Have you ever gone to a public office at the local, state or national level and did not get what you needed? Have you ever gone to one of those agencies and came away frustrated by all the rules and time requirements to process some kind of solution to your problem?
Welcome to the world of institutions. It can be a strange place loaded with people that are supposed to help and yet, at times, you feel like nothing or very little is done.
Last time I had contact with an institution I needed help with an empty lot that needs access to a street. I was sent to several offices that could not help me and was finally advised to contact my city council person.
Needless to say, I got angry at the process and quit trying to have my problem resolved. At the same time, the event with the city has made me reflect on the nature of institutions and why they behave this way.
I learned that institutions are created by government to serve the public and at the same time protect and preserve foundational values. My questions was why is it that the bureaucracies associated with the institutions appear, at times, to favor them over the community they serve.
An extension of the issue is related to President Trump’s plans to dismantle what he calls the “deep state” which is manifested in work of public institutions. The plans involve not only replacement of the leadership of the various institutions as all presidents do, but also replace civil servants down the line with operatives personally loyal to him.
In making plans to do this, the President and his experts are approaching a recognition that institutions have a life of their own that must be interrupted. Also, plans include doing away with whole departments and agencies like the Department of Education and the Internal Revenue Service.
I also learned that our public institutions are created as part of a constitutional order. It begins with a government prescribed by the Constitution with a mandate to preserve and protect the ideals outlined in its preamble, described in its body, its Bill of Rights and the other Amendments adopted by the people of the United States along the way.
As the country changed from an agricultural base and modernized to become an economic world power, the work of carrying out the mandates of the Constitution became more complex. This required the creation of institutions to serve almost every area of American life.
Public institutions at every level must first of all adhere to the Constitution as their primary commitment. That is why, those that lead our institutions must take an oath to the Constitution as a condition of service.
This can also create confusion on the part of the public because institutions do serve the people but only through the indirect route of cohering to the Constitution. This arrangement may not appeal to one’s sense of immediate need.
In a larger context, it also does not appeal to a populist philosophy that is willing to set aside founding values in favor of political convenience. This appears to be the case in the coming 4 years.
We are about to face a second round of major attacks on our institutions and their role in guaranteeing our individual and collective place prescribed by the Constitution and its Amendments. It can be said that what is to be tested is the strength and resilience of our public institutions and our Constitutional order.
The views expressed by David Conde are not necessarily the views of LaVozColorado. Comments and responses may be directed to News@lavozcolorado.com.
