5. Treason - You can eat a democracy the same way you eat an elephant, one bite at a time.

A Tyrant comes about when one group takes absolute power over others, for which Hitler is a good example.

Treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against a nation. The subversion of the constitution, and the attack on democracy is treason, albeit in small increments.

Generally, those that would wish to subvert a democracy, would do so for power. When you gain power over a government you gain vast opportunities. Simply put, there is only one reason to subvert a democracy, and that is to take something that is not yours, this is commonly called theft.

When tyrants wish to take over a government it starts with behind the scenes activity, suppression of the press, domination of the courts, attacks on intellectuals, and the removal of the opposition. Tyrants have always been, and always will be with us. Therefore attacks to a democracy have always been, and always will be with us.

One religion describes the taking of an apple, as the cause of all evil, a single act of theft. People have always been attempting to  take what does not belong to them, and our government is replete with opportunities to take from others. Therefore, government is a magnet for thieves.

We have always had a variety of groups that operate behind the scenes in conjunction with our government.  This is not a conspiracy theory, but a simple fact of human nature we should not shy away from.   

I also think that government has always been a mechanism for the tribe in power to take from the other. This is no mystery, it is human nature to form tribes, and you get more done if what you are doing is kept secret from those that may oppose your agenda.

Try telling everyone you plan to rob a bank, and see how well that robbery works for you.  

The difference, and problem is that today information can be broadcasted by anyone. Activities that were once kept hidden, are now open, and readily available online.

All pre-existing behind the scenes power structure that is based on theft, would be concerned they may lose their grip on power. Because of these concerns, portions of these structures would unite with the similar structures of corruption in other parts of the world, like Russia. Together they would push for a more restrictive type of government, one that is not as our constitution provides for.    

Criminal groups are normally tyrannical,  they are autocracies based on patronage, or built on the exchange of favors or payments, given by leaders to subordinates. Organized crime is generally an autocracy based on patronage. If an organized criminal group is large enough to take control of our nation, it would already be in place, it would already be conducting behind the scenes activity, suppressing the press, dominating the courts, attacking intellectuals, and removing opposition. 

Of course there are good groups, but in a democracy only criminal, or unethical activities need to be kept hidden. In a autocracy, a tyrant is in the business of taking public resources, and transferring them to his supporters. It is the nature of a tyranny to subjugate its peasants.  For 99.9% of human history the Monarchy was all we knew, this activity was not considered unethical, or criminal, but noble. 

Our democracy is a very recent historical development, the former tyranny would have survived by simply conducting activities in secret.   

See ...  Group dynamics

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke (12 January 1729 – 9 July 1797)

Good people can’t act if they don’t know what or who done it!  

The other justice …

The term justice was described some 2500 years ago in Plato’s Republic. In the dialog Thrasymachus' states that justice is nothing but the advantage of the stronger, to be good to your own but harm all others. Socrates tries to explain that justice should be a set of laws, that apply to all equally. This is why Socrates, is Socrates, he is teaching a radical and new concept of justice, the type of justice we know today.   

Equal justice under law is a phrase engraved on the front of the United States Supreme Court building in Washington D.C. It is also a societal ideal that is central to the American legal system.

Justice is an ideal we struggle for, not a reality.   

These are not meir ideals, they are the foundation of America. We are a nation of laws, not a rabble of tyrants like Russia, or some third world nation. We are not a nation where only the strong have any advantage.

We are in a constant struggle with these two forms of justice. Reality can be that a powerful man can rape a young girl, and no one will do anything about it---, or we are a nation of laws, that protect the weak.

America is that nation that stands for the opposite of what is tyranny.

We now have a president, that used a bankruptcy court several times, to avoid his obligations. Is there a group that has adopted that other justice, in the presidency? People that have no concern for others, no concern for the truth, only a single minded concern for power.  

One diagnostic criterion of narcissistic personality disorder is a lack of empathy, and an unwillingness or inability to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others. This is precisely what is needed to be good at this other justice.  When Justice is about “the advantage of the strong”, then the more deceitful, sociopathic, and narcissistic you are, the greater the advantage you have in society.

This is exactly how Putin’s Russian Clan operates, if you tow the line you prosper, if you don’t, Putin will have the courts take it all away from you... if you persist they kill you.

So, if I fight this bankruptcy, or if I point to these problems, should I be afraid for my life?    

There is over a million dollars in Chile that this Trustee is prepared to liquidate, far, far more than any debt I may have had, that is reason enough to fear for ones life.