Can Americans Handle Democracy? Milosa has been asking some interesting questions about the durability of democracy in our current political climate but I wanted to cut to the chase...

straightUp Loc: California

Milosa has been asking some interesting questions about the durability of democracy in our current political climate but I wanted to cut to the chase and state what I personally think the root of the problem is.

People.

Democracy is government by the people, so it makes sense to start with the people instead of blaming politicians for everything. You see, in a democracy politicians are mere representatives. They are supposed to do what the people want them to do unless there is a conflict with the constitution. That covers Congress as per Article I of the U.S. Constitution.

The Administration (Article II) is supposed to do what Congress tells it to do. Every executive order, every regulation, every military command should comply with directives from Congress.

So that is the political chain of command... The president commands the administration and the military, but he answers to Congress and Congress answers to The People. This is according to the constitution bound to the republic we call the United States of America.

The PROBLEM arises from the "culture of winning" that has saturated the last two generations of Americans. From the handing out of "participation awards" to the commercial tenant that the "customer is always right" we have developed into a culture that is utterly incapable of dealing with defeat, or loss... or... compromise.

Unfortunately, compromise is what makes democracy work. Democracy is clearly for people who are mature enough to know that you can't ALWAYS get what you want. I feel this culture of always wining and always getting what you want as if it's a civil right was accelerated when Libertarians started taking Ayn Rand's word that selfishness drives a better economy. Now selfishness is a redeeming quality, but it's corrosive to democracy.

Everything else stems from there.

So even if a politician is doing his job representing the will of the majority in his district, someone who isn't getting his way will call him an evil, corrupt politician and that goes into the media machine to influence those whop don't even know what the politician is doing.

In summary, democracy... the ONLY system that puts the people in charge, is eroding in America because the American people in have evolved into selfish little bitches.

archie bunker Loc: Texas

straightUp wrote:

Milosa has been asking some interesting questions about the durability of democracy in our current political climate but I wanted to cut to the chase and state what I personally think the root of the problem is.

People.

Democracy is government by the people, so it makes sense to start with the people instead of blaming politicians for everything. You see, in a democracy politicians are mere representatives. They are supposed to do what the people want them to do unless there is a conflict with the constitution. That covers Congress as per Article I of the U.S. Constitution.

The Administration (Article II) is supposed to do what Congress tells it to do. Every executive order, every regulation, every military command should comply with directives from Congress.

So that is the political chain of command... The president commands the administration and the military, but he answers to Congress and Congress answers to The People. This is according to the constitution bound to the republic we call the United States of America.

The PROBLEM arises from the "culture of winning" that has saturated the last two generations of Americans. From the handing out of "participation awards" to the commercial tenant that the "customer is always right" we have developed into a culture that is utterly incapable of dealing with defeat, or loss... or... compromise.

Unfortunately, compromise is what makes democracy work. Democracy is clearly for people who are mature enough to know that you can't ALWAYS get what you want. I feel this culture of always wining and always getting what you want as if it's a civil right was accelerated when Libertarians started taking Ayn Rand's word that selfishness drives a better economy. Now selfishness is a redeeming quality, but it's corrosive to democracy.

Everything else stems from there.

So even if a politician is doing his job representing the will of the majority in his district, someone who isn't getting his way will call him an evil, corrupt politician and that goes into the media machine to influence those whop don't even know what the politician is doing.

In summary, democracy... the ONLY system that puts the people in charge, is eroding in America because the American people in have evolved into selfish little bitches.

Milosa has been asking some interesting questions ... (show quote)

Which side has the largest group of selfish little bitches, in your opinion?

Milosia2 Loc: Cleveland Ohio

straightUp wrote:

Milosa has been asking some interesting questions about the durability of democracy in our current political climate but I wanted to cut to the chase and state what I personally think the root of the problem is.

People.

Democracy is government by the people, so it makes sense to start with the people instead of blaming politicians for everything. You see, in a democracy politicians are mere representatives. They are supposed to do what the people want them to do unless there is a conflict with the constitution. That covers Congress as per Article I of the U.S. Constitution.

The Administration (Article II) is supposed to do what Congress tells it to do. Every executive order, every regulation, every military command should comply with directives from Congress.

So that is the political chain of command... The president commands the administration and the military, but he answers to Congress and Congress answers to The People. This is according to the constitution bound to the republic we call the United States of America.

The PROBLEM arises from the "culture of winning" that has saturated the last two generations of Americans. From the handing out of "participation awards" to the commercial tenant that the "customer is always right" we have developed into a culture that is utterly incapable of dealing with defeat, or loss... or... compromise.

Unfortunately, compromise is what makes democracy work. Democracy is clearly for people who are mature enough to know that you can't ALWAYS get what you want. I feel this culture of always wining and always getting what you want as if it's a civil right was accelerated when Libertarians started taking Ayn Rand's word that selfishness drives a better economy. Now selfishness is a redeeming quality, but it's corrosive to democracy.

Everything else stems from there.

So even if a politician is doing his job representing the will of the majority in his district, someone who isn't getting his way will call him an evil, corrupt politician and that goes into the media machine to influence those whop don't even know what the politician is doing.

In summary, democracy... the ONLY system that puts the people in charge, is eroding in America because the American people in have evolved into selfish little bitches.

Milosa has been asking some interesting questions ... (show quote)

Nailed it !
Democracy is the absolute worst form of government,
Except for all the rest !!!

XXX Loc: Somewhere north of the Mason-Dixon

Milosia2 wrote:

Nailed it !
Democracy is the absolute worst form of government,
Except for all the rest !!!

What would you prefer? Communism?

Liberty Tree

straightUp wrote:

Milosa has been asking some interesting questions about the durability of democracy in our current political climate but I wanted to cut to the chase and state what I personally think the root of the problem is.

People.

Democracy is government by the people, so it makes sense to start with the people instead of blaming politicians for everything. You see, in a democracy politicians are mere representatives. They are supposed to do what the people want them to do unless there is a conflict with the constitution. That covers Congress as per Article I of the U.S. Constitution.

The Administration (Article II) is supposed to do what Congress tells it to do. Every executive order, every regulation, every military command should comply with directives from Congress.

So that is the political chain of command... The president commands the administration and the military, but he answers to Congress and Congress answers to The People. This is according to the constitution bound to the republic we call the United States of America.

The PROBLEM arises from the "culture of winning" that has saturated the last two generations of Americans. From the handing out of "participation awards" to the commercial tenant that the "customer is always right" we have developed into a culture that is utterly incapable of dealing with defeat, or loss... or... compromise.

Unfortunately, compromise is what makes democracy work. Democracy is clearly for people who are mature enough to know that you can't ALWAYS get what you want. I feel this culture of always wining and always getting what you want as if it's a civil right was accelerated when Libertarians started taking Ayn Rand's word that selfishness drives a better economy. Now selfishness is a redeeming quality, but it's corrosive to democracy.

Everything else stems from there.

So even if a politician is doing his job representing the will of the majority in his district, someone who isn't getting his way will call him an evil, corrupt politician and that goes into the media machine to influence those whop don't even know what the politician is doing.

In summary, democracy... the ONLY system that puts the people in charge, is eroding in America because the American people in have evolved into selfish little bitches.

Milosa has been asking some interesting questions ... (show quote)

First, we are not a democracy, but a republic. Second, the solution is term limits which will never happen.

straightUp Loc: California

archie bunker wrote:

Which side has the largest group of selfish little bitches, in your opinion?

It's hard to say.
Polls don't assess everyone just samples of the people. The media only focuses on the loudest people, not the most people and the voting booth only reveals the which candidates people vote for, not why.

I would say however, that the farther extreme in any direction, the more bitches ya gonna find.

straightUp Loc: California

XXX wrote:

What would you prefer? Communism?

I would prefer a democracy with grown adults. Sorry, I thought that was pretty clear in the OP.

XXX Loc: Somewhere north of the Mason-Dixon

straightUp wrote:

I would prefer a democracy with grown adults. Sorry, I thought that was pretty clear in the OP.

I was asking Milosia. Yes you made your point clear.

straightUp Loc: California

Liberty Tree wrote:

First, we are not a democracy, but a republic.

I'm just curious how many times people have tried to point this out to you, 'cause it's such a tired old mistake but a republic is ANY form of government that isn't a monarchy. Most republics function as democracies. Seriously, it's like saying you can't be a man, because you're already a person.

Liberty Tree wrote:

Second, the solution is term limits which will never happen.

Wow. You don't actually know what this conversation is about do you?

Strycker Loc: The middle of somewhere else.

Term limits won't change anything as long as the very foundation of the country has been destroyed.

archie bunker Loc: Texas

straightUp wrote:

It's hard to say.
Polls don't assess everyone just samples of the people. The media only focuses on the loudest people, not the most people and the voting booth only reveals the which candidates people vote for, not why.

I would say however, that the farther extreme in any direction, the more bitches ya gonna find.

We agree for once.

Liberty Tree

straightUp wrote:

Wow. You don't actually know what this conversation is about do you?

It is about solutions which you do not have. You are the one who does not know the difference between a democracy and a republic. When is the last time you voted on a bill before Congress?

Sonny Magoo Loc: Where pot pie is boiled in a kettle

straightUp wrote:

Milosa has been asking some interesting questions about the durability of democracy in our current political climate but I wanted to cut to the chase and state what I personally think the root of the problem is.

People.

Democracy is government by the people, so it makes sense to start with the people instead of blaming politicians for everything. You see, in a democracy politicians are mere representatives. They are supposed to do what the people want them to do unless there is a conflict with the constitution. That covers Congress as per Article I of the U.S. Constitution.

The Administration (Article II) is supposed to do what Congress tells it to do. Every executive order, every regulation, every military command should comply with directives from Congress.

So that is the political chain of command... The president commands the administration and the military, but he answers to Congress and Congress answers to The People. This is according to the constitution bound to the republic we call the United States of America.

The PROBLEM arises from the "culture of winning" that has saturated the last two generations of Americans. From the handing out of "participation awards" to the commercial tenant that the "customer is always right" we have developed into a culture that is utterly incapable of dealing with defeat, or loss... or... compromise.

Unfortunately, compromise is what makes democracy work. Democracy is clearly for people who are mature enough to know that you can't ALWAYS get what you want. I feel this culture of always wining and always getting what you want as if it's a civil right was accelerated when Libertarians started taking Ayn Rand's word that selfishness drives a better economy. Now selfishness is a redeeming quality, but it's corrosive to democracy.

Everything else stems from there.

So even if a politician is doing his job representing the will of the majority in his district, someone who isn't getting his way will call him an evil, corrupt politician and that goes into the media machine to influence those whop don't even know what the politician is doing.

In summary, democracy... the ONLY system that puts the people in charge, is eroding in America because the American people in have evolved into selfish little bitches.

Milosa has been asking some interesting questions ... (show quote)

Democracy is not a form of government.
It is an instrument of change.
The Democracy that you wish for is one driven by envy of those who have more stuff than you do. It leads to communism.
Marx knew it, but so do I.
Most Americans unfortunately are ignorant

straightUp Loc: California

Liberty Tree wrote:

It is about solutions which you do not have.

Yeah, see I don't know what you're going on about but all I'm saying is that democracy is based on compromise. Every democracy in human history was based on compromise. Think about it. Majority rule doesn't mean EVERYBODY rule, that means that there will always be a minority forced to compromise except for the extremely rare cases where votes are unanimous. And I'm not talking about ethnic minorities or anything like that. I'm talking about a minority vote on the issue. So you could be in the minority one one issue and the majority on another.

That's the other problem with America and democracy today - the fact that too many of us don't actually vote on the issue but on the party line instead. That's lazy. Do the research on the issue or don't vote. People who keep voting for the tribe are eventually going to be exploited and they won't even know it.

Liberty Tree wrote:

You are the one who does not know the difference between a democracy and a republic.

Naaah, sorry Scooter but I already explained the difference. You're the one who hasn't.

Liberty Tree wrote:

When is the last time you voted on a bill before Congress?

I haven't. Nor have you. That's what we have representatives for. It's called a representative democracy. Where the people in charge elect their representatives to vote on their behalf.

Were you seriously thinking elected representatives disqualified us as a democracy? That's funny as hell. Each representative has a term limit and at the end of that term limit the people decide if they still want him. So ultimately the people are still in charge. Democracy.

Just like you can have many forms of republics, you can also have many forms of democracy. 'Too much for your widdo brain?" ;)

straightUp Loc: California

Sonny Magoo wrote:

Democracy is not a form of government.
It is an instrument of change.

Actually a government is an instrument of change. A democracy is a method of deciding what to change.

Sonny Magoo wrote:

The Democracy that you wish for is one driven by envy of those who have more stuff than you do. It leads to communism.

It's hilarious how people still believe that crap. Democracy has no agenda. It's simply a means of resolving differences by awarding the decision to the majority. That's it. You're probably thinking of socialism, even though that doesn't fit your description either but I'm familiar enough with the rants to guess. Apparently, all these terms are just a big blur for you folks.

BTW, I don't *wish* for any kind of democracy because we already have the democracy I want. Our founding fathers gave it to us.

Sonny Magoo wrote:

Marx knew it, but so do I.
Most Americans unfortunately are ignorant

Show me where Marx actually said that. Or are you just remembering from when you used to hang out with him at the Paris Walmart. lol
And your version of communism is the one developed by cold war propaganda, so you could gain credibility by quoting McCarthy instead Marx who had a totally different view.