It has three legs, commonly known as church, press and political faction. While the champions of the U.S. Constitution natter about “freedom” of religion, the press and propaganda, as I have observed before, one man’s prohibition is not another’s entitlement. The First Amendment prohibits governmental interference with belief, speech and propaganda. But, the ultimate effect is that establishments of religion, the press and power mavens are excluded from holding a significant position in governing. All of their efforts are extra-legal, dependent, you might say, on gentle persuasion.

Now the persuasion is wearing thin. Churches are losing members, the press relies on commercial propaganda to fill its shrinking coffers and the major political power players have been rejected by half the electorate. The stoolis on the verge of collapse, largely because the claims to influence have proved hollow. The membership has seen fewer and fewer benefits.

Take the Catholic parochial school system as just one example. Parish schools not only provided education, but after school supervised recreation at no cost to the parents. Now, religious schools are not only selective, but jockey for dollars from the public purse because the establishments of religion are crashing. Abusive leadership does not go over well.

The political factions have blatantly fallen down in setting quality performance standards for their suggested leaders. Some seem hardly literate. So, citizens in California, Alaska and Maine have instituted new selection processes that rely on citizens to promote candidates and issues. It is not just the Republican mavens that are on the ropes.

Needless to say, a system of governing to ceded influence to unofficial factions and influencers cannot be considered government by the people. The task now is to throw out the stool and find quality public servants.