This episode explores the similarities of the vesting clauses of Articles I, II, and III of the U. S. Constitution and sets out the long-standing prevailing constitutional construction view that supports the Founder’s intent to create three co-equal branches of government – each with the ability to be a check and balance of the other two.

In this episode of Fixing America with J Mel, we explore:

• Five forms of democracy that have proven successful in history• Common traits of non-democratic systems that fail over time• A comparison between democratic principles and modern political movements• What choices Americans face moving forward

This episode examines how different forms of government shape freedom, stability, and justice—and why understanding these differences matters today.

In this episode, we examine the major forms of government by exploring who holds power and how that power is exercised. We categorize governments based on political authority, political ideology, and economic systems, and we rank them according to the concentration of power in leadership.

In this episode, we explore the relationship between societies and governments, beginning with a simplified look at how early American systems may have formed—both in their tangible structures and their underlying principles. We then examine how to recognize when a democracy is broken, starting with the argument that the United States was flawed from the beginning (“ab initio”) from the perspective of excluded groups. Finally, we consider how those historical foundations have evolved and how they continue to shape America’s ongoing struggles with issues like immigration.

J Mel Alert is a new feature of Fixing America with J Mel. They are akin to Weather Warnings…designed to alert or update you to political and/or governmental dangers.

This episode of Fixing America with J Mel describes the progression of anti-democratic sentiment during WWI attributed to our transitions through the Reconstruction Era, Gilded Era, Industrial Revolution and the Progressive Era that prompted America’s isolationism and influenced our president to create the Creel propaganda machine. It also explains how political financial ties to oligarchs of the era tipped the scales to enter the war and allow the propaganda machine unfettered freedom to manipulate public sentiment by false and misleading information and fearmongering.

Episode_003 reviews major historical incidents where our leaders have abused the trust of the citizenry by distorting or concealing facts, how it has impacted our democracy, and why it is appropriate to draw comparisons between the conduct of Trump and Hitler. It is historically relevant and disturbingly enlightening while demonstrating clearly the need for “facts” and “truth” to be foundational tenets of a democracy.

In this episode of Fixing America with J Mel we explore the “conundrum”, a basis for optimism, and Trump’s agenda. This episode breaks down what parts of our government are under attack and how and why those attacks pose existential dangers to our form of government. It also includes suggestions on helpful personal antidotes to help you survive these troubling times.