Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Another Black Eye for Democracy
Another Black Eye for Democracy
The State Legislature in an ultimate show of its ability to deride the democratic process eliminated the primary runoff election today, citing cost savings and time constraints.
We had better stop chipping away at democracy, or there will be little left. To me it is astounding that such a debate could even take place, much less result in binding legislation. It so belittles our whole society.
In this state, which often claims to be so short of resources, while at the same time refuses to pony up a tax on services, now we’ve got to give up a little of our democracy to make ends meet, is that right? In other words, exactly those who prefer not to open their pockets to the public treasure, but don’t mind shelling out to get their favorites into office, have now convinced their elected buddies that quasi-democracy is as good as real democracy – at least for the way things now work.
Let’s look at the state of our democracy. The idea is to hold elections on a regular basis, put people into office, and carry on. If it looks like democracy, than it must be democracy. Why worry about 50+% if 47% or 38% will do? Who cares? Less than 50% go out and vote anyway?
Look around. It works just as it is, right?
Yeah, it works — for them. For those satisfied with how things are. Those whose needs are satisfied and then some. Just so you haven’t made the mistake of retiring poor or being born into the wrong family.
This, to me, is “cosmetic” democracy, not the real thing. Since the inception of this nation, to be honest, we have not had the real thing. Initially only landed white men could vote; it took a centuries long trail of blood and tears to get the vote for others that we now take for granted. With this historical knowledge, many of us, however, grew up believing that democracy was indeed a work in progress, requiring each generation to give input for the system to work for us all.
We now see that not only to some citizens of this nation not only take for granted the concept of democracy, they are more than willing to squander its hope and be satisfied with back-sliding.
I’ve heard it said by some who try to excuse our little failures in democratic form, that the word democracy is not to be found in the Constitution. To those people I say even if it is not written there, we had better figure out a way to make it work fully for everyone, before we ask another soul to lay down his or her precious life in its name. And let us not further damage the image of our nation by trying to foist this tainted brand of pseudo-democracy on other peoples of the world.
As Florida’s Legislature proved Wednesday, democracy is currently under full attack right here in our country. And pretty much by exactly those forces lined up to sell “Democracy Lite” the world over: “Boy, have we got an Electoral System to sell you!” Throw some bombs, add a few tanks, appoint some friendly figureheads, declare the opposition null and void, call in the World Bank, and, voilá! Instant Democracy. It looks great and keeps many folks happy as clams. Who cares if anyone actually comes out to vote? Just grease it up with a little cash, and it runs on smoothly for decades producing steady power for those already in charge, with little friction. To minimize friction and to function properly it must come with a Consolidated Media System installed. Apply same grease to both to operate without a hitch.
Surely, Florida has no light to shed on this subject and may go down in history as having the greatest role in ending the American democratic experiment.
Perhaps it is time for a new amendment to our constitutions, be they state or federal: that no legislation shall be enected that can impede or decrease access of US citizens to the polls.
The State Legislature in an ultimate show of its ability to deride the democratic process eliminated the primary runoff election today, citing cost savings and time constraints.
We had better stop chipping away at democracy, or there will be little left. To me it is astounding that such a debate could even take place, much less result in binding legislation. It so belittles our whole society.
In this state, which often claims to be so short of resources, while at the same time refuses to pony up a tax on services, now we’ve got to give up a little of our democracy to make ends meet, is that right? In other words, exactly those who prefer not to open their pockets to the public treasure, but don’t mind shelling out to get their favorites into office, have now convinced their elected buddies that quasi-democracy is as good as real democracy – at least for the way things now work.
Let’s look at the state of our democracy. The idea is to hold elections on a regular basis, put people into office, and carry on. If it looks like democracy, than it must be democracy. Why worry about 50+% if 47% or 38% will do? Who cares? Less than 50% go out and vote anyway?
Look around. It works just as it is, right?
Yeah, it works — for them. For those satisfied with how things are. Those whose needs are satisfied and then some. Just so you haven’t made the mistake of retiring poor or being born into the wrong family.
This, to me, is “cosmetic” democracy, not the real thing. Since the inception of this nation, to be honest, we have not had the real thing. Initially only landed white men could vote; it took a centuries long trail of blood and tears to get the vote for others that we now take for granted. With this historical knowledge, many of us, however, grew up believing that democracy was indeed a work in progress, requiring each generation to give input for the system to work for us all.
We now see that not only to some citizens of this nation not only take for granted the concept of democracy, they are more than willing to squander its hope and be satisfied with back-sliding.
I’ve heard it said by some who try to excuse our little failures in democratic form, that the word democracy is not to be found in the Constitution. To those people I say even if it is not written there, we had better figure out a way to make it work fully for everyone, before we ask another soul to lay down his or her precious life in its name. And let us not further damage the image of our nation by trying to foist this tainted brand of pseudo-democracy on other peoples of the world.
As Florida’s Legislature proved Wednesday, democracy is currently under full attack right here in our country. And pretty much by exactly those forces lined up to sell “Democracy Lite” the world over: “Boy, have we got an Electoral System to sell you!” Throw some bombs, add a few tanks, appoint some friendly figureheads, declare the opposition null and void, call in the World Bank, and, voilá! Instant Democracy. It looks great and keeps many folks happy as clams. Who cares if anyone actually comes out to vote? Just grease it up with a little cash, and it runs on smoothly for decades producing steady power for those already in charge, with little friction. To minimize friction and to function properly it must come with a Consolidated Media System installed. Apply same grease to both to operate without a hitch.
Surely, Florida has no light to shed on this subject and may go down in history as having the greatest role in ending the American democratic experiment.
Perhaps it is time for a new amendment to our constitutions, be they state or federal: that no legislation shall be enected that can impede or decrease access of US citizens to the polls.
