Democratic-leaning Governments Should Come Together to Declare an Crisis. This is How.
Trump's public theatre often seems to turn including resistance as a segment of the circus. We are similar to extras reacting while he energizes his base by violating traditional standards. But what if we staged our own public demonstration excluding Trump out – or alternatively with a different priority?
Past Models of Civic Resistance
Colonists during the pre-Revolution era created innovative forms of protest against British crackdown. Instead of employing existing governmental bodies, they selected non-importation committees including a pioneering delegates' meeting without any obvious legitimacy or precedent.
These actions of political theater, although imperfect, ultimately led to formal independence. After the war, framers convened a convention – nominally to modify the Articles of Confederation with complete agreement by every state. Instead, leaders deliberated behind closed doors, overhauled the articles entirely, and modified the process for modifying the new constitution to a supermajority requirement.
A Contemporary Opportunity for Change
The previous administration represents a massive decline for constitutional standards, but it is also a possibility to improve these standards constructively. Similar to the founders, we should establish a restricted, invitation-only group – an initial governing assembly – which opposing progressive regions exclusively create autonomously, restrict among themselves, and control.
The national framework contains relevant clauses to support this approach.
Creating an Multi-state Partnership
The involved governments would meet to propose an interstate compact among themselves, in the spirit though not necessarily the letter of similar arrangements which the national charter's interstate agreement clause references. These states could propose to the federal legislature to adopt as binding policy. Of course ratification appears improbable in this case, since the legislature in its current broken form lacks the ability regarding significant systemic change, whether preliminary or complete.
But the goal would be to propose a prototype for a different approach of political organization, following the current era, that preserves components of the existing political system that remains functional, together with radical change addressing recent political developments.
A Practical Example
For example: Several progressive states could declare a governmental failure. State executives could convene several of similar-minded resisting states to send representatives chosen either by the people or governmental bodies. The delegates’ job would include to create a multi-state partnership, a proclamation of entitlements of citizens and duties of the participating governments.
The partnership would divide financial support of such duties to member governments and national authorities, if it were eventually approved by the legislature. It would create obligations that national authorities would support financially – exclusively for member governments and future that later opt to enter the agreement.
An Inspirational Opening
The partnership might begin with a statement where We the People of these several states affirm not just our entitlements but our obligations to treat one another fairly. The preamble would recognize our obligations to ensure each person obtains food security, social protection, access to healthcare, fulfilling employment as security in a time of digital transformation. It should be explicit about the risks of AI and climate change. It should require on national responsibility in scientific advancement and evidence-driven medical care to ensure we live better with increased longevity.
Addressing Past Violations
Additionally the agreement must contain a specific list of wrongs during the last presidency, damaging actions, which must be addressed and redressed, and abuses by federal courts, such as Citizens United, that should be overturned through state action ratifying the partnership.
Initially, the states should also include Washington D.C. and the territory to participate as states on the same footing and join the agreement.
The Hardest Component – Money
Then comes the hardest part – finances. The partnership would outline the specific programs that member states should fund and the programs that the federal government should fund – at least for participating regions that join the partnership. This agreement would serve as both a governing framework enduring, but a budget document for the next fiscal year. It must contain a reinstatement of resources for medical assistance, and decreasing of premiums for alternative models of healthcare.
An Inclusive Offer
Finally, the partnership must incorporate a call to Republican-leaning regions, and all additional non-participating region to join also, despite they hadn't been initially included.
Symbolic Significance
Whatever could be argued criticizing such a compact, it would push Trump from prominence and demonstrate a certain norm-breaking courage from Democratic allies. It would give the blue states credit for their own symbolic breaking of traditions. More effective should additional regions do not show. {In