On Democracy in America

Last night, Brian and I went to see Steven Hill talk about his book "10 Steps to Repair American Democracy" at Modern Times Book Store. There has been a lot said on this subject ever since the debacle we call the 2000 presidential election (although I was overseas a good bit of time since then and a lot of what I heard said was said by Europeans. The French are completely convinced that American Democracy no longer exists). Yeah, so there’s a lot to say. But I was particularly compelled by one comment:

Steven Hill pointed out that Regan was the first politician to blame government for America’s problems. “Government is the problem,” he said. But, here’s the thing: if government is bad, then why vote? This sort of ideology, particularly when asserted by our Leaders, is hugely destructive not just to government, but to the public’s interest in participating in it. No wonder apathy is rampant – entire generations have heard this message since we were small.

Republicans value business to make the individual profit. Government serves the public without self-interest (except maybe people wanting to keep their jobs…?). What motivates us to serve each other, to make our world better, if the mechanism thru which we can do that is “the problem”. Sure, there are non-profits, but the non-profit structure, with battling board members, etc., contains the risk of preventing real leadership at that level either. Are we really destined to be a nation of individuals who only wish to make themselves rich at the expense of everyone else? Yet, without a mechanism to help people, we are left without other options.

At this point, I have jotted in my notes from the talk: “why do anything?” I like money just as much as the next guy, but there are so many ways to get there from here. If we don’t start with our fundamental beliefs – and figuring out what they are – how does anyone make a decision? (On the other hand, I get the feeling that everyone else is more decisive by nature than I am.)

I mentioned this to Brian after the talk, and he said that Katrina represented a shift in the American attitude towards government. Suddenly, everyone could see as plain as weather the need for competent representation. I’m hoping it’s a lasting effect.

I don’t know how to wrap up this post. I want to leave my readers with some really profound message, but exactly what it is eludes me. Government isn’t the problem. Government officials who blame the system which support them – those hypocrates – are the problem. And it is the responsibility of every single American to fight those messages, to make government better, to make it competent, to make it serve our needs, and to make sure every other American understands that. That’s our job. And if anyone supposedly representing us criticizes the system thru which they got that power, it’s our responsibility to impeach them.