You know, a lot of the postings in this blog tend toward the cynical. I think that's because I see a lot to be desired in the U.S. and with humans in general. However, recent events have made me think that we should be a bit more grateful and maybe even awe-inspired by the success of U.S. democracy. Yes, there are millions of uninsured in our country. There is an astonishing wealth gap and it's hard to trust politicians as far as you can throw them.
That being said, at least they leave when they're supposed to. In Russia it has become clear that President Putin wants no part of being a civilian again. Our one time friend and ally has been making an incredible power grab lately, one that has threatened to once again escalate tension between our nations. And it's not just him. Many of the former Soviet countries that elected "democratic" leaders now cannot get rid of them when they want to or when their terms are supposedly up. We're seeing this in Pakistan too.
It seems to me that other countries don't really get democracy and we should appreciate that, in our country, people do. I'm sure Bush doesn't want to stop being President but in 2009, he will. He'll walk away and do speaking engagements and build his library. He won't try to change the laws or enlist the help of the military to keep himself in power. Our senators and congresspeople also go relatively quietly. The may not want to leave office but if the public votes them out, they leave.
We take this for granted. With all that doesn't work well in our country, the core functions generally do work well. This is what other countries do not see. Democracy is more than staining your finger purple from voting. It means holding your leaders to the promise of shared power. And if they don't live up to that promise, then you may have to sacrifice your life or those you care about to make it so. That's happened in this country. Our democracy wasn't easy. It didn't happen in a couple of months or even years as citizens of other countries seem to expect it to. It took hard work, sacrifice, diligence, and even bloodshed. Sometimes I forget how well people here actually do follow the guiding priciples. It's not perfect by a long shot but it seems far better than most of the current alternatives.
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2 comments:
Good point, and good reminder. A lot of folks might say that democracy is being threatened by our current president and his tactics. (I wonder, what exactly will he have in that library anyway? Can he even spell "library"?) But as much as I like to worry that the Constitution is in danger, I know enough people personally who wouldn't let that happen.
I have a little research project gearing up on the side, to try to trace my ancestry and figure out if my lineage really does go back to a certain Patriot. It would explain why I get all riled up. Thanks for being one of my favorite flame fanners! (OOh, say that seven times fast and you deserve YOUR own presidential library!)
Cheers,
MM
Mando - I don't see Bush as a threat to the Constitution at all. First of all, what does it mean to be a threat to the Constitution? We've ammended the Constitution many times in our past when we saw fit. Most of us realize that the founding fathers probably never envisioned the world we actually live in today. While the documents they created have been incredible enduring, they're not perfect and so we've altered them a little.
If Bush were currently very popular, I don't know if people would be as concerned about some of the things he's done. But, because people dislike the war and dislike him, his actions are a "threat."
I'm not defending Bush. Everyone knows I don't like him and I think he's done considerable damage as President. Still, I think things are cyclical. Unless the Democrats have a major screw-up, they should be able to win the White House and, if so, reverse many of the Bush policies people see as threatening. THAT will be the interesting thing to watch. Do the Democrats really roll these powers back? I'll be interested to see.
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