We are going to go to Mouffe for our discussion on the paradox of liberal democracy, and I'll tell you why. Her Discourse Analysis has the fluidity of the Post Structuralist attitude toward an understanding of language as a Symbolic Order and therefore she blends into Postmodernism which allows her to escape from the Boa Constrictors that is Kantian understandings of structure which contain addictive tinctures that lead to an infestation of Historical Determinism, which is like grilled cheese and brandy or heroin.
And, in my view, Chantal Mouffe would have little sympathy for those who whinge against Irony with such off hand insinuations framed around flat headed accusations such as "Irony is an infinite absolute negative," or "a total metaphysical downer for the saints who cling to the power of positive thinking," and all "merchants monetizing fake news."
The point being, in the multi-dimensional symbolic order of language structure, the two pearls which are Irony and Paradox can see each other across the equivalent of the Bering Strait after Tsar Alexander II sold Alaska to the United States. And why did Tsar Alexander II do that? Well, after his country's defeat in the Crimean War he needed money and he didn't want his Alaska to become part of British Canada. So in 1867 Eduard de Stoeckl, Russia's man in the USA, and the U.S. Secretary of State, William H. Seward agreed that Alaska was worth something like 7 million dollars, which in today's money is something like the addition of an ostentatious, gold plate and chrome something or other, the chintz set and cheese burgers in suits and ties currently occupying the People's House have deemed necessary.
You're probably correct, bringing the Geography and recent history of the Bering Strait into a discussion about Liberal Democracy might be a bit of a reach, but suffice to say the strait between Paradox and Irony is now called "Action de Réconcilier" which means The Act of Reconciliation. Why French? A tribute to French Canadians and what remains of the French Colony of Louisiana.
Of course, if you wanted to achieve more than hope and wonder, you'd have to do a Byron on the linguistic equivalent of the Bering Strait. A mighty Metaphysical Passion it would have to be for the word Paradoxe to enjoy the gentle caress of Ironie. Such a Byronic Swim would have a one way distance of 55 miles through choppy seas and cruel currents. A good chance Paradoxe would be pretty much guaranteed to drown with a smile on his face on his sated way home. Still, the risk might be worth Paradox's while, 110 miles would wipe the record clean and it would put Byron's paltry 4 miles there and 4 miles back across the Hellespont to shame.
For Mouffe, and many others, Liberal Democracy is structured by a tension as wide as the Bering Strait between the two non-reducible elements of the Liberal Tradition of "I got Rights to do whatever I want to because I can" and the Democratic Tradition "Not if We the People say no." An Ironic Paradox if you prefer
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