Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Democracy, Part III

It was moving to see so many regular people sitting together, taking turns speaking before our Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin. What a contrast to the version of governance that has passed for democracy over the last seven years. I made a mental inventory.

We have a leader who hears God tell him what to do. Check.

We have a leader who soils the Constitution every few weeks. Check.

We have a leader who makes planet-threateninig decisions without the courtesy of offering a vote in the House or Senate. Check.

I text-messaged my Pakistani friend. She replied that since the election was rigged, it is a dictatorship. I text-messaged a friend from Saudi Arabia. She said that smells like a constitutional monarchy.

But the dominant American culture is so....distinct. It doesn't take anything fancy like that to seize power.



One more chapter to go. Thanks for the fun comments and e-mails and water-cooler conversations.

11 comments:

TR Ryan said...

Bon Jour mon ami. I have finally landed at friends house with wireless! Hooray! It meant driving 40 miles into a remote mountain valley - who knew! - but here I am free to peruse your wonderful sight once again. I love the contrast of the colored character against the sepia monotoned audience. Makes a very stark statement. Now, please pencil me in as one of those vociferous attendees demanding impeachment. How is it possible to take another year of this madness??? Your blogging buddies would love to know what the "comment removed" comment was!!!

Crayons said...

Hmmmm.
I didn't delete any comment from the last post. Maybe it was Roberto Gonzales.

dmmgmfm said...

You continue to amaze me with your art and your wisdom. Thank you.

Lana Gramlich said...

Personally I refer to our "government" as a corprocracy, as that truly seems to be what it is. Regardless of who's "in power," it's corporate might that's holding the real reigns. Corporations were given status as "people" under the law & since then, they've been the only people who this gov't is by, for or of. We need to reverse that NOW. (Side note; I highly recommend the movie "The Corporation.")

Crayons said...

Wow Lana,
Point taken. How the devil do you pronounce that? I agree that corporations have taken on the status of people.

Don't give handouts to the poor, don't help individuals recover from bankruptcy, but have pity on the poor huge corporations....

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

I love this story. I hope it has a happy ending.

Anonymous said...

This is a great little story. I like the dream quality of the non-democratic years. The drawing is so different from the rest. I think I can predict the ending of your story.
Melissa from LI

kate said...

Your drawings were great! I love them - US politics make Canadian politics seem quite civilised and intelligent (and that's saying something!). Please, please don't vote another George Bush-type into office.

Pam said...

What Laurie said!

Lana Gramlich said...

I guess the correct term is corpocracy...my bad. No matter how you spell or say it, however, it stinks to high heaven.

Suzy said...

And to continue Lana's train of thought ... Ralph Nader points out that when we use the term "privatization, what is really meant is "corporatization", more of a bad thing.

Tammy always puzzles me. Why in the world, sweet Jesus, did she vote for that Christmas/Christianity bill last week? What would Jesus have done? Voted against it, of course!!!