What ever became of Democracy?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.


Remember doing this every day? Did we even have a clue as to what we were really saying? What it really meant?

Does it have any meaning anymore? I wonder.

This week, all I hear about is news about the healthcare reform bill. How Nancy Pelosi wants to vote it in without any real votes. That she has publicly stated that no one in the House wants to vote for it. This really has me puzzled.

Which brings me back to the Pledge.

Especially the part that says, "to the Republic."

The Republic.

Does everyone remember what that means? Perhaps not in Washington.

A Republic is where we choose our leaders to represent us. It is also defined as a government without a Monarch. I am starting to feel as though we are not a Republic anymore. I am not sure what we are, but this is not about the people anymore. This is not representative democracy. I am not even sure it is about doing the right thing. And if Nancy Pelosi starts sporting a tiara, I know we are in real trouble.

And that is scary.

I know President Obama is all over the place selling this healthcare bill like some old fashioned snake oil salesman. Why should he have to do that? If the plan is so great and so good for everyone in America, then why didn't the Democrats, who have had a majority for a very long time, pass this bill already? The Republicans could not stop them and really still cannot stop them. So, why all the special deals? Why all the fuss? Why all the nonsense?

So, the only thing to assume is that the Democrats are afraid of this bill. Afraid that we will vote them out if it is passed. Afraid of our wrath. It must be really bad for them to worry about that. I mean, many of them voted for a very unpopular war, and I still see a lot of the same familiar faces around. That didn't seem to generate as much fear as this bill.

I think that a lot of people agree that we need true healthcare reform in this country and that we need a public option. But looks like we are getting neither and this bill could really put us at greater risk for more financial upheaval.

So, what will the Republic, the one that we have sworn our allegiance to all of our lives, do now? Will they pass a bill by slight of hand because Nancy Pelosi says to? Or will they listen to the people to whom they represent?

When I was a child I really thought the Pledge was just a bunch of empty words that we were forced to say each day.

Now that I am a grown up and know better, I guess, sadly, that I still have to believe that.