An article about the dynastic nature of Bilawal (formerly Benazir) Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party appeared in the Los Angeles Times recently. Written by Georgetown University Law Center professor Rosa Brooks, it makes a comparison to the dynastic nature of the last 20 years of American politics. In particular, it warns of the distinct possibility of having had two families share the most powerful post in the country for 20, 24, or even 28 years. What a frightening thought for an American to have. That is not how we run our country! It certainly looks like we are turning into a dynastic state, and that bothers me only because of the tacit assertion that America hasn’t always had a long history of dynasty politics … an assumption that is patently false. For evidence of this, allow me to say the following names: Adams, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Bush. Among others.
This is not an endorsement of Hillary; I just voted for Barack Obama. Nor is it an endorsement of family politics; just a reflection that we are a country built on the idea of freedom from aristocracy … by aristocrats … for aristocrats. This is a problem our country needs to address, and one it has been addressing for a long while, but not one that will be fixed in the next few months. And while my reasons for disliking Hillary are growing broader by the minute as she campaigns in a dirty and unethical manner, I hope the two-headed (and Janus-faced) nature of her campaign becomes one more nail in the coffin of her presidential ambitions.
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