The Ukrainization of America

The Opposition In Permanent Tent Cities?

Watching the events in Ukraine (gets the award for worst choice of flag colors – sky blue and yellow?) I am on one hand heartened to see and hear that there has been a minimum of violence and confrontation over the Presidential vote outcome. Except for one brief flare-up at the parliament building earlier this week, reporters from around the world are explaining that the mood in the gatherings and small tent clusters is, in many cases, actually festive.

And it looks like there may be resolution in due course as the legal machinations start to ratchet up. Most Ukraine-watchers are now fairly convinced there will be some form of re-vote and that foreign observers will probably be called in to assure the election is fair and free of the intimidation and fraud the government’s opponents are claiming “stole” the original election.

Which reminds me that there was talk of having foreign observers here in America to oversee the fairness of our own recent national polling. And, also, that there is currently a rather pathetic attempt still trying to make an issue out of the Ohio results being advanced by Democratic Party functionaries masquerading as non-hacks and ersatz champions of “the truth” (cue important music) – most recently supported by the increasingly irrelevant Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Heck, guys, my candidate didn’t win any electoral votes, but I have already moved on to the Christmas season – I have tons of gifts to buy.

Which leads me to my other point…

I can well imagine post-election challenges from here on out in America for the foreseeable future. The composition of political life in America being so splintered, the tenor so mean-spirited, and neither side willing to admit they played as much a part in creating that mood as the other side did; I can easily see the creation of a new Office of The Deputy of the Election Challenge being created one way or another in the hierarchy of both major parties.

But if “tent cities” didn’t spring up over the 2000 election results – which seemed more open to legitimate challenge than any national election my old eyes can recall – they sure aren’t going to spring up now.

The Right would never go that route because it might hurt the value of their IRAs, and the Left would never go that route because they wouldn’t be able to fit it into their social schedules. Anyway movie-stars in tent cities and placards and calls for “Bread, Land, Peace” aren’t likely to spring up with all these holiday parties going on. Especially in the colder states. It might happen after the winter – at least until Spring Break is done. Then of course there’s summer. But once the weather turns again it’s either back to school for the paper chase or time to get serious about your career. Then Christmas again.

Next thing you know it’s 2008.

Yeah… the Office of The Deputy of the Election Challenge makes more sense.