Explaining Democracy

 

Mad Dog is riding in the far back of a Chrysler Pacifica, with his son and his son's wife, young mother,  up front, and two granddaughters, 5 years old and 3 y.o., in the middle row and the two aged ones behind them. 

They are on holiday in Arizona, where President Biden just managed to squeak out a victory last election. Democracy survived.

Young mother is struggling to answer a question from the 5 year old about what democracy is. 

Young mother  begins by explaining that democracy is a form of government which was designed to replace monarchy, or autocracy, in which one man ruled and made all the decisions and all the people had to simply obey his commands. 

"So, how does he get to be king?"

"Well, that post is usually hereditary, and gets passed down to the child of the king, usually a male child, but sometimes a girl."

"But what if the king has twins?"

  (The 5 year old has friends who are twins.) 

"Well, that might be a problem--perhaps the twin who was born first got to be king."

"But what if they were conjoined twins?" 5 year old persists.

Now we have spun off into George Carlin land and young mother is left speechless. 

"Where did she ever hear about conjoined twins?" Mad Dog demands from the rear seat.

Five year old ignores that query.

"We no longer ask," young mother replies.

"I can see why they replaced monarchy," five year old says.

"But where did you hear about conjoined twins?" 

Mad dog is insistent. Five year old ignores him. Her mind is spinning so far ahead of him, as the red vistas fly by her window. She is coming up with a new question.

Mad Dog understands why monarchy was doomed. 

Conjoined twins. His 5 year old granddaughter got that. But she is not done. 

"But what if a pair of conjoined twins ran for President," 5 year old asks,  "And one was Republican and one was Democrat? And they won!"

Mad Dog now understands why Democracy must fail.

We are all doomed.