Absolute power

Dear Editor,

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. We have simply given too much power to too few people to hold for too long in America.

Power has shifted from localities to states and from states to the central government over the past hundred years or so. This shift diminished the power of hundreds of thousands of state legislators, county commissioners, city and town council members, and local judicial bodies and consolidated that power in the hands of 535 Congresspersons, nine Supreme Court justices, and 1 power-mad President. That’s the “too much power to too few” part of the equation.

We have also allowed all but one of these power-laden men and women to stay in office for a lifetime if they can manage it. That is the “too long” half of the problem.

If America wants to help save democracy, we must devolve federal power back to states and localities, and place term-limits on the 544 tyrants currently lording it over the nation. That is what is necessary to bring self-determination back to the people of this country.

Kimball Shinkoskey

Woods Cross, Utah