Democracy, sweet democracy. How blessed are we Americans that it doesn’t take a street full of burning tires to get the government’s attention. So entrenched is our glorious democracy that even the federal government cannot finalize decisions about how to use our lands and our waters without first consulting us citizens. That’s how it works in theory — though I can think of one recent administration, (starts with a ‘B’, ends with an ‘h’) that could have used a little flaming rubber in this regard. more