c. 2024 Rod Ice
All rights reserved
(7-24)
“I think myself that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious. Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases. The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.” – Thomas Jefferson
I had been in the home office for most of Wednesday morning, doing research for a writing project that I wanted to post at the Geauga Independent. But as I scrolled through archival pages of old newsprint, my telephone rang with an unfamiliar number. My caller ID indicated that the person reaching out for contact was at an office of our most notable local newspaper. A publication with which I had never had any formal contact. So, I was curious about being solicited. Was this some kind of polling perhaps? Or better still, an offer of work on the staff? I couldn’t speculate too much about their intentions. But hope swelled my chest.
When I answered however, everything came into focus.
“Mr. Ice? This is Realdo Carté, I am an editor of special sections and political features with the Cleveland Plain Dealer. You might already be familiar with my name. We are planning to do many weeks of coverage on the upcoming presidential election. Would you have a moment to provide comments on some of the issues involved?”
His query was something I did not expect. It left me speechless for a moment, and slightly disappointed. Yet I recovered quickly.
“Comments? You want my opinions for your editorial page?”
Realdo cleared his throat and spoke diplomatically.
“Well, not exactly sir, I’m writing an article that will include quotes from people in our area. You know, individuals who have sometimes been looked upon as being candid and outspoken...”
I laughed at his description of their intended targets.
“Okay that is charitable, I think. Usually, I get tagged as being a crackpot or a contrarian. But go ahead, tell me what you want to hear!”
The veteran journalist must have been battling phlegm from seasonal allergies. He cleared his throat for a second time.
“Ahem! Well, there is a lot of discussion nationally about our democracy being under duress. Many feel that this American tradition is in peril, due to the MAGA movement and voter apathy. What is your opinion, sir? Yay or nay on a dark future if we do not thwart this populist uprising?”
I had to pause for a moment. Numerous quotes from figures in our early history came to mind. Yet I wanted to respond with my own voice, not with an echo of yonder days.
“Look, some might observe that our democracy has been in hospice care for quite some time. Do you fear a breakdown of our republic? Or the wages of sin that we’ve earned from letting those with money and power usurp the will of common folk, who simply want to raise their families and live safely in their homes?”
Realdo must have dropped his coffee cup, because I could hear a splash of liquid, and breaking ceramic material.
“WHAT DID YOU SAY? WAIT A MINUTE, LET ME JOT THAT DOWN! WAGES... OF... SIN...”
His surprise made me grin and shake my head.
“Let me say this with no sensationalism intended, we’ve had a cycle of endless war going for how many years now? That’s kept cash in the pockets of our arms manufacturers, all along. I won’t debate the pros and cons of our foreign policy. Better minds can address that level of strategic thinking. But lately some have discussed bringing back the military draft. What do you think would justify that level of mobilization? More incursions into distant lands? More impulsive actions by our chief executive? More aid to rebels and freedom fighters? More good intentions in bad places? I am old enough to remember Vietnam. Are you familiar with the deployments and sacrifices we made? The long-term commitment? And, the final outcome?”
The news hound sputtered like a car running out of fuel.
“Mr. Ice, I didn’t want to get stuck on the topic of defense outlays or the Pentagon. What do you think about the framework of our democracy? Is it crumbling? Are some right to question whether our leadership of the free world will continue with the wrong man in charge?”
I leaned backward in my office chair. It was difficult to answer without using the rhetoric of our patriot founders.
“Friend, this nation has been controlled by lobbyists and corporate interests for generations. The party in charge doesn’t really matter. Conservatives think that people are too immoral to govern themselves, alone. Liberals believe that people are too stupid for that important task. Now, perhaps there is a ring of truth to both of those perspectives. Yet when Abe Lincoln said that ‘Government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth,’ was he right? Or just overly optimistic? Did he expect too much out of a population drowning in debt, crushed by inflationary pressures, crime, social unrest, and partisanship? We have more factions now, more tribalism, than ever before. And this is in an age of connectivity through technology, and a staggering amount of information flowing in real time, to everyone, everywhere...”
Realdo must have been rubbing his eyes. I could hear him scribbling furiously on a notepad at his work station.
“This is crazy stuff, sir. I’ll never get it past my editor here at the Pee Dee. He doesn’t care for anything that will get the commentariat stirred up!”
I sighed loudly, and began to feel thirsty for a beer.
“This is what I was reading when you called, a quote by Suzy Kassem. She said, ‘Elections are highly-publicized puppet shows. Many puppets in the show are handled by the same owner, and regardless of their different costumes and voices, their agenda is one and the same. The man with the most puppets in the show usually wins the audience.’ Is that profound? I think so...”
He groaned as if sick at his stomach.
“Mr. Ice, I’m going to be frank here, I wanted a couple of remarks about the dangers of populism. Some taglines that would fit in my story for this paper. I figured you would bash the reckless upstarts that want to change our way of life. Can’t you give me a bit of that, on the record? I’d be very grateful.”
His honesty made me flush red with embarrassment.
“I guess the point I was trying to make is that it has already changed, right? This isn’t the America of 1776, when we declared our independence. Or even 1945, when we won a great victory for the world. This is our decline into patronage and cronyism. We’ve become obsessed with the trappings of revolution, yet we embrace the sameness of a duopoly that perpetuates itself. The system must and does continue at any cost. That, to me, is more frightening than any one individual, or organizational identity. Do you remember what Jefferson said? ‘The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it always to be kept alive.’ That reads well on a blog, and sounds worthy at a fundraising rally for a candidate. But we don’t believe it anymore. Our leaders don’t believe it at least, not for a moment. We’ve stumbled upon the opposite of democracy now, it is conformity. Obedience. Acquiescence. Behaving as we have been told to do... Americans are being delusional if they think that anyone can erase the monstrosity has been created, simply with a bumper sticker for one side or the other on our car.”
Realdo was breathing heavily on the line. I wondered if he needed oxygen therapy.
“I hope that is an electric car, sir! Ha, ha, ha! Thank you, I umm... think this assignment is a wash out. I’ll be lucky not to get fired when this hits the desk of my boss. I give up on trying to rescue the project. Anyway, have a great day!”
When the Plain Dealer piece ran, one week later, it carried a single sentence in regard to my contact with the publication.
“Rod Ice, Thompson, Ohio – No Comment.”
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