Menses just commenced. It's 1:14 AM. I was asleep. That felt good. At 12:24, I popped up. I think I'm awake, maybe awakeish is more accurate. I'm always surprised when those handy-soapy-foamy-bottles run out of soap. For some lame ass reason, it never occurs to me that they ever will. They feel so lifetime supply , even though the bottles aren't more than 8 inches tall. Similarly, when I flip on a light switch and the light flickers to its death, I think "Now what?" Duh, schmuckette, you change the fucking light bulb . Intellectually, I know this, yet for some odd reason, it never comes to mind. In fact, a few years ago, my mother walked into my house and said, "Why aren't the lights working?" I said "I don't know, I flick the switch and they don't work." After a fit of uproarious laughter, she said, "Would it kill you to change the light bulb?” Hmmm. "No", I shamefully responded. I wonder why... it is that I hav...
I got some kick ass, wicked responses to this post, including some scathing remarks from someone representing zealotina perhaps. ya gotta love the broad's moxie! I have NOT removed the post. I have re-saved it as a draft so that I can properly respond this weekend. she actually made some very ponder-able points. mind you 90% of them infuritated me as I obviously did the same. still... more to come.
Comments
when I posted it, I edited a few things down and I did change a few things. all of which I do plan to explain, not justify.
Sweet.
JDC
perhaps you can explain to John why "we" visit other people's blogs anonymously.
If you don't like the "anonymous" tag you can call me "Mr. L."
My remarks and comments are always attributed to me and can be tracked to me. I don't hide in the back of the room and yell out remarks in the crowd.
By the way, Mr. L is the same as anonymous unless you have become the only L in the world sir.
Mr. C
So you would want Katie to quote her out of context, when she discusses her?
"America has never been a democracy. As the other woman pointed out, we live in a republic."
As I always say, "semantics are little tricks that people use to cover up their antics." Every conservative from Goldwater through Buchannon and even O'Reilly, has called America a "democracy." As in, "this is the greatest democracy on Earth."
Let's not take my word for it, let's try the ol' Merriam-Webster online
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/
Democracy
1 a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
2 : a political unit that has a democratic government
While I don't agree with the talking heads on either side of the aisle (I haven't yet found one I can respect), stating that America is a democracy is untrue no matter who says it.
If we're going to define a democracy, then let's also be open minded enough to include the definition of a republic shall we?
From Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law:
"re·pub·lic
Function: noun
1 : a government having a chief of state who is not a monarch and who in modern times is usually a president; also : a political unit (as a nation) having such a form of government
2 : a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law; also : a political unit (as a nation) having such a form of government"
A basic knowledge of our government will show that we do indeed live in a republic.
Even our Pledge of Allegiance (wich I have serious problems with) states "...And to the republic, for which it stands..."
Stating "facts" without checking into their truth does nothing for a discussion.
Good gravy...
Whew, okay. Pick an American politician, in the past or current, that you respect or find the most credible. Then, Google their name and the word "democracy." Outside of Honest Abe bringing it up in a speech here and there, you'll find the consensus is that they have stated that we live in a democracy.
Pick a Christian college if you don't want to go that route and email their political and history professors, ask them if we live in a democracy or a republic.
"Stating "facts" without checking into their truth does nothing for a discussion."
Um, yeah, you win. Sorry to bother you while you battle windmills.
and, of course, wp, clever, witty and insightful as always. you're a honey!
You'll find that as a republic which elects representatives (hello? Senators? Congressmen? All of the other government officials you vote for to represent you?), everyone then is allowed a voice, from the largest groups down to the smallest. Often times the smallest groups have the biggest voices because of this.
Democracy is majority rule, plain and simple. Every single law would be put to a majority vote (scary thought indeed), instead of by our representatives who have the time and (hopefully) put in the effort to read the fine print. With only a few of the many laws being put to a public vote. With the way laws are passed anymore, you'd spend half your life in a polling booth if we were living in a democracy!
Or you can keep up with the "democracy because they say so" argument. No skin off my nose. I just prefer to study issues for myself than believe whatever I'm told.