“The purpose of the political process is to persuade people to entrust you with power.”
You would think this rule is an easy one, but it’s not. What is it that most people want out of government? Truth is not much. Keep the liars and the thieves out of my business, let me keep most of the money I earn to take care of my needs and the needs of my family, and let me live the life I want to live without too much government intrusion. Don’t try to raise my kids for me, I can do that myself. Don’t try to run my business for me, I can do that too. If you can keep me, my family and my property safe, I can pretty much do the rest on my own.
Thomas Jefferson said it best in the Declaration of Independence when he wrote government exists to secure the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (which he originally wrote as property), and that government derives the just powers to perform these tasks from the consent of those who they govern. The way elected officials derive that consent is through the process of election. In a republic such as ours, elected officials serve for a specific period of time, and have to go back to the voters to obtain the consent of “the governed” to continue exercising the power granted to government.
So how are these elected officials supposed to obtain and maintain the power they receive through the election process over time? Very simple, persuade people to entrust them with the power. The only way to obtain and maintain power, and set up a long term political operation is by persuading people that power in your hands is best for their long term freedom and safety.
Too often (in my opinion), those seeking power think the way to obtain that power by telling voters that they shouldn’t trust their opponent or the political faction their opponents represent. That can work in the short run, but over time, people want to be sure that the people for whom they vote care more about making sure that government will not interfere with their lives and families, and care less about obtaining and maintaining power. The fact is that political movements in a democratically elected republics only keep power by promising to use that power to protect the freedom and safety of the voters
That doesn’t mean those running for office shouldn’t attack their opponents, that may work in the short run, but every time electeds rely on attacks as the means to get elected, rather than seeking to develop a relationship of trust between the voter and the elected, they diminish the long term health and strength of the political system. Once voters are convinced that the elected officials will use the power entrusted to them for the benefit of the voters, and not simply to acquire power for themselves, the voters continue to return power to those who earned their trust
Authoritarian regimes don’t have to develop that trust. They keep power at the end of a gun. That, however, is ultimately dangerous to both the government and the governed. People yearning to be free, for themselves and their families, will sacrifice a lot to achieve that freedom. Authoritarians live by the sword, and they will ultimately die by the sword.
The great thing about living in a well operated republic is that power has to be renewed on a regular basis, and those who have that power can be held accountable for the abuse of that power. They aren’t always held accountable, no system is perfect, but the opportunity to hold them accountable has an real effect on those in power, and they are circumspect about abusing that power entrusted to them.
Once those elected to hold that power realize that their role during an election is to persuade people to trust them with the power they seek, elections change, and the republic is more stable and stronger. President Trump realizes people voted for him because they wanted fundamental change in Washington, and he is working hard to deliver the change people believe he promised. If he succeeds, the effect will be the long term political prominence of the Republican Party. If other elected Republicans try to undermine him, they will be condemning the Republican Party to a long term, and well deserved, death. The fight for liberty and safety is too important to allow the Democrats to take over because some Republicans chose to support the status quo.