Some Things Never Change

I love it when my assigned scholarly research actually produces something useful:

“The present Federal Administration — by its utter inability to comprehend the dignity or responsibilities of the duties with which it is charged; by its devotion to personal and partisan interests; by its weak and incompetent management of the national finances; by its unwarranted interference with the local self-government of the people…by its complicity with corrupt practices and scandals in various quarters; and by its appointment of notoriously incompetent men to high official positions — has justly brought upon itself the condemnation of the American people.”

It’s a bit long to put on a poster, but it sounds about right, doesn’t it? If you are anything like me, you were nodding your head throughout that whole paragraph. So who said it? Krauthammer? Erickson? Palin? Gingrich? Boehner? Not even close.

This succinct indictment of the incumbent administration (and more generally, of the American “ruling class”) was first penned in February of 1874 by the Democratic Party of Connecticut as part of their yearly platform. The incumbent administration was that of Republican President Ulysses S. Grant, infamous then and now for its corruption and incompetence. For six years, Grant had overseen the program known as Reconstruction, which was the broadest, most overt exercise of federal and executive power ever before attempted. The harvest reaped by Grant after his administration’s repeated snafus was, as this Democratic plank so bluntly puts it, “the condemnation of the American people.”

Later that year, the House of Representatives underwent the largest flip in American history, which still has not been matched to this day. Before 1874, the Republicans controlled the House 199-88, an absolutely insurmountable majority. At the end of the year (elections were held anytime between February and November), the Democrats controlled it 182-103, with two seats being held by independents – almost a complete reversal of the majority. In one year’s time, the American people completely rejected the ruling party, sending a clarion-clear message to the Grant administration that they would not tolerate more of the same.

As the title of this post states, some things never change. Unfortunately, the condemnations of this 125 year-old platform are still relevant today. Corruption, federal usurpation of state power, incompetence, and political pandering have not even begun to cease among America’s career politicians. In fact, most would argue that they have worsened. However, the good news is that the American people have not changed either. They are just as fed up and just as vigilant today as they were in 1874.

May we take heart as we reflect on the power of one year’s elections. In one year’s time, the American people achieved almost a complete inversion of power, ended an era of aristocratic rule, and effectively halted a theretofore unstoppable political agenda. We may not be looking at the same proportions as voters were then, but this year will, according to most predictions, be an undeniable rejection of the policies of an increasingly despised Congress. Regardless of allegiance to the Democrats, Republicans, Tea Party, or whatever else, we are all approaching an opportunity to participate in a comprehensive change of course this year. The United States was founded on the concept of power being vested in the people, and elections such as this one are powerful reminders of the timelessness of that truth. If it happened a century ago, it can happen now. The next 1874 may be only a few days away.