property owners, voting rightsRecent comments by Tea Party founder, Judson Phillips, reminded some of us and educated the rest that, originally, the US Constitution was constructed so as to only allow property owners the right to vote. An interesting idea and how does that translate to today”s modern world? The first thing we should recognize, in light of the fact that present day pundits love to try and categorize that document”s framers as living in some sort of illiterate, barbaric netherworld, a characterization most blatantly false. Why is it the human animal has such as startling capacity for self-absorption, one that deems each present generation to consider itself the apex of civilization?

Sorry but civilization is not an eternally upwardly trending line. Do you assign societal value by how many microchips we can fit on a wafer or the number of contacts residing in your iPhone? We sincerely hope not. Such was the point Mr. Phillips was trying to make when made mention of the fact that the constitution originally limited the privilege of voting to those who owned property, assuming they would have a serious vested interest in the continued success of the United States as a collectively governed force.

We”re pretty sure he wasn”t suggesting we repeal the Voting Rights Act and thereafter consider only white, male property owners of a certain age worthy to cast a ballot. While Phillips did comment that the decision was a wise idea at the time, his point was not that voting rights should be taken away but rather that the founders had found a way to assure that the sacred process of voting was intended for those who wanted the country to work.

These days, it seems that a sizable portion of the citizenry, Commander-in-Chief and administration included, are hell bent on destroying the America that rose to prominence over 200 years of rugged individualism. His weapon of choice is the government printing press, which is on track to create a level of inflation that would have made our debt-resistant forefathers start planning how to escape despotism yet again. With today”s economy having made a 180 degree shift from the agrarian days of Franklin, Jefferson, and Washington, we don”t suggest making property ownership the dividing line but maybe there”s something else out there.

Ideas? Anyone?

The American Monetary Association

American Monetary Association

Flickr / charlesfettinger