Father's Day!
The Responsibility of Fatherhood and Self Government.
Father’s Day originated in Spokane, Washington. Mrs. J.B. Dodd, a Washington state society woman, endeavored to create a day to honor the “poor old dads” all across the country. On the first Father’s Day, the third Sunday of June 1910, the beloved “pop” was showered with honor and appreciation for being a teacher, protector, and present in the home.
When I think about fathers, I think about John Adams protecting his oldest son, John Quincy, across the Atlantic. The time he sacrificed with the rest of his family to represent America overseas during the Revolutionary War. I think about my dad getting up every day and leaving before the sun rose in his big yellow mechanic’s truck. I think about him volunteering for the neighborhood HOA and helping maintain the roads. I think about the basics—setting a foundation, completing a task, and fulfilling a responsibility. When the basics are observed, and a strong foundation is set, a child’s or a nation’s future is secured.
On this Father’s Day, I want you to think about America’s foundation, the constitutional republic. It is uniquely designed to divide and separate power while balancing the multiplicity of factions, ensuring that no one faction can control the rest. However, generation after generation has chipped away at the constitution. The republic, designed to balance factions and separate power, has become corrupted by factions and has concentrated power into political parties. The parties seek to concentrate the executive, legislative, and judicial branches to advance party interests. Meanwhile, immigration reform has been unresolved for generations, the debt continues to grow, and we are in perpetual war.
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.” - John Adams
So, what is a father to do?
Look at it from a historical perspective. Fathers in 2024 are faced with a choice between two uniquely bad Presidential candidates delivered to us by the political parties. Trump and Biden are reminiscent of the Antebellum Presidents—those executives who acted in the interests of the party and failed to act in the interests of the people and live up to the responsibility entrusted to them.
In October of 1962, Soviet ships were on their way to Cuba to deliver Nuclear weapons. President Kennedy and his advisors implemented a naval blockade to stop them. This was an incredibly tense moment in the White House. They feared the blockade could lead to War. However, they also had a responsibility to protect American Sovereignty. Kennedy believed he had “no choice” if he failed to act while an external threat moved closer to American shorelines, he would have been impeached.
On January 6th, a large group of people went to the Capitol. A group inside of that large group beat up police officers, smashed windows, and chanted, “Hang Mike Pence.” They entered the congressional floor with zip ties and plans to stop Congress from fulfilling its responsibility. Meanwhile, as a domestic insurrection raged at the Capitol, Donald Trump watched it from his television screen. While members of his own party called and begged him to act, he did nothing. He failed to live up to his responsibility. He should have been impeached, but Congress failed to uphold their responsibility.
Joe Biden entered office after one of the most important moments in American history. This type of political unrest doesn’t happen overnight; it results from generations of spoiled power—individuals in Congress who are more concerned with getting reelected than fulfilling their responsibility to the American people.
Biden had an opportunity to separate from his party and lead. He could have united the disillusioned factions of the union simply by telling the truth. Is Trump the evil genius the Democrats make him out to be, or is he just taking advantage of a weak and inept Republican party? The truth is Congress has failed to legislate for generations. And while the country has accumulated debt, congressional members have gotten rich. Instead of pointing the finger at Trump, he should be pointing the finger at Congress.
If both presidential candidates are this bad and the political parties have this much control. What is a citizen to do? For that, let’s look to founding Father John Adams for advice. “Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.” The answer is to do what dads do best: focus on the basics and build a foundation of knowledge in republican government.
Step one: Don’t panic.
As bad as things are, we have plenty of time to make repairs. And not everything is broken. Our generation has been gifted a historically great Supreme Court. Decision after decision points the American people to the real problem: Congress. This was seen once again this week with the Garland v. Cargill ruling. As Justice Alito said, “There is a simple remedy...Congress can amend the law.” And that leads us to step two.
“To believe all men honest is folly. To believe none is something worse.” – John Adams
Step two: Focus on Representation.
Before Congress will step up and reform itself, the American people need to step up and hold them accountable. This means showing up at local party meetings and primary elections. Attend as many congressional campaign events as possible to speak to the candidates. Then, tell them to ignore the historically bad presidential candidates and ask them how they plan to reform Congress.
Step three: Understand the Republic's strengths.
In between attending events, brush up on your American history. Focus on the debates over the Constitution. The Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers are a great resource and are free on Audible. Learn why our founders wanted a Republican government and why it’s so important to preserve it. If you have trouble understanding, seek out a local history teacher, subscribe to Politics and Parenting, and email me.
Step four: Understand the Republic’s Weakness.
The kryptonite of a republic is a spoils system. A spoils system is a system of party politics where power is concentrated to advance party interests, and patronage is used to reward friends and punish political opponents. A spoils system implemented in a republic for over two generations becomes spoiled. Concentrated power inside a party seeks to undermine the elective process through confusion and division. Spoiled power is entitled, incompetent, and corrupt. It leads nations to war and divides them from within. Spoiled Power was most prevalent during the Antebellum period and the Gilded Age. Politics and Parenting is filled with great information about these eras in American history.
John Adams was a firm believer in Republican government, and that education was the bulwark to protecting freedom and independence. He did his best to balance the responsibility of his country and family, and he passed the responsibility down to the next generation. In a letter to John Quincy he wrote, “You will ever remember that all the end of study is to make you a good man and a useful citizen.”
In my day-to-day interactions, I meet all sorts of fathers: Girl Dads, Sports Dads, Stay-at-home Dads, Church Dads, Small Business Dads, and Music Dads. Each is working to fulfill the responsibility of fatherhood and provide their children with a foundation for the future. However, in the same way, a father is present in his child’s life to teach and protect them. He must be present in his country’s life to protect the republic and teach the next generation.
Fathers (and all citizens) out there who want to step up to the responsibility of Self-Government but may be intimidated by the task will find that it’s actually easier than they anticipate. It’s not much different from playing fantasy football. Read the Constitution. Debate the rules. Learn the players. Watch the games.
You got this. I believe in you.
Peace and Love,
Jeff Mayhugh