If former U.S. President George Washington and German theologian Martin Luther were alive today, they would likely appreciate author Michael Bedenbaugh’s acknowledgement of their historic contributions to his impressive book, “Reviving Our Republic: 95 Theses for the Future of America.”
Bedenbaugh said it was Luther’s 95 Theses protesting the corruption of the 16th-century Catholic Church that inspired him to write his own 95 theses for reforming what he sees as a corrupted American republic.
Likewise, the book salutes Washington for his wisdom and foresight articulated in his 1796 Farewell Address. It notes that Washington’s leadership and stellar character enabled the Constitution to grow in legitimacy and provide a workable “maintenance plan” for the fledgling United States.
The author believes that it’s because modern-day America has ignored Washington’s advice about the dangers of partisanship, combined with the erosion of civic virtues, that has caused the country to veer off course and become a shadow of what the Founding Fathers envisioned 250 years ago. America’s first president also encouraged the nation to avoid “foreign mischief” and to maintain fiscal responsibility.
The Breaking Point
Reading Ron Chernow’s 2011 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of George Washington, touring Washington’s home of Mount Vernon, and watching the 2015 Republican presidential debate motivated Bedenbaugh to write the book.
Referencing the debate, the author wrote, “As I juxtaposed the dignified, principled leadership of Washington with the brash, combative nature of the debate, I realized what I was witnessing was exactly what he had feared might happen when Americans forgot the lessons Washington shared with our ancestors over 230 years before.”
Bedenbaugh’s theses are well thought out and nonpartisan, meaning that he included recommendations that will displease both political parties. He admitted that building consensus across a diverse society isn’t easy. As a political thinker and history preservationist, he has spent much time reflecting on how America can reconnect to the Founding Father’s original principles.
To bolster the validity of many of his theses, he’s provided interesting historical contexts. For example, he points how the French Revolution (1789–1799) was sparked by intense factionalism. That internal strife led to the infamous Reign of Terror and paved the way for Napoleon.
Untangling Political Factionalism
The 95 theses are primarily devoted to repairing the damage done by modern partisanship, minimalizing entanglements in foreign matters, and maintaining fiscal discipline amid our current debt crisis. The final 13 theses pertain to the author’s personal thoughts. They discuss reining in the influence and power of global and national corporations which compromise government power.
One significant recommendation the author espouses concerning the threat of modern-day politics is to adopt a nonpartisan approach to the Electoral College. Rather than the “winner-take-all” system employed by most states, Bedenbaugh suggests electors be chosen based on their qualifications and commitment to the electorate rather than their party allegiance. Doing so “would mitigate partisan bias, enhance fair representation, reduce electoral disparities, encourage political moderation, and promote national unity,” he wrote.
Another bold suggestion would be ending the practice of splitting congressional chambers along party lines but rather by state delegations. He believes this recommendation would ensure each state’s interests are adequately represented and would encourage state lawmakers to work collaboratively.
Imitating Washington, the author asserts that America should honor existing obligations and treaties but hold firm on neutrality in all future relations. He also recommends the country initiate plans to phase out standing armies in foreign lands. By doing this, it would create a check on the military-industrial complex.
Another recommendation is to implement military training for qualified men and women at 18 years old to serve in their state’s National Guards. He contends this would instill an appreciation for America’s founding imitating state militias and teach the responsibilities inherent in citizenship.
A Return to Fiscal Responsibility
The national debt eclipsed $38 trillion in late October of this year. At the time of publication, Bedenbaugh believed it was time to create a time-definable plan to pay off a majority of the federal debt. His suggestion: the creation of a short-term progressive tax on upper incomes contingent on federal spending cuts, the sale of underutilized federal real estate, and basing federal taxes on consumption rather than income.
He also believed that fiscal autonomy should be restored to the states as it was before the passing of the 16th Amendment establishing the federal income tax. States would oversee their own income and sales tax rates as their legislatures see fit. This provision would also make state officials accountable for the allocation of tax revenues and answerable to their own constituents. Bedenbaugh suggested states eliminate property taxes in lieu of creating sales taxes on property-related transactions.
Based on the political divisiveness of the past several years, some may consider Bedenbaugh’s theses as realistic as a unicorn. Yet the South Carolina native is to be commended for his vision of restoring America to the foundational principles that made it great and to appealing to the better angels of our nature.
If commonsense is ever to return to government, considering the recommendations in “Reviving Our Republic” might be a good place to start.
‘Reviving Our Republic: 95 Theses for the Future of America’
By Mike Bedenbaugh
MAP Media: Sept. 23, 2024
Paperback, 197 pages
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