HuffPo Genius: "Less Democracy, Please"

Karol sent this to me, noting that she felt dumber for having read it. So, in a way, it's like a really cheap way to get drunk.

Could somebody please stop the spread of democracy in the Middle East? I do not like the way it's turning out. Iran for example has been having elections for almost thirty years, since the overthrow of the Shah, and look who wins them. Iran's election have produced presidents ranging from moderate right wingers like Abul Hassan Boni Sadr to full-tilt ultra-religious wingnuts like current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whose politics appear to only slightly to the left of Pat Robertson.

Uh, whatever. Iran is not having "democratic elections." It's not a democratic election when all moderate/secular/progressive candidates are simply struck off the ballot and not permitted to stand for elections.

It's not like we don't know how to put the brakes on Islamic democracy. Back in 1991 Algerian voters seemed on the brink of electing an Islamist government and the ruling party, supported by France and the US, just canceled the elections and outlawed the Islamist parties. But I'm sure there are less in your face, more artful ways of... not frustrating Middle Eastern democracy but calming it down. We got the the Deiboldt Corporation and Karl Rove could be looking for a new job any day now.

Again, I'm all over democracy, within reason. But full-frontal democratic governments, reflecting the will a majority are fine in theory but in practice it's scary as hell. I'm sure that's why we've done away with it here in the United States.

Note that his little joke doesn't really make sense. If we've done away with "scary" democracy, then he should be happy.

He's disguising his real complaint-- we have democracy in the US, the majority has spoken, and that's what he doesn't like. He'd prefer a system more like Iran's, with a Supreme Guardian Council disallowing "unacceptable" candidates, like pretty much any politician to the right of, say, Evan Bayh. And Evan Bayh would only be grudging allowed on the ballot.

posted by Ace at 10:24 AM

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