One more theory?

Einstein almost had it right. In the early 20th century, his theories on general and specific relativity transformed the fields of physics and astronomy. Since then, science has repeatedly verified his research. That’s the thing about theories: at first they are contested until supported by other reliable witnesses, thus untangling a string of facts, very similar to the January 6 committee’s findings, which I hope won’t take 20-30 years and another Einstein to be deemed credible. 

I want to propose a new idea, even at the risk of readers turning the page, which is why I call it “a theory of irrelevanity” – the notion that we tend to dismiss whatever we consider irrelevant. Either it doesn’t affect us personally, or we are already committed to a different theory, like that the Earth might actually be flat.  

I doubt Einstein would agree, but in my mind the presence of perceived irrelevance in this country is as undeniable as gravity, especially when it incorporates the potential to crush this country we call home.

Polls are treated as gospel, but only because they report a collection of opinions in the form of statistics. Polls are not facts. Even when the questions are designed well and presented without bias, they are still just a reply to a passing moment, too often mistaken for a collective truth.

Take, for example, the AZCentral.com eNewspaper site offering March 2025 statistics. The current president has a favorability among Americans that stands surprisingly strong, at least according to these polls: NBC 47%; The Economist 46%; Fox News 49%; Civiqs 44%; and Reuters/Ipsos 44%. 

Democrats rank their own party with remarkably low favorability. Only 29% approve of its performance. While these opinion ratings appear straightforward, Quorum reports, “some analysts believe they are not as useful as they once were due to extreme partisanship and the polarized political climate.”

Now, back to my new theory of irrelevanity. 

Many promises were made during the 2024 campaign, on both sides of the aisle, but remember what Mae West said, “An ounce of performance is worth a pound of promises.” The gravity of what’s happening is just starting to be felt. If the current president’s pledge to take revenge against Democrats is what his supporters really voted for, then they are indulging on the entrails of democracy. 

It’s no wonder Democrat opinions reflect dissatisfaction with the politicians they elected. So far the party has been ineffectual in responding to the current president’s revenge tour. Confucius said, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” I would add that one of the two will have to be deep enough to bury both this country’s legislative and judiciary branches. 

Bread and butter issues of survival in the world’s oldest living democracy have always been fluid but never irrelevant. Is the economy thriving? Ask a stock market investor, then ask a public school teacher. Do government workers earn their paychecks by doing absolutely nothing? Ask someone who doesn’t have a public service job, then ask someone who does. Do monthly Social Security checks matter to retired Americans?” Ask someone whose paycheck is subject to a withholding tax, then ask retirees who paid that tax all their working lives. Should patient/doctor decisions be controlled by both federal and state governments? Ask a man, then ask a woman. Answers will vary.

Einstein once said, “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” The current president is no Einstein, but he has a flare for hitting the public with sucker punches. Is truth relevant? He thinks not. He feels no obligation to support the claims he makes. Many of his supporters are applauding. The more outrageously he behaves, the more support he garners. 

The basic functions of mathematics are still tools of science, but the current president uses them in a bizarre way. Add voters by multiplying division. Subtract voters by adding obstacles to voter registration. This is no formula for a democracy. We need reliable witnesses to stand up and be counted, witnesses from the court of public opinion supporting the judicial courts when they rule against this administration’s blatant disregard of the Constitution. Lawless deportations, documentation or due process “overlooked” do not reflect our Constitution.  

Remember this Memorial Day that we are experiencing a seismic shift away from what America’s founders fought and died for. Constitutional theory is a domain where law focuses on the underpinnings of this government, but the Constitution itself is not a theory. It exists, and the Oval Office cannot ignore it. How much longer can we ignore the irrelevant in the room?

– David Feela