I harbour no illusions about the empty slogan “change we can believe in” but I can’t help feel a huge sense of relief that the right-wing (Democrats) of the Business Party have seized control off the far-right zealots (Republicans), in all three branches of U.S. government.
If you define democracy to be government by the people then the most generous thing you can say about the U.S., after two centuries, is that it is still a fledgling democracy. Even with a record turnout the Democrats and Obama were elected, roughly, with only 34% support of eligible voters.1 And this in a so-called representative democracy. It’s all light years away from participatory democracy, probably the only form of democracy truly worthy of the name.
There is no mass movement in the U.S. to push Obama and the Democrats for real social and economic change. The U.S. is still largely a country of the reactionaries controlled by fear, ignorance and big business propaganda. Garbage in, garbage out.
The biggest loser on the day: racism.
The biggest winner: Obama’s daughters, Sasha and Malia, who have been promised a puppy.
Update: Many reports describe the 65% turnout figure as that of “registered voters,” so the percentage of eligible voters in support of the Dems and Obama would be even less than 34%. I’ll post concrete numbers when I find them.
Notes:- Based on a pitiful but record turnout of 65% of eligible voters and a popular vote of 52% in favour of the Democrats and Obama. [↩]