Samain Closing Moon
Glad I was in deep space with the coming of the Formic Wars yesterday. US politics are a mess. I’m not referring mostly to the Republican victories, but to the system as a whole right now. Yes, I’m unhappy about the Republican tilt, but I’m more unhappy about the volatility in our political life at all levels, especially Congress.
Democracy has two primary weaknesses. The first is the tyranny of the majority, seen so well during the days of Supreme Court sanctioned slavery, then Jim Crow. The second is its potential volatility, resulting when political sentiments careen wildly, often due to voter apathy and narrowed factionalism. Tyranny of the majority is self-evidently bad, but the second is more subtle.
Volatility brings instability in policy making, as shifts in power in legislative and executive offices cause sudden lurches in the making of laws and in executive decisions. Immigration, global climate change and American foreign policy are three important policy areas where where clear government action seems further and further away.
One party in control is not the opposite of volatility. The opposite of volatility is an electorate that makes considered choices, shows up at the polls in substantial numbers and keeps pressure on their elected officials after election day. Presidential elections are often better than mid-terms in this regard.
