Sycophants and Scoundrels

It's interesting to contrast the political events and forces at work in the United States and in Israel. In the United States, a three-way slugfest continues among John McCain, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton to see who is most presidential, a question that seems to boil down to who can avoid thrusting his feet halfway down his throat. Questions of propriety aren't even being floated at this point. Hillary told a tall tale about a visit to Bosnia; Obama confused his uncle with his great-uncle, who liberated Buchenwald, not Auschwitz. McCain has had his share of gaffes. And, still, these three rivals do their utmost to not only manage their affairs, but to maintain an image of individual propriety.

In Israel, in contrast, the bar is so much lower that it's hard to call both systems "democracy." Israel seems to be more of a "hackocracy." Key members of Kadima, as well as cabinet members, are calling for Ehud Olmert to step down. If that weren't enough, the situation gets even more ridiculous when one Kadima MK, Yoel Hasson, suggests that even if Olmert were to step down, there should not be early elections. Just how far removed is Kadima from serving the public? Pretty far, indeed, when it seeks to shred its contract with the people, its electoral empowerment, while it clings to power.

How the mighty have fallen, one may ask? No. The mighty haven't fallen. The base and craven, empowered by collectivist proportionalism, have just sunk lower.