THE DEBATE OVER MCQUEEN'S MERITS MISSES THE POINT
Been noticing a lot of debate over the recent McQueen publicity breakout. Is McQueen just a poser or does he have the public interest at heart?
It doesn't make any difference. He is the hood ornament for a transparency push. In a democracy change doesn't usually get made without an outside push. Right now, whether you agree with it or not, there's a bigger than usual push for spending cuts and a resulting push for more "access" to decision-makers. The push is part of the process.
That's the way it's been here since the revolutionary war. Some of our greatest visionaries have been peacocks and whack jobs (Can you say "Aaron Burr" or "Andrew Jackson"?). A viewpoint is going to have a spokesman. Love him or find him wanting, he's filling a vital role in representative government.
posted by UMRBlog @ 03:02
14 comments
14 Comments:
Very well written and every part of the whole is part of our process .
Tony-
I agree, it is all part of the process (oh and it makes for good media too). Don't forget Benjamin Franklin.
I don't love him or find him wanting.
But I do find his role as vital as you mentioned. It also seems to me that the lack of trust or confidence is not limited to local govt., but state and and national.
The same feeling is towards big business in America. I would guess this feeling has much to do with our economic climate. Some leaders, politicans and management are showing their true talents....
"Only when the tide goes out do you discover who is swimming naked"
Why then the abnormal resistance from you guys at City Hall?
0719
You must know something I don't know. I haven't heard one word about anyone being opposed to Mr. McQ speaking Monday.
TYFCB
9:21 AM, July 12, 2009
I was speaking more generally to the resistance to Mr Black's proposed ordinance, but that is good news about Monday.
There's plenty of stubbornness to go around here. It's become kind of a "Love me, love my dog" thing.
There are plenty of places between where we are now and Mr. Black's product that would be perfectly useful and democratic.
"Whether or not it is clear to us, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."
TYFCB
"Whether or not it is clear to us, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."
I doubt that ... :)
That seems too much like saying that our input doesn't matter ... determinism ... fatalism.
People can make a change ... and need to constantly rise up against oppression, which encroaches more locally than we would like to believe.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
The operative word there is "unfolding". I didn't say the universe is peachy as it is.
Damn, the whole purpose of this original Post was to demonstrate the utility of what McQueen is doing.
BTW, different views are not necessary "evil". They're just different.
TYFCB
Yes, but in my view, the natural course of "the universe" is for power to corrupt, and men to enslave others. So "the push" is separate from that, and requires eternal vigilance.
We are more free than most of the universe/world, and nothing says we will stay that way without great sacrifice.
It seems like a big philosophical difference to me ... but I agree with your original point, mostly. I suppose I should have started by saying that.
1257,
If that were the natural Bent of all men, our little experiment here in North America would have folded up around 1860.
I do agree we must work our asses off to keep representative government from becoming a masked oligarchy. But my essential point is that everyone has a role to play in that. Whether it be Bud Niekamp or Ned Behrensmeyer, we all have something to put into the pot of governance.
I respect your overview but in my view it's too dark and cynical. There are more George Herbert Walker Bushes, Jim Edgars and Tom Vilsak's than there are Richard Nixons.
TYFCB
America is "exceptional", or at least it was. Obama noted that we should be proud of our country, just as others are proud of theirs. But outside of the western world, conditions are indeed much darker.
Freedom has not naturally emerged in Muslim countries or Africa, at least not as we know it. The oldest societies seem the least free ... USA is still a youth with ideals.
Locally we may see responsiveness to citizens' outcry, especially at the level of the school board, where members are more likely (as I see it) to be serving the public interest.
But still, the easy solutions are to raise taxes and throw money at the problems. As the "credit cards" are now maxed out, innovation will be thrust upon us, tenure and pensions limited.
A few steps higher we see the powerful consistently acting against the interests of the people, bought by lobbyists or special interests.
Free societies rise AND fall, that seems more the "nature" of the beast. We are moving away from our founding fathers' framework, into a "we are the world" 1960's purple haze of revolution, "pushing" toward global governance, as Gore recently expressed. States are losing power already.
Natural man versus spiritual man, maybe. Good always triumphs over evil ... in the movies. "Hope for change" is not an action plan.
qcexaminer's grassroots effort to replace Hare also exhibits your point ... we all need to push.
We agree on this much:
Operative Words are "Do" and "Something".
TYFCB
As I said, I was specific.
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