The form of a Republic

After his defeat of Anthony and Cleopatra made him the sole ruler of Rome, Octavian made a great show of turning political power back to the Senate and people of Rome, restoring the Roman Republic. For this the Senate conferred the name “Augustus” on him. However, despite the legal situation, the majority of the Roman legions were loyal to Augustus so he was still effectively a military dictator in charge of everything. By the time his step son Tiberius succeeded him it was clear that Rome was an empire, not a republic.

Is the United States of America still a republic? I’m not sure I would go as far as this, but it’s clear that its republican foundations are under attack. The ninth and tenth amendments have been pretty much dead letters since FDR’s New Deal; I can’t remember a time the second amendment wasn’t under attack; I get the sense that the fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth amendments are being applied differently based on peoples’ political opinions; and even the first amendment freedoms are being subverted. (At least the third amendment still seems to be in force!)

I don’t know what is to be done about this, but I do find it disturbing.

Space

I missed it, but yesterday was the 60th anniversary of Alan Shepherd’s Freedom 7 flight. I can still remember watching the launch on a small, black and white TV at my Grampa Johnson’s house.

Update: NASA is even later than me.