robmull Loc: florida

It's never been NOT there, son. It's all part of our "experimental" {now 21st century} Western free-market Elective Constitutional Republic, and the controlled "crash-tests" necessary {from time-to-time} to maintain our "WE THE PEOPLE" government and culture a few steps beyond who's ever in second place. "WE" were "created" by God, {with the help of our Founding Fathers}, "as written with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself, and can never be erased" {Alexander Hamilton, 1775, "The Farmer Refuted"}. "WE" didn't become the most powerful and humanitarian nation on earth by wimping-out at the knowledge and aspect of Nero or Pilate or William or Attila or Hu, etc., slithering into our welcoming Western free-market Republic, and lending anything, {good OR bad}, in their basket-of-tricks to our existing countenance. Nations that don't "experiment" with new {or adapted} "mouse-traps," will NEVER become a "Shining Light on the Hill." Hummmmmmmmmm. GOOOOOOOOOOOO PRESIDENT "45" DONALD J. {BORN AGAIN} TRUMP (R)!!! A "Shining" example to the ENTIRE world of what America can do that sets "US" light-years ahead of #2!!! And I wouldn't trade my life in America, as an American citizen, for "all the tea in China!!!"

HedgeHog

I think the Brits got it backwards. It wasn't Trump's election that shows flaws in democracy; rather Trump's election showed that democracy can be re-instated.

It was the election of Ovomit that showed the flaws of democracy in America.

But then what would the Brits know about democracy? The American nation, it is true, is based on English experiments in government through the last 1,000 years. But the Brits turned Leftist/Liberal. And that is why they no longer understand democracy.

Except it isn't that I "think", it is because I "know".

norte

Saying men cannot live without government is like saying that animals cannot
survive without farms.

QuestGirl Loc: Jayhawk Country

Well if it isn't HedgeHog/KiraSeer herself, showing off trolling capabilities

Larry the Legend Loc: Not hiding in Milton

"[R]ating countries based on their election process, protections of civil liberties, civic engagement, political culture and government transparency."

Election Process: This is a hybrid direct / indirect election process whereby members of Congress and the Electoral College are chosen directly by the electorate. The President / Vice President then are chosen by the Electoral College. This process has been suspected of corruption for many years but Congress refuses to investigate reports of ballot irregularities.

Civil Liberties: Eroding over time. Many rights, such as freedom of speech and freedom of movement, have been curtailed to a significant extent.

Civic Engagement: On the rise. Lawlessness in some regions is prompting a response from the 'silent majority'. Tensions are running high, boys and girls...

Political Culture: Has been more corrupted over the last several years. The current administration was elected partly due to promises to address political corruption in Washington, DC and elsewhere. Term limits should also have a damping effect.

Government Transparency: A large proportion of government activities go partially unreported or are not reported at all. This was meant to be at least partially addressed by the Freedom of Information Act:

"Enacted in 1966, and taking effect on July 5, 1967, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was created to provide the public a means to request and obtain federal government records, while still allowing sensitive information to be protected from public release".

http://www.dia.mil/FOIA.aspx

50 years later and still 'politics as usual'.

"[T]he United States is no longer a full democracy".

Never was a democracy. The United States, and all 50 member States, have been a Republic since 1789.

Watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGL8CiUtXF0

norte

Republic or Democracy, the US was not meant to be a police state.

BearK Loc: TN

You are right on the money!

norte

The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.

HedgeHog

What, norte? You have a book of quotes?

norte

We get to go to the polls every couple of years and choose between two flavors of the same gruel. The inmates get to elect the guards. Then, having exercised our rights as free citizens of a great social democracy, we go back to obeying orders.

HedgeHog

That sounds like some kind of paraphrase from George Orwell.

son of witless

Why must America always elect a total incompetent before we get a truly great President? Buchanan was followed by Lincoln. Carter was followed by Reagan. Now Obama is followed by Trump. It is like we must suffer before we are worthy to be lead by greatness.

QuestGirl Loc: Jayhawk Country

Apparently the Coastal areas missed the edification memo and did not obey the Law of the Land in the Constitution.

norte

The USA has a growing debt, has a stagnant economy, is conducting endless wars, is a police state, is being flooded by illegal immigrants, and has become immoral.

Do the Wall Street bankers who are destroying the US through debt and fraud feel any responsibility for the collapse of the US?

Do the politicians who increase US debt, destroy the economy with regulations, approve of wars, expand the police state, and ignore illegal immigration feel any guilt?

Do the lobbyists who donate to the politicians who increase US debt, destroy the economy with regulations, approve of wars, expand the police state, and ignore illegal immigration feel any guilt?

Do those on welfare feel any guilt?

Do the workers who pay taxes that fund the wars and police state feel any guilt?

Do those in the media who promote propaganda feel any guilt?

Do soldiers who fight the illegal wars feel guilt?

Do police officers who enforce unconstitutional nanny state laws feel any guilt?

Do NSA workers who do unconstitutional wiretapping feel any guilt?

Do TSA workers carry out unconstitutional groping feel any guilt?

Do judges that approve of unconstitutional laws feel any guilt?

Do government workers who carry out unconstitutional torture feel any guilt?

Do the actors and singers who promote moral decay feel any guilt?

Do apathetic Americans who only care about movies, music, sports, and games feel any
guilt?

Do American voters who vote for politicians who increase US debt, destroy the economy with regulations, approve of wars, expand the police state, and ignore illegal immigration feel any guilt?

Americans love to blame everybody else for the decline of the US, but if they really wanted to know who is to blame, they just need to look in the mirror.

America Only Loc: From the right hand of God

I agree 100% with this. It is reality that what klds are learning is to be DEPENDENT rather then INDEPENDENT. Look at how they are DEMANDING the colleges to give them shit or else!?! This is all a result of spoon feeding the little rug rats far too long and not making them be accountable for anything at all. It is like a wave of welfare kids going to college to party and gain some degree only to get out of college and continue on welfare.