[Posted Oct 20, 2008]

Electile Dysfunction

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Raise your standards, America, or it's down the drain

Free Press Oct 19, 2008 - MITCH ALBOM

Average Joe can't fix America's pipes

Thanks to Joe Wurzelbacher, we can now go to plumbers for our political future.

...Look. There is a reason we call "the average guy" average. Because he's in the middle. Average. When you aim for the White House, to lead the free world, to hold the fate of the Earth in your hands, you shouldn't aspire to average. And this election shouldn't be about average.

Don't get me wrong. Plumbers, when you need them, are more desirable than presidents. I, personally, would be underwater in my home if not for my plumber.

But in politics, we overdo the small picture because we get bored with the big picture. Our eyes glaze over when candidates talk policy. The devil is in the details, but we're not interested in the devil. We'd rather watch, be entertained, be told a story.

So we attach to how McCain looks puffed up when he walks. We attach to a volatile quote from Obama's former preacher. I actually heard a radio host claim that a photo of Sarah Palin buying diapers for her baby could have a noticeable effect on the election.

Diapers? go to story

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If you want good government...

Electing a person like me A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

When we come to the election we select a person like me. That has been described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that shva-vid-varahoshtra-kharaih samstutah purushah pashuh [SB 2.3.19: "Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna."]. This election, we are selecting another person. He is also like me. I am a pashu [animal]. How can I select a person who is not pashu? Therefore if you want good government, then—this is democratic age—then you must be good. You must know who is good. Then you can elect: "Here is good man." Otherwise, shva-vid-varahoshtra-kharaih samstutah purushah pashuh. Srila Jiva Gosvami has said that these so-called leaders, they are big pashu. I am pashu, and he's a big pashu. What can I select? more

Animal kingdom

excerpt from conversation, Fiji, May 1, 1976

Cats and dogs are passing on as religionists. Some hogs and pigs are going on as philosopher. And other animals is going as scientist, Darwin. They're animals only, cats and dogs. They are the leaders of the society. How you can expect any benefit from them? The leaders themselves are cats and dogs, pigs. Shva-vid-varahoshtra-kharaih samstutah purushah pashuh [Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.19]. These leaders, they are very much worshiped. By whom? Shva-vid-varahoshtra-kharaih. By the dogs, by the pigs, by the camel and by the ass. Because these particular names, I have explained, are given in the Bhagavatam. So suppose one man has become lion, and he's praised by dogs, camels, asses and pigs. Naturally, they will praise, "Oh, sir, you are the king." Does it mean he's king? He's animal. So it is going on. They are electing a big animal as president. And when he begins to eat, animal, big animal, then they protest, "Oh, now he's not proper president. Get him down, get him down." But why you sent him? "Because we are pigs; we have no other knowledge. We appoint another big pig as our president." Everything is explained in the Vedic literature. If you can present them properly, it will act. The voters are shva-vid-varahoshtra-khara. And the president is another big animal. That's all. This is transaction of animal kingdom. A lion is the king of some asses, pigs, dogs, and hogs. What business you can expect there? This is their real picture. One who is a human being, he's seeing that how the animals are enjoying by voting and electing president. But they are thinking, "We are busy in a very great business. We are electing president." [laughter] This is going on. [break] These rascal pigs, hogs, they elect president, and this president will eat them, and they will understand what kind of president they have elected. This thing is happening in the most advanced country of USA. And what to speak of other animal kingdoms. Even the topmost state at the present moment, there also is happening the same thing. And what to speak of other small states.

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