First, Matt - you're not a 'Merkin so you whatever you say about our government is totally worthless. Second, Garrison Keilor is an entertainer so he's even less qualified to talk about this country.
It's a good piece. rrpjr, just because GK is a humorist, it doesn't mean that everything he writes/says has to be funny. Good writers can get their points across with any number of tones.
"like a cat smoothing the litter box" is a particularly apt turn of phrase.