integrity

Listening to the marvellous Jian Ghomeshi right now, his July 4 program on the American dream, talking to fascinating Americans, including Lewis Lapham and the founder of Wikipedia. But best was Toni Morrisson. After the war, she said, in my paraphrase, we were changed from being citizens to being consumers. Our focus was the pursuit of happiness, and what does that mean? It means consuming. To keep that level of euphoria and happiness, we need to consume.

And now, we're not even consumers. We're tax-payers. I'd change the constitution, she said, to "dedicated to life, liberty and the pursuit of integrity."

Ha. Some chance of that. But how interesting to turn on the radio in the midst of morning chores, and hear a discussion at that level. Thank you, CBC. Jon Stewart pointed out the other day that after the health care bill passed, Romney appeared on TV to say it should be repealed. When he got specific, he said he wouldn't change this aspect of Obamacare or that, just the payment of it. We'll keep the nice parts, paraphrased Stewart, and take out the bad part about paying for it. That's the Republican platform.

I woke in the night with a nightmare about Obama, the absurd situation now with billionaires pouring money into Mitt Romney's election. The Dems can't battle that. Why don't they say so? Why don't they say, Elections are not to be bought and sold, we're not going to fight that way, and simply pull out of the negative ad wars and the spend money on re-election wars? Run a campaign on integrity, honesty and issues?

Wouldn't people respect that? Or are they so stupid that they CAN be bought and sold?