Friday, June 15, 2012

What's So Funny About The Death of Democracy


June 15th, 2012




My Dear America:


Tuesday, June 5th, was indeed a Dark Day for Democracy in America.  


On June 5th, Wisconsin Governor, Scott Walker, won his recall election after outspending his opponent, Tom Barrett, 30 to 1, thanks to the almost unlimited funds available through Republican Super Pacs.  


It was a sad day for Democracy in Wisconsin and as I watched MSNBC Wisconsin Election results on June 5th it was easy to see that the MSNBC Hosts participating in the Recall coverage were stunned by the election results.  I found it hard to think about this Democratic disaster and on June 5th I sincerely wished that Jon Stewart was on live that night to put a comical spin on this horrible disaster in Wisconsin.


I had to wait until June 6th, however, to catch the Daily Show spin on the Wisconsin Nightmare.  I couldn't wait for Jon and his Daily Show comrades to tear the Republicans a new one.   


Then, finally the Daily Show, a show that I have watched religiously for several years now, my comic heroes, were on and broadcasting and they were tearing a new one, alright.  But it wasn't Scott Walker who they were tearing up.  It was the Democratic Party and the highly shafted Teachers, State Employee's and Tom Barrett, who they were skewering.


It was not only sad to see what Stewart and company served up on June 6th.  It was disgusting.


At one point after a news clip of a Wisconsin Protester declaring something to the effect that Democracy died on June 5th in Wisconsin, the camera came back to Stewart and he and his studio audience were all laughing like hell at this poor bastard from Wisconsin who had just spoken the truth about what he had seen and was feeling on election night.  


I can't say that any time in all the many years I have been watching The Daily Show that I have been even mildly disappointed with Stewart's take on anything.  He has always been there on the best of political nights and on the worst of them, serving up a progressive dose of comedy context to what is happening in the world.


Certainly everybody makes mistakes and misjudgments.  Jon Stewart is no exception.   But the truth is that he went off the rails big time on this one.  


This poor bugger in Wisconsin who declared that Democracy was Dead on June 5th may very well be right.  I hope and pray that he is not correct but as Scott Walker becomes the poster boy for the Right Wing Tea Party Republicans who are poised to purchase the election for Mitt Romney in November, Jon Stewart may in the end regret his efforts to make a fool out the the Sincere Wisconsin Prophet of Doom.






Sincerely Yours


Jerry Gallagher