It took a trip to Philadelphia to make me
realize that Americans – on a “macro” level – are even more despicable than the
mainland Chinese. Yes, I still believe
most of the mainland Chinese are rude, uncouth, selfish, etc., but the great
unwashed masses of Americans – as clearly demonstrated by the latest election –
are shamefully undeserving of the blood, sweat, and tears our forefathers
spilled to make this country.
Unlike that commie SueLin Poh, I’m a big fan of
American history, so my first ever trip to Philadelphia produced many a “lump
in my throat” and “wet eye” moment. Being in the room where they debated and
signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, going through the
Liberty Bell center, hearing all the stories (most I knew, but some I didn’t),
well, it was all very “impactful.”
Particularly inspiring was the story of Cesar
Rodney – the guy on horseback on the Delaware quarter (yes, I am ashamed to
admit I, too, assumed that was Paul Revere).
During the debate over the Declaration of Independence, they wanted
unanimity, but a couple of states were hold-outs (e.g., New York). Delaware’s two delegates at the convention
were split, so the one in favor of independence got a message to Rodney—their 3rd
delegate who was in Delaware quashing a loyalist uprising—that he was urgently
needed to break the Delaware tie and push the other states into siding for
independence. Even though dude was sick,
he got on a horse and rode 80 miles for 18 hours through a rainy thunderstorm
and arrived at Independence Hall muddy, wet, tired, and seriously ill but just
in time to break the Delaware tie which then led to the unanimous vote for
Independence.
Cue the stirring music and this awesome quote
from John Adams after the Declaration was agreed on: “I am well aware of
the toil, and blood, and treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this
declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet, through all the gloom, I
can see the rays of ravishing light and glory.”
Ravishing light and glory indeed. Fast forward nearly 240 years: We’ve had 63 straight months of economic
expansion, we’re currently enjoying the longest period of private job sector
growth in our nation’s history, unemployment has been nearly halved in the past
5 years, the stock market continues to set new records, the deficit has been
cut by 2/3 in the same time period, spending is increasing at the slowest rate
since Eisenhower, millions more Americans now have health insurance and healthcare
costs have finally slowed down, we have the fewest soldiers in war zones in
ten+ years, Osama bin Laden’s been
killed and there have been ZERO successful attacks by Al Qaeda in the U.S. And yet, the majority of voters just elected
a party that’s sole ideological tenet is to attack the Black guy.
Think this “new” “leadership” will fix America’s
aging infrastructure? Ha! Don’t hold
your breath. Ready for banking reform? Action
on climate change? Immigration? Gun violence?
Well, just keep on being “ready” coz you won’t see anything even close
to approaching any of that in the next few years.
Don’t get me wrong, the Democrats are almost as
despicable. Running from a President who—granted—has
not shown NEARLY enough leadership, rather than at least making an effort to
tout the successes he’s managed to have while being blocked and bludgeoned at
every opportunity. Cowing to GOP bluster
and evil. Refusing to really stand up
for the poor, the disenfranchised, women, etc.
They’re all despicable. And this
is what Rodney rode through the night for?
Our “system” is beyond corrupt and disgusting and dysfunctional. Yes, money has helped rot it, yes slimy voter
disenfranchisement and lowest-common-denominator/negative campaigning has led
to the crippling inertia, but what is most maddening is that – at the end of
the day – it wouldn’t be THAT hard to fix.
Public financing of campaigns for starters. But something even more radical is needed;
radical and yet common sensical: a license to vote.
Would you let an uneducated, unlicensed doctor
operate on you? Would you get in a car
with a driver who is unlicensed/too stupid to know how to drive a car? How would you like completely uneducated
yahoos serving as teachers for your kids or nieces/nephews?
If we can all accept/agree that some things are
just too important to be left in the hands of un-educated ignoramuses, why on earth do we allow them to perform THE
most important function in a so-called democracy? Fuck the voter ID laws, what we need are
voter licensing laws. You shouldn’t get
a “Voting License” unless or until you can pass a simple test showing you have
not only a basic understanding of our system of governance, but that you also
don’t believe patently stupid things and/or egregious lies.
