The March of Tickets

In the dark, everybody's the same color:

not red -- not white -- not blue -- 

but asshole through and through; 

if asshole was a color -- 

that color would be you

 

The March of Tickets

Let us joyfully celebrate narrow interests and party machines! They have not only won the day -- but they've stacked the tickets so --- they'll be winners tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow!

As for you and me?

It was never about us;

it was always for power over we the people.

*

From where I am, it is maddening. To listen. To a realtor tell me 'to trust in' what cannot be trusted. To a lawyer tell me 'to have a little faith in' what cannot be believed. While

I hear you listen. And rapturously applaud. And weep with joy. As if

this is your moment;

this is your history;

this is your power.

*

Please.

Tell me. If the power was yours. This lawyer. This realtor. Would be in your literal corner? Not the cozy deep pockets of narrow interests and party machines?

Sure.

*

From where I am, it is disheartening. To listen. To you tell me: we see and we hear what we trust and what we believe. Because

this moment is too important --

this history, indescribably monumental --

this power, undeniable --

it's impossible

that narrow interests and party machines 

are who and what and why

we're 'trusting in' what cannot be trusted and we're 'having a little faith in' what cannot be believed. 

Pfft.

*

As if the electorate is a child still, refusing to believe that there exists a vast fearless industry entangled in elaborate endeavors that pretend -- a creative fiction is not only real --

a creative fiction is provably true.

*

I mean, this is where we are, aren't we?

Entangled in elaborate endeavors that pretend -- words are truths -- trusting in what cannot be trusted and having a little faith in what cannot be believed?

*

As if entrusting our voices to this realtor and entrusting our will to this lawyer, cannot possibly mean: we are literally entrusting our voices to narrow interests and we are literally entrusting our will to party machines. Because because because --

this lawyer and this realtor, check all the boxes:

'being one of us'? check; 

'attacking enemies and defending loyalists -- with unapologetic avidity'? check; 

'sentimentalizing nauseatingly halcyon bygones'? check;

'fighting like hell for a future that denies everybody power -- 

but our chosen'? check yeah.

*

Cue the band and commence the march! You own your ticket to a moment, a history, a power that will live forever!

Unless.

I'm not wrong.

More

Prove me wrong.

Show me that narrow interests and party machines haven't stacked the tickets -- to validate a dishonest contest.

Show me that a realtor that underbuys the assets of a seller and oversells the assets of a buyer because 'a free market system isn't about fairness' -- isn't an asshole through and through. Show me a lawyer that isn't a witness, testify for a conviction because 'an adversarial system isn't about the truth' -- isn't an asshole through and through. 

Because 'working for you' isn't what representation is about. Much less systems or interests or machines or tickets that parade as powdered emperors of 'representation'.

To wit -- 'representation' -- is part and parcel to winning elections for power over we the people. After all -- the true color of the plot winning this moment is

not red -- not white -- not blue -- 

but asshole through and through;

if asshole was a color -- 

that color would be you

M

*

Author's Note

When I was young, I didn't dream of being a soldier or a president. 

What I knew then -- what I know still -- is campaigns for power are corrosively harmful for so. many. reasons. but if there's one that especially poisonous, it's the following -- said and thought and believed -- as the absolute truth --

that people cannot change the world because people are powerless to save what cannot be saved without arms and seats of power.

Today, I hear this reason cited for why people cannot change the world, why people cannot save it. As if people are not. the. reason. why the world. is. as. you. made. it.

What can not be 'taken' -- what can not be 'claimed' -- is your power

to be who you dream of -- your power

to be the reason the world you believe in is real -- your power,

full stop.

M

Power

There are people who are declaring, our super heroic super power is our vote; who are insisting, a forced binary choice is unequivocally fair and democratic; who are absolutely certain, they are great and they are the future.

Power

Funny thing - Power - It doesn't work the way people who crave it - Say.

But you already knew that. Like:

the delusional say power can be - 'taken' - or - 'claimed'.

I

Can you imagine, if our super real super power was - to vote? I mean. that? a saving-the-world super-power? oh please. Because

when was the last time voting saved

us?

Yeah. That time was never. Because voting isn't about saving anybody. Much less - us - or - the world. Not when cravers of power

are the ones campaigning with 

self-superior conviction.

to possess it.

*

Can you imagine, if forced binary choices were - solely by definition - fair and democratic? I mean. If what's 'fair' and 'democratic' is nothing to do with being so and everything to do with saying so - so what - ? Because

when was the last time a forced binary choice

felt like an authentic expression of your voice? a legitimate representation of your will? 

such that you agreed to what was said. such that you consented to what was done. 

in your name.

Because 'your choice' - says it all -

and knows so, after all. for

you are 'known'.

neither as a faceless member of a soulless monolith. nor as nothing more than

your 'one vote'. for no less than somebody not you. 

no?

*

Hah.

Can you imagine? 

II

Funny thing - Power - The way it works is - The people who believe it should be - theirs -

'take' yours - performatively. Like:

the delusional believe power should be - 'taken' - and - 'claimed'.

*

Of course, you know better than to - trust - an act. Because

when was the last time - a song and dance -

was the bona fide - truth?

Yeah. That time was never. Because

only a fool sees a skulker 'being the future'. and hears a slinker 'being great'. and thinks -

my goodness! there is no classier act! no finer true color! than 

asshole.

 

Epilogue or III

There's a muscular rejection of the truth -

that's as endemic as a fool a minute.

*

Take the curious case of - 'progressive populism' and 'illiberal populism'. That is to say - 'positions taken' and 'platforms claimed' -

endorsed and advanced - by narrow interests and party machines. 

not to solve real problems. or improve real lives. but -

to win - elections.

It's easy to 'promise' the veritable kitchen sink - When the resources

(i) to ensure - 'promises' - never bear fruit 

(ii) through a multitude of avenues, including (iii) strategic political 'giving' that (iv) incentivizes 'preferred candidacies' (v) defined by acquiescence to narrow interests and party machines (vi) that skulk and slink in back rooms and dark corners;

(vii) and vigorous objection and refusal to (viii) materially realize any - 'promise' - (ix) sanctimoniously defended by mercenary attorneys tasked with impeding the fruition of (x) any nut or bolt of progressive populism or illiberal populism, (xi) because 'the legal option' is never not accessible to the resourceful; (xii) and so on and so forth ad infinitum;

(xiii) are at the ready - and at your beck and call - to serve neither the will of soulless monoliths nor 'the people' - but indulge overrated masters.

Because

when was the last time 

narrow interests and party machines didn't give a damn - for power 

over people? 

My goodness!

I can't recall.

M 

*

Author's Note

'Campaigns' that lean into cruelty and advocate brutality, masquerading as 'political revolutions', are not heroic or honorable or patriotic or pious. Full stop.

M