There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.

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Trekky0623

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There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« on: January 01, 2012, 06:06:25 PM »
If the people the public votes into Congress are only receiving a 5% approval rating, it seems that there is something wrong with the voting system. Obviously, the wants of the public are not being represented in Congress.

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Rushy

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2012, 06:09:04 PM »
Even worse, most people can't tell you who their senator/representative even is.

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Tausami

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2012, 06:23:15 PM »
I think the issue is that when people go to vote, their choice is between two people who aren't fit to be running the country.

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Ocius

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2012, 07:25:38 PM »
We aren't even a democracy. We're slowly slipping towards an authoritarian style of government.

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General Disarray

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2012, 11:24:07 PM »
Most people are against congress, but don't have a problem with their own congressman. This is the problem.
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Benjamin Franklin

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2012, 09:19:49 AM »
Because the electorate find it far easier to criticize and complain instead of paying attention and actively engaging themselves in the democratic process.

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rooster

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2012, 10:14:17 AM »
We aren't even a democracy. We're slowly slipping towards an authoritarian style of government.
We are not a democracy, we are a constitutional republic.

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Vindictus

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2012, 01:04:23 PM »
Because the electorate find it far easier to criticize and complain instead of paying attention and actively engaging themselves in the democratic process.

This. When it comes to politics, everyone suddenly becomes an armchair expert, or is apathetic to begin with.

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Trekky0623

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2012, 01:53:38 PM »
We aren't even a democracy. We're slowly slipping towards an authoritarian style of government.
We are not a democracy, we are a constitutional republic.

Thank you for your contribution to this thread.

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rooster

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2012, 02:07:01 PM »
We aren't even a democracy. We're slowly slipping towards an authoritarian style of government.
We are not a democracy, we are a constitutional republic.

Thank you for your contribution to this thread.
You're welcome.

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Lorddave

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2012, 05:09:04 PM »
I think the issue is that when people go to vote, their choice is between two people who aren't fit to be running the country.
It's not this.  It's that most people don't know anyone who is fit to run the country.  The people who are fit to do it are so buried by the political media power of the other two parties that they can't even get noticed in a Wendy's.
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Vongeo

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2012, 05:31:13 PM »
The problem is people running for office want to be in office rather than wanting other things.
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Lorddave

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2012, 06:09:13 PM »
The problem is people running for office want to be in office rather than wanting other things.
Ah but if you don't want to be in office, why would you run?
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Supertails

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #13 on: January 02, 2012, 08:23:32 PM »
The problem is people running for office want to be in office rather than wanting other things.
Ah but if you don't want to be in office, why would you run?

I think he means that what they want most is simply to be in office in their own interests, rather than for the interests of the nation or the people they represent. With which I mostly agree.

Or he was just saying all politicians are corrupt lol iunno
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Trekky0623

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #14 on: January 02, 2012, 10:22:37 PM »
Too perfect to pass up:

"The major problem—one of the major problems, for there are several—one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.

To summarize: it is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem."

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Vongeo

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #15 on: January 02, 2012, 10:56:25 PM »
The problem is people running for office want to be in office rather than wanting other things.
Ah but if you don't want to be in office, why would you run?

I think he means that what they want most is simply to be in office in their own interests, rather than for the interests of the nation or the people they represent. With which I mostly agree.

Or he was just saying all politicians are corrupt lol iunno
Not corrupt just Ben Vanderlei
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No longer is this sentence is cut in half. Jekra!

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Saddam Hussein

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #16 on: January 03, 2012, 05:12:10 AM »
It's much easier to just cry corruption or incompetence (and on a universal scale, too) than to educate oneself on the political process or how Congress works.

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Trekky0623

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #17 on: January 03, 2012, 05:42:41 AM »
It's much easier to just cry corruption or incompetence (and on a universal scale, too) than to educate oneself on the political process or how Congress works.

I'm not saying it's corrupt. I'm saying it's not accurately reflecting the wants of the people.

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hoppy

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #18 on: January 03, 2012, 07:17:50 AM »
Since I entered politics, I have chiefly had men’s views confided to me privately. Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organised, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.
– Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States (1856-1924)

God is real.                                         
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Chris Spaghetti

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #19 on: January 06, 2012, 08:10:05 AM »
Most people are against congress, but don't have a problem with their own congressman. This is the problem.

Well no, this is representative democracy.

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Saddam Hussein

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #20 on: January 07, 2012, 05:16:58 PM »
It's much easier to just cry corruption or incompetence (and on a universal scale, too) than to educate oneself on the political process or how Congress works.

I'm not saying it's corrupt. I'm saying it's not accurately reflecting the wants of the people.

I didn't mean it specifically as a jab at you, sorry if I gave that impression.  My point is that most complaints about Congress (or politicians in general, really) assume that full and total fault lies with each individual in office, rather than recognizing the flaws in the system and looking for ways to work around them or fix them.  For example, if a member of Congress wants to get a bill passed, and has to negotiate with members from the other party to make some changes to the bill, his constituents will accuse him of selling out.  And if he holds firm and refuses to allow any changes, the bill won't pass and he'll be labeled as incompetent.

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Lorddave

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #21 on: January 07, 2012, 06:17:50 PM »
It's much easier to just cry corruption or incompetence (and on a universal scale, too) than to educate oneself on the political process or how Congress works.

I'm not saying it's corrupt. I'm saying it's not accurately reflecting the wants of the people.

I didn't mean it specifically as a jab at you, sorry if I gave that impression.  My point is that most complaints about Congress (or politicians in general, really) assume that full and total fault lies with each individual in office, rather than recognizing the flaws in the system and looking for ways to work around them or fix them.  For example, if a member of Congress wants to get a bill passed, and has to negotiate with members from the other party to make some changes to the bill, his constituents will accuse him of selling out.  And if he holds firm and refuses to allow any changes, the bill won't pass and he'll be labeled as incompetent.
Or worse:
He'll keep what he wants in the bill in exchange for adding something totally irrelevant to the bill that the other side wants.
You have been ignored for common interest of mankind.

I am a terrible person and I am a typical Blowhard Liberal for being wrong about Bom.

Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #22 on: January 20, 2012, 06:44:03 PM »
It's much easier to just cry corruption or incompetence (and on a universal scale, too) than to educate oneself on the political process or how Congress works.

I'm not saying it's corrupt. I'm saying it's not accurately reflecting the wants of the people.

I didn't mean it specifically as a jab at you, sorry if I gave that impression.  My point is that most complaints about Congress (or politicians in general, really) assume that full and total fault lies with each individual in office, rather than recognizing the flaws in the system and looking for ways to work around them or fix them.  For example, if a member of Congress wants to get a bill passed, and has to negotiate with members from the other party to make some changes to the bill, his constituents will accuse him of selling out.  And if he holds firm and refuses to allow any changes, the bill won't pass and he'll be labeled as incompetent.

No, its not hard to pass a bill. If they wanted to do it they could. They're all bought and paid for.

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Archibald

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #23 on: January 20, 2012, 10:52:15 PM »
Is the FES where people go for political beginner discussions?
For whatever reason you allow Clocktower to derail any thread Archibald posts in.

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General Disarray

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #24 on: January 20, 2012, 10:59:23 PM »
Is the FES where people go for political beginner discussions?

Not really, we're just here anyway, and bored of beating a dead horse in the upper fora.
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Vindictus

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Re: There is a fundamental problem with democracy in America.
« Reply #25 on: January 20, 2012, 11:29:19 PM »
Is the FES where people go for political beginner discussions?

That's Facebook.