I recall learning about the federal government structure and operations in my freshman year of high school.
As a refresher, the executive, legislative and judicial branches each have specific roles, responsibilities and powers. Since total power is divided among the three branches, no one branch has unlimited or overriding power with the exception of the Supreme Court in certain instances.
This system has worked reasonably well for most of our history. Unfortunately, things aren’t going quite so well these days. The Democrats have long used the court system to implement their progressive policies when they could not prevail in the legislative branch.
If the courts stymie any of their current legislative agenda, I anticipate a full-court press (pun intended) to pack the Supreme Court.
The “Fourth Estate” is a concept that originated in Europe some centuries ago that recognized the monarchy as the ultimate authority. Below the king, the clergy, the nobility and the commoners comprised the three estates.
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The fourth estate was the press/media that had an indirect (and arguably direct today) influence on the full range of political activity.
In our democratic republic, the legislative branch makes the laws that govern the “state.” The executive branch administers and enforces (executes) the laws, and the judiciary protects the laws by ensuring they are in conformance with the Constitution.
The press/media constitute the Fourth Estate and their job is to honestly report on all the activities of the first three branches. Above all other things, the press and media are supposed to be the honest brokers who seek and report the truth for the benefit of all citizens.
We have freedom of the press precisely because we need people who can delve into the workings of businesses, government agencies and political parties and to bring their misdeeds to our attention without fear of reprisals.
Does anyone believe that is happening today?
For many years, virtually all the major media organs have been at the forefront of the voices working for liberal progressive causes. At the same time, these outlets have done their best to paint conservatives and their supporters as enemies.
I really wonder why there have not been any reporters with the chutzpah to really dig into the Steele Dossier - to bring to light the actions of James Comey, Carter Page, Michael Cohen, John Brennan and Robert Mueller; or the real collusion among Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama, Hunter Biden and his father, and so many others.
The people have a right to know; but that right is meaningless if the people who should be telling them the truth decide to mislead or tell them nothing.
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One would think that numerous reporters would be diving deeply into the 2020 election procedures and processes to validate the accuracy of the electronic vote counting, mail-in ballots, in-person balloting, absentee ballot security and the rest to address the feeling of many of the 74 million Trump voters who believe (but cannot prove) something was not copacetic about the result.
It would be nice to hear a full scientific explanation of gender, or the point at which human life begins. This government is ready to try to force religious institutions to bow to U.S. law when it comes to moral issues.
Finally, we deserve to know how much of the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill will directly affect U.S. citizens, how much is headed outside our borders, and how much will be funneled to friends of Nancy, Chuck and many others.
Citizens are told we have the ultimate power of the ballot. That’s a very important fact. But if we can only really flex that muscle every two or four years, it is essentially meaningless in the scheme where political parties, big businesses, social media companies and the East/West Coast elites control the game.
That is why an independent media/press is vital to the effective functioning of our government. I wonder if they will ever do the job they are supposed to be doing.
That’s the way I see it.
