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Saturday, September 13, 2003
Clown CivilizationMy friend Steve Cahn wins the prize for guessing the source of this phrase (see "Extra Credit Points," below). He already has a copy of the novel. I'll put a shiny green star by his name instead.
Agnes George de Mille coined the phrase "this clown civilization is ours" in a powerful essay on her grandfather, the economist Henry George. She wrote the piece in 1979, just after Prop. 13 passed. Prop. 13 has held down property taxes in California (a good thing, for some people) and all but gutted the schools (a bad thing for everyone). For clarity on the tax and budget issues at the heart of our clown-show recall I'd ask everyone to read the essay; she even mentions Prop. 13.
posted by Michael Scott Moore |
11:59 PM
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