Tuesday, October 5, 2021

One-person rule

 About 30 years ago I was a delegate to the Green Party organizing convention held in Oakland.  One proposal was advanced to make decisions by unanimous consent.  The person who made this suggestion noted that some Indian tribes discussed issues until everyone in the tribe agreed with the decision.

I have no idea if that is true, but I strongly objected on the basis that any decision that required unanimous consent potentially gave dictatorial power to one person.  That one person could hold up the entire group unless all the members of that group came around.

That is exactly what Senator Manchin of West Virginia is doing.  It isn’t one bit democratic, either small “d” or large “D.”  I hope that in 2022 the Democrats increase their majority so that democracy can return to the Senate.

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