Way back in 1840, the Democratic Party was in love with small government and state's rights and fiercely opposed to central banks and federal over-reach. What happened? by Ken D. Berry, MD
(libertarian)
Sunday, May 23, 2010
During a recent bout of what I like to call hard-cord web-research (Ms. Bridget calls it by another, less printable term) I stumbled upon the Platform of the Democratic Party for the election of 1840, consisting of nine planks. Wondering if the Democratic Party had evolved much in the last 170 years, I began to read.
After almost every plank, three thoughts kept racing into my mind. First, Hey, I totally agree with that; and second, I wonder what President Obama and the democratic leadership would think about this, third, this stuff is too conservative for main-steam Republicans, much less Democrats! Apparently, a Constitutional-libertarian is the same as an 1840 Democrat. I have numbered and bolded each plank of their platform, and made what I think are some quite clever comments on each. Peruse the planks below and see where you stand.
1. Resolved, that the federal government is one of limited powers, derived solely from the constitution, and the grants of power shown therein, ought to be strictly construed by all the departments and agents of the government, and that it is inexpedient and dangerous to exercise doubtful constitutional powers.
First off, what does "Resolved." mean? Evidently, way back in 1840, they actually voted on the planks to be included in the party's platform, giving the people an actual say in what their party stood for. Secondly, no, I didn't make any of this up! Can you believe that last part? {it is inexpedient and dangerous to exercise doubtful constitutional powers} Wow! Haven't Democrats been saying that very thing lately? Third, I feel myself wanting to automatically agree with anyone speaking of the "limited powers" of the federal government. Fourth, the language is so superior and correct that my word processor's spell checker is feeling a bit deprived.
2. Resolved, that the constitution does not confer upon the general government the power to commence and carry on, a general system of improvements.
Bingo! Two for two. So these democrats are saying that we shouldn't try to stimulate the economy by funding road improvements not really needed, and putting up an expensive little sign proclaiming who and what had happened to the road? A Democrat would never spend taxed money on improvements to stimulate the economy or on a mandated health-care system; they would wisely recognize the economic folly of any such project, not to mention its unconstitutionality.
3. Resolved, that the constitution does not confer authority upon the federal government, directly or indirectly, to assume the debts of the several states, contracted for local internal improvements, or other state purposes; nor would such assumption be just or expedient.
Perhaps certain Republican Governors should read this one. If he were a Democrat, he would know better than to expect the federal government to bail out his state. Hopefully, Democrats at the federal level will educate certain Governors on the unjustness of such assumptions.
If only public education would teach young Americans about our Union's own socialistic mistakes in the past, perhaps then we wouldn't routinely repeat them time after time. Democrats know it is never a good (or constitutional) idea to bail out a state, or even a bank, much less a car company. After all, even states aren't too-big-to-fail, right?
4. Resolved, that justice and sound policy forbid the federal government to foster one branch of industry to the detriment of another, or to cherish the interests of one portion to the injury of another portion of our common country that every citizen and every section of the country, has a right to demand and insist upon an equality of rights and privileges, and to complete and ample protection of person and property from domestic violence, or foreign aggression.
So the federal government should not help one type of business at the expense of another? Yep, I agree with that. I also like the language about every citizen having the right to demand and insist upon equality; perhaps they meant equality of opportunity, not equality of success. Like all good Democrats, I am ready to demand and to insist that the federal government stay out of all industries, including medicine, banking and the auto industry. A self-respecting Democrat does not really believe the feds can impose legislation upon medicine without either directly or indirectly assisting the big guy over the little guy. Finally, notice how these Democrats recognized a difference between rights and privileges; I am sure the thought of an "Entitlement" would really have galled the Platform Committee of 1840.
5. Resolved, that it is the duty of every branch of the government to enforce and practice the most rigid economy, in conducting our public affairs, and that no more revenue ought to be raised, than is required to defray the necessary expenses of the government.
Of course, I agree with this one too, but the language is a little less than water-tight. The term "most rigid" sounds as if they really meant it, though. Actions such as arbitrarily spending the remainder of this year's allotted budget so as to ensure no decrease in next year's budget is something a Democrat would never do, being wasteful and essentially dishonest. Spending money to enforce mandated health-insurance coverage just does not rise to the 1840 Democratic ideal.
6. Resolved, that congress has no power to charter a national bank; that we believe such an institution one of deadly hostility to the best interests of the country, dangerous to our republican institutions and the liberties of the people, and calculated to place the business of the country within the control of a concentrated money power, and above the laws and will of the people.
Of course the language of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 technically got around the concept of chartering one national bank, but what it forced upon America was essentially the same. Any entity, being in complete control of an elastic money supply will do just what this plank goes on to warn us about, namely, endangering our liberties and slowly moving wealth into the hands of the few by way of covertly pilfering the many. When Mr. Bernanke politely refused to release the minutes of Federal Reserve meetings to Congress, and when the Fed bailed out huge multi-national corporations in banking and finance blatantly against the will of the American people, this plank was ignored.
A learned Democrat, being aware of the laws of human nature, would know that any person or entity effectively given the Bank Charter will abuse that power and slowly debase the currency every single time, even if they are a very good, intelligent, caring person and debase it very slowly and gently; it is human nature and it is unavoidable.
7. Resolved, that congress has no power, under the constitution, to interfere with or control the domestic institutions of the several states, and that such states are the sole and proper judges of everything appertaining to their own affairs, not prohibited by the constitution; that all efforts by abolitionists or others, made to induce congress to interfere with questions of slavery, or to take incipient steps in relation thereto, are calculated to lead to the most alarming and dangerous consequences, and that all such efforts have an inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness of the people, and endanger the stability and permanency of the union, and ought not to be countenanced by any friend to our political institutions.
This plank obviously concerns a specific issue of their time; but notice how they used this timely issue to speak to a timeless concept. These Democrats were against the federal government taking the horrible sin of slavery, or any other problem happening within a state, as an excuse to hop its Constitutional fence and meddle in intrastate business. These 1840 Democrats were very pro-States Rights, and would be firmly behind such movements today. Everyone with a heart and/or a brain knows slavery is the most terrible stain upon the apron of our Union.
The point here is any time the Feds are allowed to hop their fence, even for an apparently good and noble purpose, it becomes increasingly harder and ultimately impossible to herd them back into that fence; somehow these Democrats from so long ago were convinced that an over-reaching, meddling federal government would diminish the happiness (or privacy or liberty or initiative, or) of the people, and endanger the stability of our republican institution. 1840 Democrats knew that it was political and fiscal suicide, not to mention Socialism, for a federal government to own even one percent of a bank, or a car company, or an insurance company.
8. Resolved, that the separation of the moneys of the government from banking institutions, is indispensable for the safety of the funds of the government, and the rights of the people.
What a plank of logic and beauty! These Democrats knew that the rights of The People would soon be trampled should any fool from another party allow federal money to ever be available for use by a banking institution. Those reserve banks might not want to tell the people to whom they had given the money. They just might not want to give the money back at all
9. Resolved, that the liberal principles embodied by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, and sanctioned in the constitution, which makes ours the land of liberty, and the asylum of the oppressed of every nation, have ever been cardinal principles in the democratic faith; and every attempt to abridge the present privilege of becoming citizens, and the owners of soil among us, ought to be resisted with the same spirit which swept the alien and sedition laws from our statute-book.
Notice that these Democrats knew that becoming a citizen was a privilege, not a right. Immigration, if legal, revitalizes a country. A land of liberty and opportunity attracts one kind of immigrant, a land of welfare and entitlement attracts quite another.
It is obvious that much thought and debate went into these sublime planks and this document was the result of much intellectual hard work. No self-respecting Democrat could imagine such a beautiful document, unlike most of todays legislation, could have been cobbled together by lobbyists, printed out after midnight, and voted on by sleepy-eyed representatives without their reading glasses early the next morning.
For those readers who fear I made this entire platform up in jest, it can be found here. It seems clear by the language these Democrats used, they meant to severely restrict the federal government, keep central banking out of their country, protect State's Rights, not give sweet-heart deals to car companies, financial institutions or health insurance companies, and diligently protect the happiness and liberty of their citizens. I really appreciate the sentiment, and now consider myself an 1840 Democrat. Where do I sign up?
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The views expressed
in this article are those of Ken D. Berry, MD only and
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Posted By: Greg Phifer
Date: May 23, 2010 10:05:42 PM
What happened? I think that things began to change about the time of FDR, he realized that people in this country struggled with their daily lives and I think he knew the government had a responsibility to help its citizens in small ways like Social Security Benefits. FDR realized way back then that times were changing. The times were changing and we were not living in the 1850's any longer. I get a kick out of my generation when they say "this isn't my daddy's Democratic Party", when actually it is. With the major bills of our day being Health Care Reform and Wall Street Reform, we are finally getting back to the basic ideas of Roosevelt and that is when your citizens are in trouble it is the governments duty to try to help, if not then what good is government? If they never do anything to help better the lives of our fellow man then why would we even need a government? The days of the 1850's are over, the United States has made great steps forward with technology and science {including many health care improvements} but all of these new medical breakthroughs are expensive and it is no longer the 1850's where a Doctor treats you but alot of the times had no idea what is wrong with you. Also the days where you traded a chicken or eggs for a Doctors services are also gone. Health Insurance is a must and for many people it is just too expensive, so if you ask me , todays Democratic Party is exactly what great men like Roosevelt had in mind when they thought about the future of their Democratic Party.
Posted By: Jahfre Fire Eater
Date: May 24, 2010 01:31:53 PM
Hi Ken,
You've written an interesting article here. Just wondering, why do you think a party's platform from 1840 was related to the behavior of the elected government? They were probably propaganda aimed at easy herd control for people who really don't pay much attention (which is most of them...) just as they are today.
-Jahfre Fire Eater
