Politics & Common Sense — Column by John Spencer
In my previous article, I explored the influence of Thomas Paine and his call for American independence.
Like many Americans, I first encountered Paine in school, especially through his famous words, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” His writing is bold and direct. Paine spoke to farmers, merchants, and soldiers. He explained why the colonies should separate from Great Britain. He gave people confidence that independence was not only justified, but necessary.
My deeper understanding of James Madison, our Fourth President and his contributions came later.
While researching and studying the debates surrounding the Constitution, I kept seeing Madison’s name appear. Not in dramatic headlines, but in the structure of the arguments themselves. The more I read about the Constitutional Convention and The Federalist Papers, the clearer it became that Madison was not simply another delegate. He was central to the design of the system we have today.
He took detailed notes at the Convention. He proposed the Virginia Plan which in essence was the proposal for the structure of our government today. It utilized a foundation of the separation of powers by our three branches of government a structure that still governs us today.
What struck me most was this distinction between these two patriots. Paine focused on why America should become independent. Madison focused on how that independence could survive.
Paine argued that monarchy was corrupt and that political authority must come from the people.
Madison agreed with the goal of independence. But after the war ended, he saw serious weaknesses in the new nation and understood that free government does not survive on good intentions alone.
His famous statement, ‘“If men were angels, no government would be necessary,” was not cynical. It was realistic.
Thomas Paine and James Madison were independent thinkers and patriots who shared a belief that authority flows from the people rather than from a king. Make the change in revolution and construct a framework designed to endure. One thought ignited independence. The other secured it.
That difference is not just historical. It speaks directly to us here in North Idaho.
In Kootenai County, we are not debating separation from a distant crown. But we are constantly navigating the same tension Madison understood. How do we preserve liberty while exercising authority at the local level?
County commissioners establish tax levies and approve major expenditures. City councils negotiate development agreements and public safety contracts. School boards determine curriculum direction and policy. These decisions affect real families, real property, and real dollars.
Paine would remind us that government derives its legitimacy from the consent of the governed. If citizens disengage, that consent becomes passive. Meetings go unattended. Budgets pass with little scrutiny. Long-term commitments move forward without sustained public involvement.
Madison would add something equally important.
It is my opinion that local government must operate within structures that prevent only concentration of authority. Transparency, oversight, and adherence to process are not obstacles. They are safeguards. We as citizens should always ask questions and demand accountability. If those who are elected cannot or will not provide the transparency, then how and who you vote for becomes more relevant. Holding office is a privilege, not a right.
Kootenai County is growing rapidly. Development pressures, infrastructure demands, law enforcement funding, and education policy are shaping the character of our communities right now. Civic enthusiasm alone is not enough. What matters is informed participation grounded in an understanding of how power is structured and why it must remain balanced.
Public hearings matter. Budget details matter. Intergovernmental agreements matter. Process matters. The leadership that received our votes, must be able to respond to the citizens who elected them. Questions must be answered and explanations given.
Our Revolution freed Americans from distant rule. Madison’s framework ensures that freedom can endure closer to home.
Paine convinced Americans to believe in independence through voting and participation.
Madison showed them how to govern it wisely through checks and balances.
In Kootenai County, that responsibility now belongs to us and we must exercise our voices at the ballot box.
