Quote:
Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
And yet we, the paragons of republican democracy and masters of the basic human urge, have an Electoral College and sempiternal redistricting that occasions --- nay, ensures --- phantom landslide results, and talk of "mandates" and a "bully pulpit" for the man elected.
The basic human need is not to be acknowledged. It is to command.
|
Command? For some, I'm sure such a strong word applies well. But others? Leadership is often only available to those who step forward, and most often its true leaders who can't be found, not followers. In fact, look at mobs! But I digress.
I think that maybe "command" and "be acknowledged" are somewhere along a sliding scale of what people want. Many people might properly be characterized as finding meaning in a group identity. cf. Chicago politician's habits of twisting their names into something Irish (my grammama's milkman was Irish!). In regards to Iraq, promising the Shiites that they would have control in proportion to their votes, would almost certainly have been a carrot to keep the lid on. Ditto Sadr city (for example). You want Sadr aldermen? Vote em in. Democracy is an endless promise of power.
With the Sunnis, it probably sounded more like a promise that they wouldn't be completely marginalized. But hey, if the other choice is napalm, what would they really do.
No matter. I really just don't hear anyone waving these carrots around. After the promises made to justify the invasion, I'd be extremely disappointed if I were an Iraqi.
Americans can crow til the cows come home about how at least we aren't Saddam. But Iraqis almost certainly lament that the Americans' plans don't seem to make them as free as Americans.
And why not?
Hello
