Posted August 28, 2001

Republic, Republican, Republicans

[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of August 24, "Why Are We in Macedonia":]

In his column on empire, ... Justin Raimondo appears to put all his faith in Congressional Republicans as the potential saviors of our "Republic." In this he is in alignment with the faith of the John Birch Society which argues that if we could only elect enough "conservatives" to Congress we could roll back Big Government. Of course, that is a truism. If we could only convince enough people to work we could eliminate the welfare rolls. If we could only convince drug dealers to stop selling any dangerous drugs we could stop people from using them. If only...

Mr. Raimondo touched upon the key to the dilemma in citing Garet Garrett's famous words concerning the "crossing of the Rubicon" from Republic to Empire. However, Mr. Raimondo appears to pin his hopes on the present system of national government, even though it is the perfect model for empire and dominance. Of course, the republican forms and words are there in the Constitution, even going so far as to giving the national government the power to guarantee "a republican form of government" to each and every state. (Would you want this present government guaranteeing your state its idea of a "republic"?) Forms and words, however, are not reality. Also embedded in the Constitution is the power of Congress "To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers..." That is the key to the building of empire. Congress has the power to shield any law under the veil of the Constitution in order to build its own power and the power of the other branches with which it shares the empire.

We have indeed "crossed the Rubicon." In fact, it was crossed in 1789 when the "founders" put their seal on an American Empire. For as Montesquieu had eloquently noted, no true republic can be governed over an extensive area from one central location. It will either become a battleground of disaffected localities, or will be ruled by the iron hand of empire. All the "partisanship" of conservatives and liberals is merely the official Empire smokescreen to make it appear these groups are in opposition when actually they both embrace the Empire of America. When the chips are down, do you really think Congressional Republicans are going to vote against giving power to the Empire, and consequently against giving power to themselves?

We are presently writhing under the iron hand of Washington DC, all forms and fashions of a Republic notwithstanding. There is only one avenue to the restoration of a Republic: to dismantle Washington DC and its outposts completely. Empire and dominance are shameful, no matter how much money and power one has.

~ Dan Winterrowd

Imperium Hegemonder I

[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of August 24, "Why Are We in Macedonia":]

Maybe Shrub the Second might be called Imperium Hegemonder I. He was appointed to the emperor's position by one federal judge, who represented 4 others who used a political question to authenticate their indulgence in political matters that the constitution says was none of their business. The constitution has remedies for the appointment of a president outside of the courts. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans made any pretense of censuring or removing the judges from their positions because they made a political decision. Scalia even told us that we don't vote for the President anyway. The constitution does not require such an election.

~ B. Berka

Powerful Allies

Justin Raimondo's writing often infuriates because of his huge blind spot regarding Japan. Yet Mr. Raimondo is not without powerful allies.

In 1950 shortly after World War II ended, George Kennan lectured on the conduct of American diplomacy. Mr. Kennan approvingly quoted Teddy Roosevelt's cautionary advice that it was in American interest not to take any steps toward Japanese policy in Manchuria indicating that we were hostile to them. A balance of power between Russia and Japan should be maintained. (See American Diplomacy, George F. Kennan, University of Chicago Press, 1984.) Mr. Kennan noted what he considered the prescient warning of a colleague, John V.A. MacMurray, in 1935. Mr. MacMurray regarded American hostility to Japan a disaster. If we were to win a war with Japan, the Soviet Union would gain the most. Even if we were to "save" China, the United States should not expect gratitude, as nations seemed incapable of such sentiments. Mr. Kennan, himself, regarded American high-minded patronage of China as a form of national narcissism that "concealed deep feelings of insecurity." America's legalistic approach to international affairs invariably made things worse than [a] national interest approach [would have]. He paused to note the malevolent influence of domestic politics in foreign affairs.

...During World War II another American, of more boisterous temperament than Mr. Kennan, called the Japanese an ancient civilized people, while the Australians were not. (See "Ezra Pound Speaking": Radio Speeches of World War II, edited by Leonard Doob, Greenwood Press, 1978.) Then Ezra Pound on his broadcast asked what was the Kangaroo's contribution to civilization? Previously, Mr. Pound suggested a joint Chinese-Japanese invasion of that continent to drive the convicts out of Asia.

~ Richard Earley

Thanks for 'Barbarism'

...Many thanks for the paper about the monastery of Leshok ["Barbarism and the Erasure of Culture" by Christopher Deliso, August 24]. I will send this text to many [of] my friends all over the world.

~ I. Tankov, Argentina

Previous Backtalk