I have to say that while I don’t always agree with Dilbert cartoonist and extreme materialist Scott Adams, I think he’s often thought-provoking and more often just hilarious. Even when he’s offering a bizarre off-the-wall idea he’s often making a subtle point.
But today I love his idea for the best form of government ever.
When I try to imagine an ideal government, it looks a lot like the government of Taiwan. First, they’re democratic. That’s a good start. But the best part is that they have Jerry Springer-like fights in parliament on a regular basis. In today’s news, yet another brawl broke out in the Taiwanese parliament. This time it was over a budget bill.
Then he imagines if we had the same idea for Congress.
Can you imagine CSPAN’s ratings if we followed that model in America? I don’t think you’d be able to pry yourself away from the TV long enough to take a dump. You’d just sit there all day long with an adult diaper waiting for someone to sucker punch Teddy Kennedy.
By the end of the blog post he’s got Congressmen kung fu levitating (a la Hong Kong action film) and going to town during the State of the Union address. I’d pay to see that.
My money is on the Republicans in that case.
For some reason I seem to remember that this kind of vigorous democracy is exactly what marked the first decade or two of the U.S. Congress. Does anyone have anything more specific about decorum in the early days of American democracy?
Congressman Preston Brooks beat Senator Charles Sumner on the floor of the House with a cane in 1856. That may be the case you’re thinking of.
at least a few more people would be informed about what passes for legislation in this country then.
I’d have to say my money would be on the Republicans, too. It wouldn’t exactly be a fair fight when one side believes in gun control and the other owns shotguns.
This made me laugh out loud. I’m headed over to Adams’ blog to read it, and I’m forwarding this to Hubby, who is on a business trip until tomorrow.
Sam “Superfly” Brownback comin’ off the top rope onto the Senate delegation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, followed by an abdominal stretch, pile driver and supplex for each…with an extra flying elbow to one or more of the Democratic presidential wannabes and, for good measure, a donkey punch off John Kerry’s coif – and to think that the supposed “genius” Vince McMahon is settling for bouts to determine whether he or Trump gets the wig shaved?
Forget WWE. I want NCE – National Congressional Entertainment. Now all we need is a commissioner for the fun. Any nominations?
By the way, I linked to you on my other blog:
Ramblings of a GOP Soccer Mom
I am not sure if it is this way in Taiwan, but in England the Parliament (House of Commons?) meets in very close quarters, like they’ve all gathered in the men’s room, and the proximity of the debaters may also make a difference in how rough-and-tumble they get. Unfortunately, here both the House and Senate are in extremely large rooms where they cannot smell each other’s sweat.