Brian Grear announced yesterday that he will run for NYS Senate against Senator George Maziarz. While doing so on Scott Leffler’s WLVL radio show, he pointed to his frustration in attempting to run for Sheriff that motivated him to up the ante and run for Senator of NYS.
If I understood this correctly, according to Grear, because of Maziarz and Henry Wojtaszek’s stalling Beilein’s appointment at the state level, there was not time for him to petition to run for Sheriff in Niagara County. So if this is true, the rules were such or being used as such by the Republican party leaders, or, possibly Beilein himself, that he was prevented from exercising his right to run.
If this is true, this incident points to a third situation, that illustrates the decay of politics in Niagara County and most likely in most American communities. In Grear’s case, whether it was the party bosses, Beilein or the administrative campaign/election rules that stonewalled his efforts is irrelevant. Why? Because it is always people who make the rules and interpret if not manipulate the rules either to their own benefit and power or in the spirit of democracy. The American democratic community and civil society is in such a state of corruption and decay, that the latter is rarely a consideration.
The Republican leaders in Niagara County are suspect in accepting and nurturing this decadent state of affairs in local politics. It is sad if not frightening, that they have reached a point that our deeply deficient political ethos is thought to be normal and acceptable if not desireable. In fact the leaders of the Republican party need not have consciously intended to deceive and corrupt the process for the process to be de facto decayed and corrupt. It is enough that they have taken advantage of and thereby exploited an intellectually disenfranchised populace and a disempowered political process. They are still responsible but equally as unconscious and indifferent as the people to the disintegration of what we stand for politically and legally in America.
In short the meaning and spirit of American democracy is in disastrous disarray in the hearts and minds of the people. Rational participation in the life of a political community is forgotten. The Grear situation points to this travesty of democracy, this shell of democracy that passes for the real thing. But apparently Grear and his supporters have had enough with the Republican machine and aim to do something about it. Hopefully they will not also stoop to the level of manipulation, power mongering and patronage-manipulation of the people that seems to be our history, not only among Republicans but also Democrats.
However, if your memory is very short we need to stoke the brain cells and compare the Grear situation to the recent ouster of Joan Wolfgang without any credible justification from the Niagara County Community College Board of Trustees and the trumped up discontent that led to the administrative purging of Tom Christy’s very popular Legislative Journal program from the airwaves of LCTV Cable.
My point is that where there is the same smoke there is likely to be a similar fire. In each of the three cases of Grear, Wolfgang and Christy, upstanding, politically concerned members of the community were maneuvered out of their roles in the community by politically spurious if not devious means. The spirit of democracy was not taken into account in these occurrences. Undue influence, political manipulation and/or justification by power alone was enough to drive these three citizens from participation which, in a just and fair democracy, would have been considered an egregious and unconscionable offense against political norms, the integrity of the people and even common sense.
But the people remain unconscious to passionate, critical thinking and when “the people” has been reduced to a cretinized populace of abstract individuals, demoralized, disinterested and disinformed about the political process and events of the day, then such travesties of democracy and justice can pass, as they do, virtually unnoticed. When reason, critical thinking, sustained inquiry, historical reflection and motivated self-awareness of what is in the interest of the people and the good of the community is absent, and only the shell of democracy remains, surely then power, coercive legislative power blocs and politic threats can rule the day. When the people have stopped thinking and caring, then the integral rational political process that constitutes the heart of democratic discourse and deliberation appears to be a mere academic consideration.
These three cases surely seem not to pass the smell test for undue and coercive political influence. And I do use the word “political” here quite loosely because it has little to do with authentic democratic political process. But when such process lacks the organic community of citizens who alone can demand explanation and justification that holds water when such supremely questionable actions are taken, then the heart of democracy cannot beat. Then the people as a whole do not feel entitled to question, criticize and sustain the demand for reasonable action, justifiable governance and legitimate representation.
The cases of Grear, Wolfgang and Christy are symptoms of a pathologically depoliticized community and a de-communalized public sphere of civil society. They are signs of an educational system that has forsaken responsibility for concrete civic instruction. They are warnings of government leaders who have sinned against their long-since repressed pedagogical responsibility to honor, uphold and propagate the principles of democracy as opposed to taking advantage of our nihilistic state of political affairs and playing the shell game of control, domination and political pretense.
There must be a return to accountability in government and integrity in political process. Only a genuine community clear as to its identity, values and purpose can assure that this takes place. When political leaders will not help the community to return to and reconstitute its civic roots, the subsequent, long process of irrationality and disillusionment may itself lead to radical re-evaluation and the revolutionary action that our own Constitution guarantees and reminds us, in the end, is our duty.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
NIAGARA POLITICS: Vulgarity, Violence and Crony Capitalism
The purging of Joan Wolfgang from the NCCC Board of Trustees was an egregiously blatant elitist act of political nepotism disguised as legislative process. After 25 years of highly commendable service Wolfgang was ousted at the obvious behest of Henry Sloma who wanted his girlfriend, Bonnie Gifford, to have the job. But why? Why throw 25 years of experience down the drain? Just because he can? Now we know why the vast majority of Niagara County citizens have given up on democracy in Niagara County. This power play was a brazenly unabashed and elitist flaunting of the power of money over reason. Whatever Sloma’s real personal reasons for this power play are, they must undoubtedly be sufficiently petty to not deserve the light of day. Because he’s not talking. And the cow towing cowardice of the Niagara County Legislature enabled this travesty of democracy, good sense and concern for the public trust to be flaunted in the face of the people.
Without even making an effort to appear convincing, Legislator Updegrove, reportedly “justified” this totally unjustifiable purging of Wolfgang as necessitated by “their management philosophy.” He claims that NCCC is going in the right direction. I’m not sure if that is now because Gifford is on board or because it has already been going in the right direction before the forcing of Gifford into Wolfgang’s position. Since NCCC has been going in the right direction actually for some considerable time why this unprecedented and arbitrary flexing of “political” muscle? Updegrove might consider that this regretful action on the part of a much too obviously solicitous Legislature is analogous to an equally reprehensible action that might hypothetically take place in law. Imagine that after an unchallenged law which remains on the books as established precedent for some considerable time is suddenly reversed without good reason, justification or explanation. This would upset a fundamental tenet of legal reasoning. In like manner, what changes or events have transpired that now legitimate Wolfgang’s tenure being invalidated? This is nothing but rule by fiat, brute and viciously indifferent power which has no respectable authority and imparts no convincing let alone enlightening truths.
And what exactly is this management philosophy, that is political philosophy, that required an unethical compromise of the working integrity of the NCCC Board of Trustees? And what is the “right direction” that NCCC is going which is now so pleasing to Updegrove? We will never know because the Republican power block doesn’t feel obligated to enter into discussion with the people. If the Ethics board is not brain dead and still represents any sense of the good, the true and the just, this escapade needs thorough investigation. What happened in Lockport on Tuesday evening does not pass the smell test and is stinking up the whole county.
And why exactly is Bonnie Gifford qualified to replace Joan Wolfgang? As a former member of the nursing faculty apparently she qualifies. I fear however that if the model that the nursing division of NCCC provides to the college is her criterion, then the college also needs to beware. As a professor of philosophy the only time I ever see a nursing student in my classes is if some advisor mistakenly registers one for a philosophy class or they get lost. The only nursing student I can remember who did take a class from me plagiarized a paper. When I confronted her, she broke down crying and admitted her brother wrote the paper for her. The Nursing division at NCCC is successful, competent and replete with awards and recognition. My problem with them is that they probably should be a college all by themselves. I don’t see them structuring their curriculum such that their students are freed up to explore and experience other dimensions of reality. If on the other hand Gifford’s selection is a sign that they want to push NCCC toward a greater jobs oriented curriculum, then the business folk better start providing some jobs. On the other hand, what we really ought to be concerned about as patriotic Americans is creating a curriculum in the community college that produces competent citizens who can still practice and care about practicing democracy. A business model of political practice is the death of the American political ideal.
When such power as displayed at the Niagara County Legislature two nights ago arrogantly abrogates any reason that might pass public scrutiny even at the lowest conceivable standards of persuasion, we are all in trouble. When money can buy votes, the deliberative and discursive dimension of democracy is dead. These actions smell of a witch hunt mentality, a virtual paranoia, that harks back to the Nixon administration seeing enemies everywhere or possibly to the Stalinist regime that imagined traitors around every corner.
Niagara County is surely in a sorry state economically and socially with the welfare rolls increasing daily. But now our political state of affairs is of immeasurably greater concern. The people are demoralized and angry if not merely cynically indifferent. Open discourse, criticism and inquiry is repressed as witnessed in the ousting of Tom Christy from the Republican dominated airways of LCTV. The Legislature feels little compunction to honor the intelligence of the people and explain the reasons they have for what they do. Platitudes, vague generalizations and shoddy rationalizations won’t do. This is a vile state of affairs and gives rise to the only meaningful conclusion. The “leadership” of NC is a cohort of cronies who preponderate toward interests, attitudes and actions that reflect the fact that they aspire to be a part of a new social class in America. I call it the New Class. Their interests are not that of the average wage earner. They reflect the interests of the state bureaucratic consort whose strings are pulled by Washington incumbents, lobbyists and the Washington “wannabees.” Crony capitalism is the rule of the day in Western New York. Tax money for business investments smells like socialism to me. Socialism for the capitalists. Welfare and workfare for the “people,” a term which itself no longer indicates any coherently self-conscious group of citizens who are aware of and capable of affirming their self-interest. In Niagara County the reservation doesn’t stop at Smokin’ Joes. All the people are on “the reservation.” The problem is that “the people” haven’t understood themselves as a de facto social and therefore political class. So for the foreseeable future, it’s life on the reservation. Six packs, cynicism and a part time stint at MacDonald’s, or if you’re lucky, the new Family Dollar opening up at a corner near you, courtesy of the IDA.
The Niagara County Legislature does not represent Niagara County. Henry Sloma’s actions are a direct unapologetic insult to the social and discursive norms of any community. What Marcy Cole is to alcohol, Henry Sloma is to power. Given this man runs economic development in Niagara County we can only hope that greed and vulgar displays of power are good for business. If we have learned anything from this fiasco, it is that the old cliché is no cliché: power corrupts and you know the rest. What the cronies can’t accomplish for themselves, the state Authorities will do for them.
Without even making an effort to appear convincing, Legislator Updegrove, reportedly “justified” this totally unjustifiable purging of Wolfgang as necessitated by “their management philosophy.” He claims that NCCC is going in the right direction. I’m not sure if that is now because Gifford is on board or because it has already been going in the right direction before the forcing of Gifford into Wolfgang’s position. Since NCCC has been going in the right direction actually for some considerable time why this unprecedented and arbitrary flexing of “political” muscle? Updegrove might consider that this regretful action on the part of a much too obviously solicitous Legislature is analogous to an equally reprehensible action that might hypothetically take place in law. Imagine that after an unchallenged law which remains on the books as established precedent for some considerable time is suddenly reversed without good reason, justification or explanation. This would upset a fundamental tenet of legal reasoning. In like manner, what changes or events have transpired that now legitimate Wolfgang’s tenure being invalidated? This is nothing but rule by fiat, brute and viciously indifferent power which has no respectable authority and imparts no convincing let alone enlightening truths.
And what exactly is this management philosophy, that is political philosophy, that required an unethical compromise of the working integrity of the NCCC Board of Trustees? And what is the “right direction” that NCCC is going which is now so pleasing to Updegrove? We will never know because the Republican power block doesn’t feel obligated to enter into discussion with the people. If the Ethics board is not brain dead and still represents any sense of the good, the true and the just, this escapade needs thorough investigation. What happened in Lockport on Tuesday evening does not pass the smell test and is stinking up the whole county.
And why exactly is Bonnie Gifford qualified to replace Joan Wolfgang? As a former member of the nursing faculty apparently she qualifies. I fear however that if the model that the nursing division of NCCC provides to the college is her criterion, then the college also needs to beware. As a professor of philosophy the only time I ever see a nursing student in my classes is if some advisor mistakenly registers one for a philosophy class or they get lost. The only nursing student I can remember who did take a class from me plagiarized a paper. When I confronted her, she broke down crying and admitted her brother wrote the paper for her. The Nursing division at NCCC is successful, competent and replete with awards and recognition. My problem with them is that they probably should be a college all by themselves. I don’t see them structuring their curriculum such that their students are freed up to explore and experience other dimensions of reality. If on the other hand Gifford’s selection is a sign that they want to push NCCC toward a greater jobs oriented curriculum, then the business folk better start providing some jobs. On the other hand, what we really ought to be concerned about as patriotic Americans is creating a curriculum in the community college that produces competent citizens who can still practice and care about practicing democracy. A business model of political practice is the death of the American political ideal.
When such power as displayed at the Niagara County Legislature two nights ago arrogantly abrogates any reason that might pass public scrutiny even at the lowest conceivable standards of persuasion, we are all in trouble. When money can buy votes, the deliberative and discursive dimension of democracy is dead. These actions smell of a witch hunt mentality, a virtual paranoia, that harks back to the Nixon administration seeing enemies everywhere or possibly to the Stalinist regime that imagined traitors around every corner.
Niagara County is surely in a sorry state economically and socially with the welfare rolls increasing daily. But now our political state of affairs is of immeasurably greater concern. The people are demoralized and angry if not merely cynically indifferent. Open discourse, criticism and inquiry is repressed as witnessed in the ousting of Tom Christy from the Republican dominated airways of LCTV. The Legislature feels little compunction to honor the intelligence of the people and explain the reasons they have for what they do. Platitudes, vague generalizations and shoddy rationalizations won’t do. This is a vile state of affairs and gives rise to the only meaningful conclusion. The “leadership” of NC is a cohort of cronies who preponderate toward interests, attitudes and actions that reflect the fact that they aspire to be a part of a new social class in America. I call it the New Class. Their interests are not that of the average wage earner. They reflect the interests of the state bureaucratic consort whose strings are pulled by Washington incumbents, lobbyists and the Washington “wannabees.” Crony capitalism is the rule of the day in Western New York. Tax money for business investments smells like socialism to me. Socialism for the capitalists. Welfare and workfare for the “people,” a term which itself no longer indicates any coherently self-conscious group of citizens who are aware of and capable of affirming their self-interest. In Niagara County the reservation doesn’t stop at Smokin’ Joes. All the people are on “the reservation.” The problem is that “the people” haven’t understood themselves as a de facto social and therefore political class. So for the foreseeable future, it’s life on the reservation. Six packs, cynicism and a part time stint at MacDonald’s, or if you’re lucky, the new Family Dollar opening up at a corner near you, courtesy of the IDA.
The Niagara County Legislature does not represent Niagara County. Henry Sloma’s actions are a direct unapologetic insult to the social and discursive norms of any community. What Marcy Cole is to alcohol, Henry Sloma is to power. Given this man runs economic development in Niagara County we can only hope that greed and vulgar displays of power are good for business. If we have learned anything from this fiasco, it is that the old cliché is no cliché: power corrupts and you know the rest. What the cronies can’t accomplish for themselves, the state Authorities will do for them.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
SOCIAL AMNESIA: Marcy Cole as More than Media Fodder
Something more needs to be said before the Marcy Cole drunk-driving incident recedes and is forgotten in the archives of local journalism only to be replaced by the most recent bit of titillating information. It’s not difficult to see that this incident is about more than Marcy Cole. Drunk driving is a national pastime. And an impotent legal system is as symptomatic of such social pathology as is an educational system and social system (read ‘community') incapable of remediating those who compulsively defy healthy and productive cultural norms.
Various attitudes and opinions have emerged on the blogs and radio shows as to how we should comprehend and resolve this issue. But of course let’s keep in mind that this is not just an issue about Marcy Cole. It is about symptomatic alienated individuals who have failed social integration and not yet found a fulfilling personal identity. Marcy Cole is not alone as the issue, though she may stand out either as an extreme example or the tip of the ice berg. The issue is a disintegrated, impotent community incapable of culturally or educationally, that is within normative institutions and practices, socializing its members as autonomous and responsible citizens while imparting a sense of self with personal power and esteem. This is a kind of social amnesia in which we have forgotten the socio-cultural roots which nurture either healthy or pathological identities, purposefulness or the lack thereof and a sense of belonging or not belonging. If Marcy Cole were a lone example then we might claim that she is soley responsible for her anti-social, unintegrated behavior. Given she is one of innumerable cases, we must admit that this is a social failure to integrate her and those like her, a persistent, systematic "system failure," a crisis of community incapable of acting for the good of the whole and re-creating itself as such politically. The "problem" can't be solved at the level in which it manifests, namely, that of the individual. Given that it is persistent and pervasive, the real problem exists at the social level and must be solved at that level structurally and dynamically. A cancerous body won't be healed by cutting out its malignant cancerous cells piecemeal.
It does little good for the well-being of the community to reduce Cole’s case to a psychiatric problem. They may well do nothing but further suppress --even though possibly successfully chemically remediate her with various pharmaceuticals-- the cause, motive and reason for such self- and socially destructive behavior. Self-help groups like AA have not eliminated this pervasive, if not growing, social problem. Moreover, to relegate the ‘problem’ matter-of-factly to the Courts may result in finding her soon back on the streets and, God forbid, conceivably even back in the classroom. Lapsing into a bleeding heart “liberalism” in which sloppy compassion ends up letting her in some way “off the hook” is equally disastrous. Moralizing the matter and blaming someone who is obviously a victim, but a victim of victimization which cannot excuse irresponsibility, further represses and refuses to address the social dimension which continues to breed and de facto bless such potentially murderous dysfunction and its concomitant irresponsibility. Tougher laws or judges won't work. Have they solved the "drug problem," assuming such a problem is one of criminality? No, they have simply created a new industry, the 'criminal industrial complex,' also known as the prison system. Of course they have also created smarter drug dealers.
So the blame is “ours.” The responsibility is ours. Only we can root out and “remedy” the causes, motives and reasons within a community that in effect turns a blind eye to what is right in front of our faces as social dysfunction and pathology. Any occasion of drunk driving is a tragedy, we all ‘know’ but do not effectively “acknowledge,” waiting to happen. When that next tragedy does happen unfortunately we are all too ready to mobilize readily available rationalizations and other pseudo-solutions such as: “Life is tragic!” or “You just never know!” or “Some people just don’t care!” or “Maybe she deserves another chance!” or “Lock her up and throw away the key!” or “Hey, people are gonna drink!” etc., etc., etc.
Ultimately this is a political problem of community re-constitution. A community that capitulates to mass cultural trends such as exonerating drunk drivers, not to mention a social life all too dependent upon inebriation, is no community at all. A community that cannot act politically to address and reflect upon the problem of its identity, values, norms and social expectations is one not consitituted by social individuals but variations on narcissistic personality types who always find a way to rationalize and justify their own behavior while remaining consciously oblivious to the social center that no longer holds and a social whole without definition, parameters or limits.
The Emperor has no clothes and the 800 lb gorilla remains in the room. In the meantime, while we objectify Cole and thus dissociate ourselves from forces that produce train wrecks like her, we might begin to ask whether some latter-day Godot is ever really going to come and whether we out to stop waiting for “him.” Or do we have to do something about it? Do we not have to do something that involves not only helping Marcy Cole but thereby helping ourselves to create an authentic political, i.e., self-educating and self-determining community, and create an opportunity for inevitable and absolutely necessary soul searching on the part of each of us, individually and in groups, families, churches, schools, etc.
Anyone else out there knowingly drive drunk lately? Anyone else out there know they are dependent on if not addicted to alcohol or some other source of false consciousness? Anyone else out there feel that the fragmented agencies and individuals designated to re-mediate this dilemma do not really have the "remedy?"
Various attitudes and opinions have emerged on the blogs and radio shows as to how we should comprehend and resolve this issue. But of course let’s keep in mind that this is not just an issue about Marcy Cole. It is about symptomatic alienated individuals who have failed social integration and not yet found a fulfilling personal identity. Marcy Cole is not alone as the issue, though she may stand out either as an extreme example or the tip of the ice berg. The issue is a disintegrated, impotent community incapable of culturally or educationally, that is within normative institutions and practices, socializing its members as autonomous and responsible citizens while imparting a sense of self with personal power and esteem. This is a kind of social amnesia in which we have forgotten the socio-cultural roots which nurture either healthy or pathological identities, purposefulness or the lack thereof and a sense of belonging or not belonging. If Marcy Cole were a lone example then we might claim that she is soley responsible for her anti-social, unintegrated behavior. Given she is one of innumerable cases, we must admit that this is a social failure to integrate her and those like her, a persistent, systematic "system failure," a crisis of community incapable of acting for the good of the whole and re-creating itself as such politically. The "problem" can't be solved at the level in which it manifests, namely, that of the individual. Given that it is persistent and pervasive, the real problem exists at the social level and must be solved at that level structurally and dynamically. A cancerous body won't be healed by cutting out its malignant cancerous cells piecemeal.
It does little good for the well-being of the community to reduce Cole’s case to a psychiatric problem. They may well do nothing but further suppress --even though possibly successfully chemically remediate her with various pharmaceuticals-- the cause, motive and reason for such self- and socially destructive behavior. Self-help groups like AA have not eliminated this pervasive, if not growing, social problem. Moreover, to relegate the ‘problem’ matter-of-factly to the Courts may result in finding her soon back on the streets and, God forbid, conceivably even back in the classroom. Lapsing into a bleeding heart “liberalism” in which sloppy compassion ends up letting her in some way “off the hook” is equally disastrous. Moralizing the matter and blaming someone who is obviously a victim, but a victim of victimization which cannot excuse irresponsibility, further represses and refuses to address the social dimension which continues to breed and de facto bless such potentially murderous dysfunction and its concomitant irresponsibility. Tougher laws or judges won't work. Have they solved the "drug problem," assuming such a problem is one of criminality? No, they have simply created a new industry, the 'criminal industrial complex,' also known as the prison system. Of course they have also created smarter drug dealers.
So the blame is “ours.” The responsibility is ours. Only we can root out and “remedy” the causes, motives and reasons within a community that in effect turns a blind eye to what is right in front of our faces as social dysfunction and pathology. Any occasion of drunk driving is a tragedy, we all ‘know’ but do not effectively “acknowledge,” waiting to happen. When that next tragedy does happen unfortunately we are all too ready to mobilize readily available rationalizations and other pseudo-solutions such as: “Life is tragic!” or “You just never know!” or “Some people just don’t care!” or “Maybe she deserves another chance!” or “Lock her up and throw away the key!” or “Hey, people are gonna drink!” etc., etc., etc.
Ultimately this is a political problem of community re-constitution. A community that capitulates to mass cultural trends such as exonerating drunk drivers, not to mention a social life all too dependent upon inebriation, is no community at all. A community that cannot act politically to address and reflect upon the problem of its identity, values, norms and social expectations is one not consitituted by social individuals but variations on narcissistic personality types who always find a way to rationalize and justify their own behavior while remaining consciously oblivious to the social center that no longer holds and a social whole without definition, parameters or limits.
The Emperor has no clothes and the 800 lb gorilla remains in the room. In the meantime, while we objectify Cole and thus dissociate ourselves from forces that produce train wrecks like her, we might begin to ask whether some latter-day Godot is ever really going to come and whether we out to stop waiting for “him.” Or do we have to do something about it? Do we not have to do something that involves not only helping Marcy Cole but thereby helping ourselves to create an authentic political, i.e., self-educating and self-determining community, and create an opportunity for inevitable and absolutely necessary soul searching on the part of each of us, individually and in groups, families, churches, schools, etc.
Anyone else out there knowingly drive drunk lately? Anyone else out there know they are dependent on if not addicted to alcohol or some other source of false consciousness? Anyone else out there feel that the fragmented agencies and individuals designated to re-mediate this dilemma do not really have the "remedy?"
Monday, June 09, 2008
FALSE DEMOCRATIC CONSCIOUSNESS: Real and Artificial Antagonisms in America
I suppose I shouldn’t be trying to make any critical or historical points regarding politics or government on a local call-in talk show. Scott Leffler continues to remind me of that at least every third time I call his show on WLVL radio in Lockport, N.Y. Last Friday he told me I used three too many “…izations” during my comment. I can accept that. I do consider it an inadvertent form of censorhip but I understand Leffler’s problem as a talk-show host. He runs a good, necessary and fun show. After all, there are appropriate languages for different domains of discourse. Talk radio is not one I’ve mastered by a long shot.
The question nevertheless might be asked whether such “appropriateness” is not either another form of political correctness or another form of unintentional censorship. Those, of course, may be two sides of the same coin. Just because a certain way of speaking is “appropriate” doesn’t mean it’s adequate to the situation or the issue. I am in no way objecting to Scott for his quip regarding my 10 syllable words ending in “ization” no matter what his conscious intent. I’ll take full responsibility for not being able to my own satisfaction express my thought and convince my audience. Pretending my audience can or should change to my vocabulary or style first in order to “get” what I’m saying is both naïve and idealistic if not arrogant.
But the problem here is not really about speaking “correctly” or “appropriately.” It’s not about fitting in linguistically. In fact what the censorship of language and the demand to conform to “ordinary everyday language” is all about is politics. When language, speakers or venues of discourse are censored, suppressed or even ridiculed what is operating behind the scenes are political if not ideological assumptions. Leffler’s assumption arose when our discussion turned toward the political status of our country. He insisted we are a “republic” and I said, “no, a democracy.” As luck would have it the show was ending and this very difficult but essential issue couldn’t be pursued. Not that he would have let me pursue it. He probably wouldn’t for probably legitimate reasons. Nevertheless, after my call was disconnected Leffler quipped that he really hates when has to re-teach his kids when they come home from school. Leffler’s sarcastic point was that I at least was teaching my students at NCCC all wrong, misinforming them that we live in a democracy as opposed to a Republic as clearly stated in the Constitution. At worst he implied that I didn’t know what I was talking about. Well, I invite Scott to my venue any day to find out if that’s true. What we should have talked about, however, was the false opposition between “democracy” which he defined as having to be necessarily pure democracy and a “republic” which he seems to define as at least excluding democracy, apparently constituted by professional, “effectively” functioning servants, I guess. Thus, we were beginning to be engaged in a typical kind of debate that falsely divides people, abstract and artificial conflicts and oppositions which function essentially to separate people who belong together as a class, a political force and a new vision for America, local and national.
However my point is that his Libertarianism is showing through. I’ve written a little about Libertarianism below in this blog. I won’t go into this more deeply here but one point needs to be made. The “effective” government that he and the Libertarians yearn for will never exhibit such “effectivity of government,” whatever that is, until an educated and socially self-conscious populace that understands and values its own interests can confront government and provide the necessary opposition and feedback. In philosophy such power of confrontation is called “negativity,” meaning the subjective force of a self-determining social body that stands for and politically fights for its real interests. Such “negativity” is in reality positive because it posits its own material existence as the really existing antagonism which the co-opting force of government pretends doesn’t exist. It pretends that it represents this negating force when in fact it does not. The social body that discovers its 'negating' force can represent itself in the face of its erasure by government ideologues. Effective government can be defined only if we can determine who it is effective for and who it is not for. We ought to be asking what interests, values, purposes and ways of life it is trying to “effect” and for whom?
As in Leffler’s own town of Lockport a recent issue discussed on his show illustrates the problem of government being out of control because the democratic corrective of an ‘effective’ populace is lacking. The Lockport Council is requiring businesses to conform to standards of historical heritage correctness. The town is trying to showcase and sell the community in light of its apparent historical heritage and thus is trying to preserve or reconstruct simulated historical sites. Or something like that. As Leffler points out, it seems the Council may be making it more difficult for businesses to succeed. For example, Leffler asks whether the local laundromat should conform. But, conform to what? How? And there are other examples as to how other more contemporary businesses with a modern theme should be made to conform. It’s a considerable problem for Lockport. In response Leffler calls for, yearns for, “effective government.” So far so good. But again why isn’t the government more “effective,” or, let’s say more considerate of the tough business climate.
My answer to the question is that the inadequate level of participation, concern, input, feedback and critical questioning by the people beforehand, before laws are passed and action is taken, is why government is inadequate,“ineffective” and out of control. There are systematically too many "done deals" as may well have also been the case in North Tonawanda with the Wal-Mart albatross that may soon be coming to town. The “done deals” syndrome is itself the function of a virtual social class of people who find it well in their interest to stick together, work together and get what they want. Locally the usual suspects of incumbent politicians, lawyers and business men form a virtual social class who preponderate toward actions and interests that do not benefit the majority of the community. Their insular actions certainly do not benefit the democratic process that is constitutive of the ideals of the American political culture that we have soldiers dying for in the Middle East.
So, to conclude, radio talk shows, blogs, sound bite TV, superficial press coverage, etc. is all well and good. And if it’s not at least it’s here to stay. But this is not to say that we shouldn’t keep abreast of the assumptions, ideological beliefs, attitudes, and willingness that colludes unknowingly with predominant power and ideology preventing us from seeking out the forest which often gets lost amongst the many trees that get in the way. Much contemporary local political discourse is myopic, lacking sufficiently large and refined contexts that would enable discussion to not only deal with substantive issues and problems but also reflect upon the process by which these issues are dealt with. But to deal with this process, a democratic process of self-determination, the myth that we are a mass society of individuals first and foremost and that government, whether local or national, will take care of us must be debunked. National government is already “effective,” as we speak, for those whom they wish to be effective. The New International Political Class (the New Class for short), as John McCain points out, is doing “the economy” quite proud. The Iraq war is enormously profitable for this New Class, this social class of empire and war. Halliburton would love McCain’s suggestion that we could be in Iraq for another 100 years.
But the “forgotten man,” so to speak, has been left out of the equation. Without reconstituting a substantive, participatory, self-determining democracy, grounded in the forgotten class of disenfranchised and exploited, call it the Client Class, our "participation," in reality pseudo-participation, in determining the outcome of decisions at the National level especially, but also at the local level, is simply as spectators who might even get to “call in” and “participate interactively” but will never play a materially determining part in the decisions before the decisions. The real decisions are made by this power elite of New Class empire builders, warmongers and globalists who then in ritual elections engineer supportive votes for their tyranny in order to continue to appear as if their exploitation and manipulation of the masses is legitimate and democratic. It is not. Nor is such political manipulation legitimate at the state and local levels where the New Class “wannabees” imitate and support the bureaucratic centralist ideology of the power elite at the State and Federal level. The local and state epigones and sycophants of “government” march lockstep to ideas and models that progressively disenfranchise the marginalized, the ‘forgotten man,’ the dwindling middle class, in short the disempowered of America.
To pretend that we can be a republic that works effectively for the people without a radical restoration of democracy, a democracy that even such as James Madison in the Federalist Papers saw as the ground and heart of a republic, is to build our political foundation on mud. In dry weather all looks well and good. But when the storms hit the very structure does not likely hold. To pretend that democracy can be merely procedural and formally legitimating and still be democracy is delusional and politically self-defeating for the mass majority of Americans. To pretend today that America is democratic at any level of politics or government may be comforting or heartwarming but substantively false and materially subversive of the very republic originally foreseen as possible and desirable but unrealized by the founding fathers.
The question nevertheless might be asked whether such “appropriateness” is not either another form of political correctness or another form of unintentional censorship. Those, of course, may be two sides of the same coin. Just because a certain way of speaking is “appropriate” doesn’t mean it’s adequate to the situation or the issue. I am in no way objecting to Scott for his quip regarding my 10 syllable words ending in “ization” no matter what his conscious intent. I’ll take full responsibility for not being able to my own satisfaction express my thought and convince my audience. Pretending my audience can or should change to my vocabulary or style first in order to “get” what I’m saying is both naïve and idealistic if not arrogant.
But the problem here is not really about speaking “correctly” or “appropriately.” It’s not about fitting in linguistically. In fact what the censorship of language and the demand to conform to “ordinary everyday language” is all about is politics. When language, speakers or venues of discourse are censored, suppressed or even ridiculed what is operating behind the scenes are political if not ideological assumptions. Leffler’s assumption arose when our discussion turned toward the political status of our country. He insisted we are a “republic” and I said, “no, a democracy.” As luck would have it the show was ending and this very difficult but essential issue couldn’t be pursued. Not that he would have let me pursue it. He probably wouldn’t for probably legitimate reasons. Nevertheless, after my call was disconnected Leffler quipped that he really hates when has to re-teach his kids when they come home from school. Leffler’s sarcastic point was that I at least was teaching my students at NCCC all wrong, misinforming them that we live in a democracy as opposed to a Republic as clearly stated in the Constitution. At worst he implied that I didn’t know what I was talking about. Well, I invite Scott to my venue any day to find out if that’s true. What we should have talked about, however, was the false opposition between “democracy” which he defined as having to be necessarily pure democracy and a “republic” which he seems to define as at least excluding democracy, apparently constituted by professional, “effectively” functioning servants, I guess. Thus, we were beginning to be engaged in a typical kind of debate that falsely divides people, abstract and artificial conflicts and oppositions which function essentially to separate people who belong together as a class, a political force and a new vision for America, local and national.
However my point is that his Libertarianism is showing through. I’ve written a little about Libertarianism below in this blog. I won’t go into this more deeply here but one point needs to be made. The “effective” government that he and the Libertarians yearn for will never exhibit such “effectivity of government,” whatever that is, until an educated and socially self-conscious populace that understands and values its own interests can confront government and provide the necessary opposition and feedback. In philosophy such power of confrontation is called “negativity,” meaning the subjective force of a self-determining social body that stands for and politically fights for its real interests. Such “negativity” is in reality positive because it posits its own material existence as the really existing antagonism which the co-opting force of government pretends doesn’t exist. It pretends that it represents this negating force when in fact it does not. The social body that discovers its 'negating' force can represent itself in the face of its erasure by government ideologues. Effective government can be defined only if we can determine who it is effective for and who it is not for. We ought to be asking what interests, values, purposes and ways of life it is trying to “effect” and for whom?
As in Leffler’s own town of Lockport a recent issue discussed on his show illustrates the problem of government being out of control because the democratic corrective of an ‘effective’ populace is lacking. The Lockport Council is requiring businesses to conform to standards of historical heritage correctness. The town is trying to showcase and sell the community in light of its apparent historical heritage and thus is trying to preserve or reconstruct simulated historical sites. Or something like that. As Leffler points out, it seems the Council may be making it more difficult for businesses to succeed. For example, Leffler asks whether the local laundromat should conform. But, conform to what? How? And there are other examples as to how other more contemporary businesses with a modern theme should be made to conform. It’s a considerable problem for Lockport. In response Leffler calls for, yearns for, “effective government.” So far so good. But again why isn’t the government more “effective,” or, let’s say more considerate of the tough business climate.
My answer to the question is that the inadequate level of participation, concern, input, feedback and critical questioning by the people beforehand, before laws are passed and action is taken, is why government is inadequate,“ineffective” and out of control. There are systematically too many "done deals" as may well have also been the case in North Tonawanda with the Wal-Mart albatross that may soon be coming to town. The “done deals” syndrome is itself the function of a virtual social class of people who find it well in their interest to stick together, work together and get what they want. Locally the usual suspects of incumbent politicians, lawyers and business men form a virtual social class who preponderate toward actions and interests that do not benefit the majority of the community. Their insular actions certainly do not benefit the democratic process that is constitutive of the ideals of the American political culture that we have soldiers dying for in the Middle East.
So, to conclude, radio talk shows, blogs, sound bite TV, superficial press coverage, etc. is all well and good. And if it’s not at least it’s here to stay. But this is not to say that we shouldn’t keep abreast of the assumptions, ideological beliefs, attitudes, and willingness that colludes unknowingly with predominant power and ideology preventing us from seeking out the forest which often gets lost amongst the many trees that get in the way. Much contemporary local political discourse is myopic, lacking sufficiently large and refined contexts that would enable discussion to not only deal with substantive issues and problems but also reflect upon the process by which these issues are dealt with. But to deal with this process, a democratic process of self-determination, the myth that we are a mass society of individuals first and foremost and that government, whether local or national, will take care of us must be debunked. National government is already “effective,” as we speak, for those whom they wish to be effective. The New International Political Class (the New Class for short), as John McCain points out, is doing “the economy” quite proud. The Iraq war is enormously profitable for this New Class, this social class of empire and war. Halliburton would love McCain’s suggestion that we could be in Iraq for another 100 years.
But the “forgotten man,” so to speak, has been left out of the equation. Without reconstituting a substantive, participatory, self-determining democracy, grounded in the forgotten class of disenfranchised and exploited, call it the Client Class, our "participation," in reality pseudo-participation, in determining the outcome of decisions at the National level especially, but also at the local level, is simply as spectators who might even get to “call in” and “participate interactively” but will never play a materially determining part in the decisions before the decisions. The real decisions are made by this power elite of New Class empire builders, warmongers and globalists who then in ritual elections engineer supportive votes for their tyranny in order to continue to appear as if their exploitation and manipulation of the masses is legitimate and democratic. It is not. Nor is such political manipulation legitimate at the state and local levels where the New Class “wannabees” imitate and support the bureaucratic centralist ideology of the power elite at the State and Federal level. The local and state epigones and sycophants of “government” march lockstep to ideas and models that progressively disenfranchise the marginalized, the ‘forgotten man,’ the dwindling middle class, in short the disempowered of America.
To pretend that we can be a republic that works effectively for the people without a radical restoration of democracy, a democracy that even such as James Madison in the Federalist Papers saw as the ground and heart of a republic, is to build our political foundation on mud. In dry weather all looks well and good. But when the storms hit the very structure does not likely hold. To pretend that democracy can be merely procedural and formally legitimating and still be democracy is delusional and politically self-defeating for the mass majority of Americans. To pretend today that America is democratic at any level of politics or government may be comforting or heartwarming but substantively false and materially subversive of the very republic originally foreseen as possible and desirable but unrealized by the founding fathers.
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