It has been said by some, and not entirely without reason, that the American experiment in self-governance is failing.  Is it?  Are we incapable of the virtues required of sovereign citizens?

The founding principle of American civics is that "we the people" govern ourselves.  As self-governing citizens, we ensure that the government does not rule over us, but rather that it act under us.  It is neither our parent nor our provider, but our subordinate.  We call the shots.  The government follows our orders.  Our representatives represent us – not themselves, not their donors.

Has all that become a pipe dream?

Perhaps as a nation we never did fully achieve the ideal of self-governance, but at least it was always the ideal.  It was a goal toward which we could strive.  That principle is now in serious danger.

The ascendant ideal is that of socialism.  Its creed can be summed up as follows:  I am entitled.  The government owes me a living.  I have a right to free stuff.  That – not social justice, not equal opportunity, not even black lives mattering – is at the core of the socialist movement.  Gimme.  If not, then I will riot and loot.

Socialism is on the rise, and its roots are sinking ever deeper into the social fabric.  Education, entertainment, and even religious institutions are indoctrinating our fellow citizens.  There is no reasoning with socialists, because when you try to speak, they shout you down, and that in itself is the harbinger of tyranny.

As matters now stand, we are not governing ourselves.  We are being ruled by a distant and largely unaccountable officialdom that operates mostly out of our view.  This system is supported by a bloc of voters who are appallingly ignorant of basic civics.  People who cannot raise their own children are allowed to vote, and the people for whom they vote tax you to pay for their children.

One must sadly conclude, then, that there is no political solution to our political problems.

Can we reverse course?  We can.  Instead of complaining about our failure to govern ourselves, we should examine the possible corrective actions.

First, it is necessary to restore citizenship to its constitutional roots.  Birthright citizenship was never the bedrock of civic entitlement, but only one of several considerations.  Not just anyone could vote.  Initially, only landowners could do so. 

While I am not suggesting that real estate is the foundation of citizenship, I would make at least one critical requirement for anyone to be a voter.  That requirement would be that every voter must pass the same test that foreign applicants for citizenship must pass.  Presently, most voters would fail that test, many of them miserably.

Citizenship founded upon basic knowledge of the Constitution would be a good start.  The rest might then, hopefully, take care of itself.