It’s coming to America first
The cradle of the best and of the worst
It’s here they got the range
And the machinery for change
And it’s here they got the spiritual thirst
It’s here the family’s broken
And it’s here the lonely say
That the heart has got to open
In a fundamental way
Democracy is coming to the USA
—Leonard Cohen, Democracy
Not going to say much this morning. Just wanted to share a song from the late Leonard Cohen called Democracy. I am also including a reading of the lyrics by author Neil Gaiman with backing piano from his wife, musician Amanda Palmer, over wonderful watercolor illustrations, such as the one above, from David Mack and Olga Nunes.
I see this as just a simple reminder that this coming election is different than almost any election in the past. It is not about the cyclical changes of the economy or taxes or things like that. You know, the ephemeral matters that go back and forth among the parties most elections.
This election is about a lot more. This is about keeping the concept of democracy and the rights of all fundamentally intact. This election has dire ramifications, some that could be long-lasting– even permanent– and possibly set a much different course for this country than most can imagine.
Okay, I said I wasn’t going to say much and I want to keep my word. Here’s Democracy from Cohen first and the Neil Gaiman reading just below it.
Redtree Times 
Really nice way to start a weekend Gary…
Thanks, Gary. Hope you have a good weekend!
Voting can be, pointless, because as the party in power doesn’t do a good enough job, the next election, we vote the other way, and, the elected from the other party also ends up, disappointing, and, on the next election, we go back to vote for the party we didn’t support, and, the ball just keeps on going, back, and forth, back and, forth, and, we actually think, that, voting can, make any, difference, when it doesn’t have any viable, effect.
You’re right, to a point. That has been the normal cycle of voting, one party ceding power to the other after not living up to the expectations of the electorate. It does seem that voting has no true effect so why bother? However, those who seek ultimate and unending power have cultivated this feeling among the electorate for decades and now depend on this apathy in order to achieve their goals. We are at a tipping point at this election where voting (or not voting) might have true existential consequences.