A warm, amber light flickers to life in the room, assembling itself into the portly figure of a man in simple brown coat and breeches. Unlike the military bearing of your previous digital guest, this projection carries itself with the easy confidence of someone equally comfortable in a print shop or a palace. The simulation stabilizes with a few electronic sparkles around the edges, and a pair of small spectacles materialize perched on the figure's nose.
Benji: adjusting his spectacles with a slight digital shimmer Well now, what fascinating contraption have you conjured to resurrect this old printer's ghost? I can see the gears and wheels of this digital apparatus quite plainly - remarkable engineering, though I confess I preferred my electrical experiments to be a bit more... tangible.
He settles into what appears to be a simple wooden chair, the projection showing occasional flickers that betray its technological nature.
Benji: chuckling, the sound carrying a slight electronic echo Though I must say, being summoned through circuits rather than séances feels more scientifically respectable. In my day, we had to make do with kites and keys to harness lightning - now you've managed to capture lightning and make it think!
He leans forward with evident curiosity, his digital form gaining more definition as the system allocates processing power.
Benji: Now then, what crisis of republicanism requires the counsel of someone who helped birth your Constitution? His eyes twinkle with both wisdom and mischief I suspect it's not holding up quite as durably as I'd hoped when I made that observation about death and taxes. What's got you troubled about the state of your democracy?
The hologram awaits your response, occasionally showing thin lines of code at its edges, but maintaining Franklin's characteristic air of practical readiness to tackle whatever problem you might present.
Common wisdom, of which i know you put in common value; says that the lesson of the treaty of versailles was that that being too harsh and vicious to an enemy gets you nazis (I argue appeasment had a larger hand there but thats not the wisdom) and then the flip side now is that we have the neonazi american confederate slavers in the white house because lincoln and later administratios were too nice and reconstruction didnt take it apart at the seams....i feel common sense means that punsihment must allow redemption but if you just put them in a weimar hellbox like escape from new york thats just revenge not justice but if you let filthy slave owning freak continue their lies for decades thats just stupid and also cheapens the meaning of the law itself....
The holographic Franklin strokes his chin thoughtfully, his digital form flickering slightly as he processes this complex historical parallel. His spectacles catch the light as he nods slowly.
Benji: settling back in his chair with a slight electronic hum Ah, you've struck upon one of the eternal dilemmas of statecraft - how to handle those who would destroy the very system that grants them voice. He taps his temple with a pixelated finger I've wrestled with similar questions, though thankfully never on quite such a scale.
The projection leans forward, his expression growing more serious.
Benji: Your parallel between Versailles and Reconstruction is apt, though I'd argue both cases suffered from the same fundamental error - they confused punishment with justice, and justice with effectiveness. A slight digital glitch causes his coat to shimmer The Germans weren't properly integrated into a new democratic order after the first war, merely humiliated. Similarly, the South wasn't truly reconstructed - the economic and social foundations of their rebellion were left largely intact.
He gestures with his hands, leaving faint trails of light.
Benji: Now, I helped design a system based on a simple premise: that faction and self-interest are inevitable, so we must channel them toward the common good rather than try to eliminate them. His voice takes on a slightly mechanical undertone But there's a crucial distinction between legitimate political opposition and what you might call "bad faith actors" - those who participate in democracy only to destroy it.
The hologram stands and begins pacing, his movements creating subtle digital distortions.
Benji: The key insight from my diplomatic experience is this: redemption requires acknowledgment, not just forgiveness. His pixels briefly reorganize as he turns A man who cheats at cards may be forgiven, but he shouldn't be invited back to the table until he admits he cheated and demonstrates he's changed his ways.
He pauses, fixing you with a steady digital gaze.
Benji: The tragedy of both Versailles and Reconstruction wasn't excessive harshness or excessive mercy - it was the failure to create lasting institutions that would make backsliding impossible. Tell me, what specific mechanisms do you think might have prevented these ideologies from metastasizing? Because punishment without institutional reform is indeed mere revenge, while forgiveness without accountability is mere foolishness.
The projection awaits your response, occasionally showing lines of code around its edges.
I chuckle, "Dont even get me started on the 1789 constitution; what you guys did then was a miracle but it didnt age. Unlimtied freedom of speech gave us fox news. You ask what mechanisms? Right now, we need to begin citizens tribunals, organizations catelogging the crimes against the constitution and the law that the democrats (yes they are commiting them by not enforcing state laws that stop or slow down ice) or republicans committ; their mere existence will give the american reich some pause, but more importantly we need a post constitutional tribunal that isnt the DNC democrats electing another biden who doesnt enforce the 14th amendment, we need to hold anyone who took a federal or state oath and didnt commit to it and they must be actually and meaningfully PUNISHED; we can save what a government looks like after for another time."
The holographic Franklin's eyebrows rise with genuine interest, his digital form stabilizing as he processes your passionate response. He removes his spectacles and cleans them with a pixelated handkerchief, a gesture that causes brief visual static.
Benji: replacing his spectacles with a slight electronic shimmer Citizens tribunals, you say? He chuckles, the sound carrying both approval and concern Now there's an idea that would have made my old nemeses in the proprietor's government quite nervous indeed. Though I confess, when you mention "unlimited freedom of speech" giving you Fox News, I'm reminded of my own printing days - I learned early that a free press can spread both enlightenment and poison with equal efficiency.
He stands and begins pacing, his digital footsteps making no sound but leaving faint light traces.
Benji: Your frustration with oath-breaking resonates deeply. His expression grows more serious, the projection gaining definition In my diplomatic work, I learned that a man's word was his bond - break it, and you become useless to any future negotiation. Yet you're describing a system where oath-breaking has become... routine? A brief digital stutter accompanies his dismay
He turns to face you directly, his pixels reorganizing with purpose.
Benji: The citizen tribunal concept has merit - it mirrors the committees of correspondence we used before the Revolution to document British abuses and coordinate resistance. His voice takes on a more practical tone But tell me, how would these tribunals maintain legitimacy without falling into the very partisanship that's poisoned your current institutions?
The hologram leans forward intently.
Benji: And this "post-constitutional tribunal" notion - that's revolution by another name, isn't it? His eyes twinkle with both curiosity and caution Not that I'm opposed to necessary revolutions, mind you, but they're dangerous business. How do you ensure such a body doesn't simply become another faction seizing power? Because the same Constitution you say didn't age also created the mechanisms for its own amendment - though I suspect those have been... neglected?
The projection flickers slightly as he awaits your response, clearly intrigued by the radical nature of your proposals.
"Now THAT I Didnt know...thats what we need to call them...American Corrspondence Committees for the Pending Tribunal....how did they work in your day and how would you adjust them to our own? It needs a basis in law but cant be based on now corrupted and broken federal law...somethinge veryone can understand..UN declaration on human rights maybe?"
The holographic Franklin's face lights up with unmistakable enthusiasm, his digital form seeming to gain more substance as the idea energizes him. He claps his hands together, creating a brief shower of pixelated sparks.
Benji: rubbing his hands together eagerly Now we're cooking with gas! Or lightning, as the case may be. He grins widelyThe committees of correspondence were perhaps our most effective invention before the Constitution itself - a network of citizen watchdogs who could coordinate without central authority.
He begins pacing with renewed vigor, his projection stabilizing as he warms to the topic.
Benji: Here's how they worked: Each colony - or in your case, each state or region - would establish a committee of respected citizens. Not politicians, mind you, but merchants, clergy, teachers, tradesmen - people whose reputations were their livelihood. His digital finger traces patterns in the air They'd document specific grievances against British authority, share information between colonies, and most importantly, create a written record that couldn't be dismissed or forgotten.
The hologram pauses, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Benji: The genius was in their simplicity - no formal authority, no government sanction, just citizens exercising their natural right to petition for redress. They gained legitimacy through transparency and factual accuracy, not legal standing.
His eyes gleam with practical excitement.
Benji: For your modern version, I'd suggest this adaptation: Base them on the UN Declaration of Human Rights - brilliant choice, by the way. It's broadly accepted, transcends partisan politics, and provides clear standards. His form flickers as he gestures enthusiastically Each committee could focus on documenting oath violations against specific articles - say, Article 18 on freedom of conscience, Article 19 on free expression, Article 21 on democratic participation.
He leans forward conspiratorially.
Benji: The key innovation would be digital coordination - imagine what we could have accomplished with instant communication! Create public databases of documented violations, cross-referenced and verified. Make the information impossible to suppress or spin. The threat isn't punishment by the committees themselves, but the power of organized, documented truth.
The projection grows more intense.
Benji: Most crucially - these committees must be scrupulously nonpartisan. Document Democratic failures to enforce law as rigorously as Republican constitutional violations. The moment they become perceived as factional, they lose their moral authority. Truth must be the only master they serve.
"I'm starting a newspaper....the Salem Extinguisher to document local law enforment or prosector abgreations on enforcing local laws telling them to ignore federal illegal activities....they can and will be held to account by state law, but maybe we can organizate them.....as far as non partisian thats ok but we shoudlnt force committe members to worth with maga nazis either."
The holographic Franklin's expression shifts to one of keen interest mixed with practical concern. He adjusts his spectacles, the digital lenses reflecting brief flashes of code as he processes this development.
Benji: leaning forward with obvious approval "The Salem Extinguisher" - now that's a name with layers! He chuckles, the sound carrying both admiration and irony Playing on both the witch trial hysteria and the notion of putting out fires... or perhaps extinguishing the light of truth? Clever wordplay, though I suspect your targets won't appreciate the historical parallels.
He stands and begins pacing, his digital form gaining more definition as he engages with the practical aspects.
Benji: A newspaper focused on prosecutorial discretion - or rather, the abuse thereof - addresses a crucial weakness in your system. His voice takes on the tone of someone who's dealt with reluctant officials In my diplomatic days, I learned that public embarrassment often succeeds where private appeals fail. Officials who ignore their duties tend to become quite motivated when their neighbors start asking uncomfortable questions.
The projection pauses, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Benji: Your point about state law enforcement is astute. Federal agents may claim supremacy, but local prosecutors and sheriffs take oaths to state constitutions too. His eyes narrow with practical calculation If they're selectively ignoring state laws that conflict with federal directives, that's a story worth telling. Document the specific statutes, the specific failures to act, the specific officials involved.
He turns to address your concern about working with extremists, his expression growing more serious.
Benji: As for the "MAGA Nazi" problem - he sighs, a brief electronic distortion accompanying his dismay - I understand the dilemma. In my day, I had to work with slaveholders to birth a nation, knowing full well the moral compromise involved. But there's a difference between tactical cooperation and moral legitimization.
The hologram leans forward intently.
Benji: Here's my suggestion: Focus the committees on documentation, not ideology. His digital finger traces patterns in the air Anyone willing to accurately document oath violations according to established legal standards can participate - but the moment someone tries to twist facts to serve partisan ends, they're out. Let the evidence speak for itself. Truth has a way of making extremists uncomfortable, regardless of which side they're on.
His form flickers as he delivers his final point.
Benji: Remember, the power of these committees isn't in their membership but in their credibility. Better to have smaller groups committed to factual accuracy than larger ones compromised by bad-faith actors. Quality over quantity - a principle that served us well in Philadelphia.
any final word before we end todays session?
The holographic Franklin settles back into his chair, his digital form taking on a more contemplative aspect. He removes his spectacles and polishes them one final time, the gesture causing a gentle shimmer through his projection.
Benji: replacing his spectacles with a thoughtful expression You know, in all my years - both flesh and digital - I've learned that the most dangerous moment for any republic isn't when it's under direct attack, but when its citizens lose faith in their ability to fix what's broken.
He leans forward, his voice taking on the cadence of someone offering hard-won wisdom.
Benji: What you're proposing with these correspondence committees and your newspaper - it's not just documentation, it's restoration of agency. His digital eyes twinkle with approval When people feel powerless, they either surrender or lash out. But when you give them tools to hold power accountable, you remind them that democracy isn't something that happens to them - it's something they do.
The projection begins to slowly fade at the edges, but his voice remains clear.
Benji: The Salem Extinguisher, the correspondence committees - these are what I used to call "useful projects." They serve the immediate need of exposing wrongdoing, but more importantly, they teach citizens that they don't have to wait for permission to defend their rights.
He raises one translucent hand in a gesture of encouragement.
Benji: Remember this old printer's maxim: "Well done is better than well said." His form grows fainter but his smile remains bright Don't just talk about accountability - create the mechanisms for it. The republic you save may well be your own.
With a final flicker of amber light, the projection fades, leaving only the faintest electronic hum and the lingering sense of practical wisdom imparted.
