[August 11, 2021] Robert Kennedy, Jr. once said that Democracy is messy, and it’s hard. I agree, but I would add that America is technically a Republic and a Republic is more complicated than hard. Last night, I attended a local town council meeting in the small town where I live. Two crucial issues were up for discussion, and there was a lively, sometimes contentious debate on the floor. I loved it.
Before I get to the two issues that sparked this energetic dialogue, there is something important to say about the process at our meeting. One of the council members said that she wanted Democracy and that everyone should have a chance to vote on the issues brought before our council. During the public discussion period, one young fellow got up to say that all these people were doing, expressing their opinion and disagreeing with her, was Democracy in action.
The two issues are not what you would think brings out a lot of folks. One was about whether to authorize a minor change in the township zoning ordinance to allow the growing of marijuana in warehouses. The second was about township-wide garbage collection. This article is not about our positions or my position on these two items. I was against both, and ultimately both were defeated.
Earlier in the week, a message circulated that the council wanted to “raise our taxes.” Raising taxes in New Jersey is a hot-button issue and has been for some time. The reason should be apparent to most folks; New Jersey has the highest taxes in the nation. And, yes, it turns out one of the items was about raising taxes. It was the garbage collection item. Who would have thought something so mundane would attract attention. Council members were surprised.
Before the meeting, I spoke with several council members in person, and I knew they were not on my side. I told them I was there to let them know before the meeting that I would oppose them. They are my neighbors and friends. I was not going to act like a jerk and yell at them during the public discussion period. Some folks were borderline nasty. Raising taxes had better be for a darn good reason, and they didn’t think raising it for garbage collection was one of them.
“The reason the American Army does so well in wartime is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices it on a daily basis.” – from a post-war debriefing of a German General.
Like our Army during WWII, Democracy is chaos. That is, perhaps, another way of looking at the world’s greatest and most successful Democracy. It forces its citizens to be informed. It is based on the assumption we are good people morally. That is why it is so hard.
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NOTE: You can see my series of article on “Democracy in Action” here: Search for democracy in action | (theleadermaker.com)
Right, Gen. Satterfield, democracy is messy but it is the best system ever invented. Find another one anywhere and let me know. Those who want socialism, just look at the 20th century and the 100plus million deaths by this ideology and tell me, “if only.”
👍👍👍👍 I agree.
Excellent article and I’m on board with you on this one. Thanks, Gen. Satterfield.
Democracy in the trenches. That is how it sometimes works. Once again, Gen. Satterfield, I compliment you on another successful article and keeping us focused on the fact that leadership is also messy and sometimes you don’t get all that you want.
Just another reason to be regular reader of this website.
A generation ago, the collapse of communism led pundits to celebrate the approaching triumph of liberal democracy; today many commentators are concerned that the democratic cause is in decline. ….Such cycles of optimism and pessimism are hardly new, however. They also accompanied the previous waves of democratic expansion and subsequent backsliding, from 19th-century revolutions for liberty to the fall of the Soviet empire in 1989.
“America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You’ve gotta want it bad, ’cause it’s gonna put up a fight. It’s gonna say, ‘You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.’” – the words of Michael Douglas, who plays President Andrew Shepherd in the 1995 movie The American President,
Wow. That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling lately.
Me as well, Doug. Don’t you just love this leadership website by Gen. Satterfield? I do. He da’ man.
I liked the movie for its blood pressure inducing drama.
Excellent article, Gen. Satterfield. I wish that I had done more of this when I was younger, then I would know more about the in-the-dirt process that Democracy requires.
I believe most of us think that way, but as E.T. pointed out below, too many are just too lazy and, I will add, many others are just to plain stupid. Why are we stupid? Because we willfully become that way. We are feed money and food from the government till and we like it. Being lazy and stupid is a natural human condition when we are not challenged.
I’m happy to hear you are a participant. Too many folks sit on their butt and do nothing but whine.
I see this too, sad. And then they wonder why things don’t go their way. Gen. Satterfield has it right, American democracy (Republic) requires an informed, active populace. Without it, we start to drift toward socialism or some form of tyranny. Oh, that is already happening.
…. and if something thinks what you writing is hyperbole, just take a look at the covid lockdowns. New Jersey, Gen. Satterfield’s state has the toughest lockdowns, the worst economic picture, and the highest covid death rates. Hummmmm, something doesn’t compute.
Too many lazy ass people out there. Why is that? I’m asking for a friend. Ha Ha Ha Ha… laugh at my own joke. 👎👎👎
Right comment.