence a failure of “We the People” to live up to the vision of our founders.

Even for “dog-whistle” followers we must hope that the level of inquiry and comprehension may exceed marginal high school acumen and failed college profundity. At the very least, it must rise above success through bombastic self-promotion, situational disregard for truth, gender and sex based bias, homophobia and bigotry. Perhaps we may instill in our children a level of intellectual curiosity or basic ability to think so they may survive one or two college semesters before undertaking leadership of the Republican Party.