What do we build?

Discussion in 'Freedom and Liberty' started by monkeyman, Feb 5, 2007.


  1. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Not sure if where this would fit best but figure this will work.

    For better or worse we go around and play globocop and when we dont like the governmet running a country we replace it. Now what I keep wondering about is the fact that when these new governments we build are discussed, it is talked about us bringing democracy to them. To many folks fail to know the difference and think that WE are a democracy instead of knowing that we are a constitutional republic and the only placedemocracy is realy a part of it is in that it is with democraticaly elected representation. A lot of folks are under the misconception that the diffrence is merely scemantics rather than realizeing that in a democracy 51% of the people trample the rights of the rest where in a constitutional republic the power of government is limited and the rights of ALL the people are protected by the constitution.

    So what I keep wondering about is, when we keep hearing about us bringing democracy to these other countries, is it that the speakersare misinformed/ignorant and think that the difference is mere semantics and 'democracy' is a more convenient word or better sound byte when we are actualy modeling the new governments after our own and creating constitutional republics with democraticaly elected representation or are we ACTUALY building democraceys where as long as 51% of the people who vote can do as they please with, to, over all the rest of the people legaly under their government?
     
  2. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    I think it actually is democracy that we are trying to instill in these places, MM...we put enough troops in to insure 51% will vote the way we want them too, put our puppets in power, then leave a small peace-keeping contingent to kill the dissenting 49%. Now there's democracy for ya!
     
  3. FalconDance

    FalconDance Neighborhood Witch

    When in doubt, see what Daniel (Webster) has to say on the matter:

    Democracy: basically, rule by the majority

    Republic: "a form of govt in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officials and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law. A government having a chief of state who is not a monarch..."

    Constitutional: "being in accordance with or authorized by the constitution of a state or society (~a constitutional government)"

    Federalism: the distribution of power in an organization (as a government) between a central authority and the constituent units. (I.e. centralized power shared nominally with courts, etc, the rest of us everyday people just nod and smile)

    To say we are trying to instill democracy in the rest of the world is a little redundant and a lot vainglorious (no offense meant). In many cases, it may not be the numeric majority in power, but rather the power-base is comprised of the most able to wrest power. Survival of the fittest (or meanest) at work.

    But seeing as how we can't seem to keep a constitutional republic running as it was meant, what in the nine hells makes anyone think we should be the shining example to the rest of the world? Technically, we are set up as a Republic. In reality, we operate as a federation - with democratic nods (Congress and the House) and an occasional but always disputed look-see at the Constitution - in which Interest groups are the majority (with funding, and we all know money talks).

    So, what should we build if we could scrap the whole lot of them and do it over? A constitutional republic would be nice. But you know the old saying: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me thrice, meet my friends Colt, Ruger and Sig Hauer."
     
  4. Tango3

    Tango3 Aimless wanderer

    Personnally I think most of the public is ignorant of the implications of one over the other,"civics" isnot a popular class these days., They've been told on the box; we live ina "democracy" for so long on the face they believe it.
     
  5. FalconDance

    FalconDance Neighborhood Witch

    True. But ignorance is not a valid excuse. Not like the information isn't there. Not like people don't have a brain and eyes to ferret out the facts. IMO, we're just a lazy bunch of sobs these days in general and perfectly content to have the nanny state continue to feed us our daily pablum.
     
  6. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    I tend to see our system as more of a Neo-feudalist Oligarchy.
     
  7. FalconDance

    FalconDance Neighborhood Witch

    ....pulls ol' Daniel back out ;).....
     
  8. Tango3

    Tango3 Aimless wanderer

    " but but the lady of the lake presented me :"Arthur" with the sword "excalibur" and so I am your king ...
    Wot ???
    "That's no way to choose a patriarch, Have some soaking tart thrust a piece of cutlery at you"???
     
  9. FalconDance

    FalconDance Neighborhood Witch

    [LMAO] I love that movie!
     
  10. andrew414

    andrew414 Howdy.

    <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5Xd_zkMEgkI"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5Xd_zkMEgkI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
     
  11. Tango3

    Tango3 Aimless wanderer

    [applaud]absolutely love that scene just don'thave it comitted to mermory...
    Thanks, enjoyed that immensely...
     
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