The Role of Education in American Democracy

An example of the lack of understanding of our governmental structure was the reaction, not only in my own state, but throughout the country, especially by the press, to a suggestion that I made last November [As some of you will recall the suggestion was that the executive should be _________ __ to Republicans] concerning a glaring defect in our government. That defect is the recurring division between the two political parties, of the power to govern this country. This division of power, with one party controlling the executive and the other controlling the legislature, has occurred three times during the past 30 years, with disastrous results in the first two instances and with prospects yet unknown, but not encouraging, in the present instance. With a complete disregard of the real problem involved, practically everyone interpreted the suggestion I made only in terms of the personalities involved, rather than in terms of governmental power and the ability of the American people to act, positively and affirmatively, in the present crisis in national and international affairs. As a result, not only are we handicapped for the present, but apparently there is little support for remedying the defect for the future. This division of the power of government between the two political powers is not to be confused with the constitutional distribution of governmental powers among the legislative, the executive and the judicial branches. -4