Posts
Like everyone, I am amazed at the current status of the healthcare bill.
I have emailed both my senators and my congressman numerous times. I have signed I don't know how many petitions. I have written a letter to the editor of my local paper. I have posted countless scores, maybe hundreds, of blog comments about it.
As a result of all this, I have concluded that my opinion - so far as the political process is concerned - is not worth a bucket of warm spit.
Alas, dear reader, neither is yours.
The Long Night is Coming
5 years ago
This is a heartwarming and democracy-affirming period for young Americans. We see no change (either forced by government or self-flagellatory) in the plutocrat's rapacious business models even after they destroy our parents savings (which will inspire great grumbles when we're forced to go to the same bankers that ruined our parents when we finally get our asses out of school and want to start a business) nor do we see our elected representatives working for our interests instead of their electoral-season sponsors (as in the case of the healthcare bill you mention).
ReplyDeleteI've come to the conclusion that democracy is a delightful idea, but capitalists will always own the system. Not the pleasant, free-market capitalists either (although they prance around in deregulatory garb well enough when the mall owners and third rate lawyers that run this country begin to mutter about forcing them to change their nation-destroying ways) but the kind of smart capitalists that casually suggest to all they meet that the stock market is a safe repository for long-term savings.
But it's not like there are any better alternatives (to American democracy). I mean, I like my sausage, egg and cheese McGriddles, and wouldn't give up the international beer market for all the permaculture installations in the Pacific Northwest.
Whattaboutchu, D.K.? Is American representative democracy fux0red, or do you see a way to talk our representatives into considering our interests even to some degree?
I have no coherent answer.
ReplyDeleteInstead:
As I recently stated on Fabius Maximus' blog, given the deficits and all the other systemic problems, my objective is to kick the can down the road and hope something like John Robb's resilient communities get enough times to organize.
As I have sometimes sardonically stated on various blogs, the real solution to the health care crisis would be to turn the matter over to the Mexican Drug Lords because they know howto get things done.
As I stated on Don Vandergriff's blog, political decay happens to coincide with artistic creativity, so one meaningful thing that I actually can do is develop artistically. That poetic duel I posted here several weeks ago is no sideline for me. I spend lots of time thinking about things like the similarities between hip hop, on the one hand, and Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse, on the other.