🔗 Share this article

The former president's political spectacle regularly appears to turn even opposition as a segment of the circus. We become like extras who splutter as he thrills his supporters by disregarding long-standing standards. But why not we staged our own political theatre omitting Trump out – or at least with an alternative emphasis?

Earlier Precedents of Civic Movement

Revolutionaries during the pre-Revolution era established novel methods of opposition in response to British restrictions. Instead of using existing legislative bodies, they chose non-importation committees and even a first continental congress without any apparent official status or historical model.

These actions of political theater, however weak, ultimately culminated in a new nation. After the war, framers convened a constitutional assembly – nominally for revising the initial governing document requiring consensus among all members. Instead, the framers operated privately, replaced the articles altogether, and revised the method for modifying the updated system to a 75% threshold.

A Current Possibility for Reform

The Trump presidency constitutes a massive decline to democratic norms, yet it also presents an opportunity to reform these standards positively. Similar to the framers, we should create a selective, by-invitation assembly – an embryonic framework development – that opposing Democratic states specifically establish independently, confine among themselves, and manage.

The constitution contains some authority for such action.

Developing an Multi-state Partnership

These involved states could convene to propose a regional agreement between themselves, in the spirit though not necessarily the precise language of such agreements which the constitution’s article I, section 10, clause 3 describes. These states could propose to the federal legislature for approval as binding policy. Obviously approval seems unlikely under present circumstances, since the legislature in its current broken form cannot function regarding significant systemic change, embryonic or not.

However the objective would be to present a model for a new type of American government, following the current era, that carries forward part of the existing governmental structure with enduring value, combined with substantial transformation addressing the previous administration.

A Practical Proposal

Consider this: Multiple Democratic-leaning regions might announce a national emergency. Regional leaders might assemble a limited group aligned opposing governments to appoint representatives elected via constituents or governmental bodies. Their responsibility would involve to create a multi-state partnership, a statement of rights of citizens and duties of the participating governments.

The compact would distribute financial support of those obligations between the states and Washington, if it were somehow adopted by Congress. It would establish obligations that the federal government would support financially – just for member governments and any other that later decide to join the agreement.

An Inspirational Preamble

The partnership might begin with a statement in which The citizens of member governments affirm not just our rights but our obligations to engage all members with dignity. The statement would affirm our responsibilities to provide each person obtains sufficient nutrition, social security, health services, fulfilling employment as safeguards during an era of digital transformation. It should be explicit concerning the dangers of AI and environmental crisis. It should insist on the federal role in medical research and research-informed healthcare policy to ensure we live better with increased longevity.

Responding to Past Abuses

Additionally the document should include a comprehensive catalog of abuses from the previous government, acts of cruelty, that should be punished and remedied, and abuses from the judicial branch, including the campaign finance decision, which must be overturned through state action adopting this agreement.

Initially, member regions should also invite DC and Puerto Rico to participate as full members with equivalent rights and join the partnership.

The Most Difficult Aspect – Finances

Next involves the hardest part – funding. The partnership would set out designated projects which regional governments must finance and the programs that the federal government ought to support – minimum for the states that enter this agreement. The compact would function as a constitution long-term, and a financial plan for immediate implementation. It needs to incorporate a reinstatement of resources for Medicaid, and reduction of premiums for other forms medical care.

A Welcoming Invitation

Ultimately, the partnership must incorporate a call to Republican-leaning regions, and any further non-participating government to participate too, although they were not first approached.

Strategic Consequences

Whatever could be argued against such an agreement, it might shift the former president off stage and demonstrate a specific tradition-defying boldness from progressive forces. It might offer progressive regions credit for independent symbolic breaking of the pottery. All the better should additional regions decline to participate. {In