https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEDSRP3yNPo&sns=em
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"Democracy is coming to the USA” is the real Leonard Cohen lyric we should be listening tpo
by Shelagh Huston
November 16, 2016
http://qz.com/838190/leonard-cohens-death-instead-of-hallelujah-democracy-is-the-song-we-should-be-listening-to/
Ordinary words have failed Americans a lot over the last few months. It seems that too often, rational thought and logic have been rejected in favor of fake news arguments and internet troll hysteria.In the midst of this chaos, however, other forms of language are becoming increasingly resonant. As Canadian columnist Elizabeth Renzetti recently said, "Perhaps poetry can shed light where polling data failed." Poets are our prophets now, and songs our strength.One such prophet was Leonard Cohen. This gruffly spoken man slyly and wisely brought his poetry a lot of publicity last week by dying right when we needed to hear him most. His fans have responded by playing "Hallelujah" on repeat and echoing the ironic comfort of his famous line from "Anthem," There is a crack, a crack in everything / That's how the light gets in.But the song we should really be turning to is one from the 1990s: "Democracy."
I'm neither left or right / I'm just staying home tonight / Getting lost in that hopeless little screen.After months of an election campaign that gave us the feel / that this ain't exactly real / or it's real, but it ain't exactly there, and after years of a rising tide of the wars against disorder / the sirens night and day / the fires of the homeless / the ashes of the gay, Leonard Cohen prophesizes:Democracy is coming to the USA.Like so many of us, Cohen cared about the idea of America (I love the country) but was horrified and revolted by what's been happening to it (but I can't stand the scene). He was a Canadian who believed in America's founding principles: It's coming to America first / the cradle of the best and of the worst / it's here they got the range / and the machinery for change / and it's here they got the spiritual thirst.
According to Cohen's prophecy, democracy will come not through laws or governments, but through a fresh wind, a hole in the air. Cohen even lists off the folks who, knowingly or not, will be the sources of this change:
from the left-behind workers of the industrial heartland: from the brave, the bold, the battered / heart of Chevrolet
from the protesters like Black Lives Matter: it's coming from the sorrow in the street / the holy places where the races meet
from the Christians: some of whom pretend to understand but do not act on the staggering account / of the Sermon on the Mount
from the feminists who struggle against the patriarchy:
from the homicidal bitchin'/ that goes down in every kitchen / to determine who will serve and who will eat
from the agony of women, especially the women of the desert lands of the Middle East, fleeing bombs and worse:
from the wells of disappointment / where the women kneel to pray / for the grace of God in the desert here / and the desert far away
At a time when the US is in more danger of foundering than ever before, Cohen's words are the perfect anthem for these times: Sail on, sail on / oh mighty ship of State, we're dreading this voyage, not knowing if we'll we make it to the shores of need / past the reefs of greed / through the squalls of hate.
Poems and songs are full of an intense aliveness that tears open the heart, allowing for a deeper understanding.
Even in the middle of an agonized, despoiled, garbage-strewn landscape, Cohen finds hope: But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags / that time cannot decay / I'm junk, but I'm still holding up / this little wild bouquet: Democracy is coming to the USA.
So, what exactly did Leonard mean by all that? It's too late to ask him now, but if we're all junk, let's be stubborn as garbage bags, and keep on holding up that bouquet of hope for tommorow.
Most Americans believe they already live in a democratic country.
ReplyDeleteBut is America really a democracy?
How is the US political system "democratic" when Trump gets the presidency even though Hilary Clinton got 3 million more votes!
How is America's political system broken/dysfunctional?
There are many ways in wch the electoral process is "rigged" in America...not the least of wch is how Big Money campaign funding undermines the integrity of elections. In America, political office is for sale to the highest bidder. Another is "restrictions on voter registration" wch ends up disenfranchising the poor and skewing election results in favour of the rich.
America has a long way to go to becoming a true democracy and an egalitarian society.
democracy in name;corruption in practice /buying political office:spending money to buy influence
ReplyDeleteThe electoral process is manipulated by unlimited corporate donations democracy in name;corruption in practice /buying political office:spending money to buy influence donors expect their candidate to advocate for their interests. (supporters expect to be rewarded).
Politicians become indebted/beholden/obligated to those who fund their campaign
There have to be limits on individual campaign contributions and campaign expenditure to ensure that Big Money cannot subvert the democratic process by buying influence.
Who benefits from unlimited campaign contributions? Big Money interests benefit! This rule subverts the fairness of elections and corrupts democracy.
If the electoral process were perceived to be fair and truelly democratic, more people would engage in the process and be less cynical about politics and the political process. As it is, election outcomes are determined by Big Money. Big donors decide the outcome of elections (instead of voter decisions being made on policy issues) People should be elected to public service office on their merit(their character and leadership qualities)...and not on how much money they spend on marketing their candidacy.
Trump spent far less money on his campaign than Clinton...and the money he spent was mostly his own.
ReplyDeleteSo he is far less likely to be obligated or beholden to campaign donars than Clinton would have been.
All true!. However, by this reasoning only qualification for leadership is a pocketful of money.
ReplyDeleteAny wealthy billionaire can buy the highest political office in the land without any other leadership credentials... wch is exactly what Donald Trump has done!
We need to change the way we choose our leaders...so that money is not the primary qualification for a leadership role,...but rather intelligence,moral integrity(character),and a capacity for compassion.
We would have better people running the country. Otherwise we will continue getting leaders who are entertainers and money grubbers who know how to market themselves....but without any real redeeming human qualities.
Without social,political,and economic equity,democracy is nothing more than a dream.
ReplyDeleteDemocracy insists on a free press and a free judiciary.
ReplyDeleteIt ought also demand a free legislature.Without a free legislature, all the other freedoms are undermined. Only tbrough a genuinely free legislature can all the other civil liberties be guaranteed. When a legislative body is lobbied and unduly influenced by special interest groups such as corporations it ceases to be unbiased in making laws wch are of equal benefit to all segments of a society.
People's interests are only served when lawmakers and jurists are competent,fair, and above corruption. Otherwise tbe phrase "rule of law" is no more than a meaningless cliche.
The government belongs to all of us, and should serve all the people...not just the corporations and the wealthy!
Americans’ Views on Money in Politics
ReplyDeletehttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/06/02/us/politics/money-in-politics-poll.html?_r=0
undemocratic influence of Big Money donations/ NewYork Times survey
Most Americans say that money has too much of an influence on politicians and that campaign finance changes are needed.
Influence of Money on Elections
In a rare show of unity, Americans, regardless of their political affiliation, agree that money has too much influence on elections, the wealthy have more influence on elections, and candidates who win office promote policies that help their donors.
Thinking about United States elections, do you think all Americans have an equal chance to influence the elections process, or do you think wealthy Americans have more of a chance to influence the elections process than other Americans?
Equal influence31%
Wealthy have more influence66%
Thinking about the role of money in American political campaigns today, do you think money has too much influence, too little influence or is it about right?
Too much84%
Too littleAbout right10%
Don't know/No answer
How often do you think candidates who win public office promote policies that directly help the people and groups who donated money to their campaigns — most of the time, sometimes, rarely or never?
Most of the time55%
Sometimes30%
Rarely9%
The Need for Reform
With near unanimity, the public thinks the country’s campaign finance system needs significant changes. There is strong support across party lines for limiting the amount of money individuals can contribute to political campaigns, limiting the amount of money groups not affiliated with candidates can spend, and requiring unaffiliated groups to publicly disclose their donors if they spend money during a political campaign.
Which of the following three statements comes closest to expressing your overall view of the way political campaigns are funded in the United States:
1) On the whole, the system for funding political campaigns works pretty well and only minor changes are necessary to make it work better.
2) There are some good things in the system for funding political campaigns but fundamental changes are needed.
3) The system for funding political campaigns has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it.
Only minor changes13%
Fundamental changes39%
Completely rebuild46%
This question was asked only of people who answered that the system needed changes.Looking ahead, are you optimistic or pessimistic that changes will be made to improve the way political campaigns are funded in the United States?
Optimistic39%
Pessimistic58%
Which one of the following two positions on campaign financing do you favor more: limiting the amount of money individuals can contribute to political campaigns, or allowing individuals to contribute as much money to political campaigns as they would like?
Limiting77%
Allowing21%
Currently, groups not affiliated with a candidate are able to spend unlimited amounts on advertisements during a political campaign. Do you think this kind of spending should be limited by law, or should it remain unlimited?
Should be limited78%
Should remain unlimited19%
Do you think groups not affiliated with a candidate that spend money during political campaigns should be required to publicly disclose their contributors, or do you think it's O.K. for that information to remain private?
Should publicly disclose75%
Should remain private22%
Don't know/No answer
Which Party Benefits Most?
While a majority of all Americans (including most Republicans and independents) think both parties benefit equally from money in political campaigns, most Democrats think the Republican Party benefits more.
In general, which political party do you think benefits the most from the amount of money in politics today — the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, or do both parties benefit about equally?
structural problems inherent in Canada's democratic system
ReplyDeleteurgent need for political reform to curb widespread public cynicism about politics
http://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/the-current/segment/12667884