August 25, 2006

Democratic Charades

In a way, our main problem consists of not having the right words. Once one figures the Tyrant for a criminal, a traitor, and worse, no easy descriptions bridge the chasm between that and an afternoon at Brookings, or the Wilson center. "Policy mistakes" just ain't in it anymore. The appropriate frame of reference has radically changed. Joel Bleifuss, editor of In These Times, may not have the exact words we need either, but gets as close as humanly possible talking about stolen elections—the foundation of the Tyrant's power. For anybody who cares about the American experiment this must be the issue of the day: How to make things happen such that the public takes back control of its election machinery, to ensure that results accurately reflect the public will. Getting at the results themselves through normal politics is another thing entirely. It was very kind of Joel to take time from his vacation to talk with me. He's a gentleman and a scholar, and I'm always happy with our collaborations. This podcast runs about fifty seven and a half minutes. Enjoy.