Vidal Gore — Eighteen Seventy [2487]

All in all, I do not think that democracy, as practised in these states, is a success. While Tilden grimly, laboriously presents to the people his plans to reform what is, probably, the most corrupt society in the Western world, the press is busy with idiotic irrelevancies about Tilden’s alleged drunkenness, syphilis, closeness to Tweed—all set to music in a pretty song called “Sly Sam, the Railroad Thief.” — Vidal Gore, Eighteen Seventy, 2487

Note

Here, the narrator succinctly critiques the state of democracy and highlights the absurdity of political distractions that overshadow serious issues. The mention of the ‘idiotic irrelevancies’ serves to paint a vivid picture of societal focus, cleverly connecting the characters’ discussions with broader political commentary.