“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, they deserve to get it good and hard.” –H. L. Mencken
What has changed in our recent elections is that most American people live lives of barely suppressed ill-feeling. Americans have become hoarders of grudges, with voters believing that current politics bring only a sense of outrage, a feeling of being pushed aside, and made to feel small, or diminished.
They see those in power not as helpers and protectors of our people and our traditions, but as predators, out for whatever they can get. Our politicians see their own ideas for change as blessed, and the ideas of their opponents as damned.
Elections should attempt to bring out the best, not the worse in ordinary people. But in 21st century elections, this superordinate goal exceeds the people’s grasp.
Our political process has devolved. We have a deterioration of our public conscience, a smothering of community spirit when it comes to the vital issues of public life. Great ends are to be achieved by tawdry, underhanded or inadequate means.
We now try to reach political heaven mostly using the methods of hell.
Songs for today’s music break
We start with a song tribute to a guy that doesn’t let democracy mess with his plans. Its “Go Hard Like Vladimir Putin” by A.M.G. You had to expect there would be a Putin rap, and it comes straight outta Moscow by two black guys who emigrated from Africa. K. King, is from Zimbabwe via London, while Beni Maniaci is from Kenya. Both moved to Russia in the early 2000s to study medicine in Volgograd. It isn’t clear if they are still in medicine after this became a huge hit in Russia, but they say they are booked solid through December:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDIlQ3_lsKE
Difficult to imagine someone saying “Go Hard Like Barack Obama” or, “Go Hard Like Mitch McConnell”.
Next, a song that hopes democracy will solve the world’s problems. It is Jackson Browne who has a new album and a new song both entitled “Standing In The Breach“:
Sample lyrics:
You don’t know why,
But you still try for the world you wish to see.
You don’t know how, it will happen now after all that’s come undone.
But you know the change that the world needs now, is there in everyone.
Regarding our democracy, the Wrongologist simply doesn’t get it: Those most at risk of disenfranchisement, more regressive taxation, greater risk of losing their jobs, safety net and reproductive freedom, can’t be bothered to go to the polls.
Meanwhile, working class whites vote against the ACA—the best thing US government has done for working class people since Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid.
What a country.
