Democracy is not a dirty word -

[torchbearer]

What's quite interesting about our system is the Supreme Court by a democratic vote in their decisions can actually re-instate minority rights that were taken by a majority vote. Which is in itself undemocratic. Also add the fact that the Justices aren't democratically elected but appointed.

The Constitution is full of walls put in place to thwart democracy in order to protect individual rights against a national gov't.

then it is not a democracy, but a republic with protection for the minority.
no one can vote an inalienable right away.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Our Founders gave us a Republic, NOT a Democracy

Here Paula, watch this.
http://www.wimp.com/thegovernment/

Our Founders gave us a constitutional republic, or rule by law. As opposed to a democracy, or mob rule. A republic's intent is to protect the rights of the minority, or the one, against the force of the majority (the mob).

 

[Kludge]

no one can vote an inalienable right away.

Unless they're appointed by the president and wear a spiffy robe.

 

[RSLudlum]

no one can vote an inalienable right away.

But they sure do try, don't they? And then attempt, usually succeeding, using monopolistic force to make the individual comply.

 

[Dr.3D]

Forms of Government

it means rule by the people. Our founding fathers believed in Democracy because they believed that legitimate government derived its power from the consent of the governed.

There may be technical variations on the way Democratic government is organized and administered but consent of the people (Demos), those who are governed, is still the only legitimate source of power for a government.

Paula, please watch this little video. It will explain everything you need to understand.

YouTube - Forms of Government

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Too bad the government as we now have it is the product of abortion.

And circumcision.

 

[torchbearer]

Unless they're appointed by the president and wear a spiffy robe.

nope.

 

[torchbearer]

But they sure do try, don't they? And then attempt, usually succeeding, using monopolistic force to make the individual comply.

UNtil you stand up against this shit, it will keep happening.

 

[Dr.3D]

And circumcision.

And that is the the cruelest cut of them all.

 

[apropos]

There is also the fact that only landowners could vote when America was originally founded...the idea being that only informed citizens with a vested interest in the country's direction should steer it.

Which further precludes democracy as the original intention of the founders. The thought is that ignorant voters make ignorant decisions. Our PC sensibilities don't allow us to debate this in America's public forum too much, though.

 

[torchbearer]

There is also the fact that only landowners could vote when America was originally founded...the idea being that only informed citizens with a vested interest in the country's direction should steer it.

Which further precludes democracy as the original intention of the founders. The thought is that ignorant voters make ignorant decisions. Our PC sensibilities don't allow us to debate this in America's public forum too much, though.

amen.

 

[Dr.3D]

There is also the fact that only landowners could vote when America was originally founded...the idea being that only informed citizens with a vested interest in the country's direction should steer it.

Which further precludes democracy as the original intention of the founders. The thought is that ignorant voters make ignorant decisions. Our PC sensibilities don't allow us to debate this in America's public forum too much, though.

I thought I heard, illegal aliens are allowed to vote too. Is this true?

If this is true, then I can understand why we are having such a hard time with illegal aliens entering this country. They could get here and vote for people who would let them stay or have some other privileges.

 

[Imperial]

All republics inherently include democracy in their pinnings. Similarly, a republic will always legitimize some elite group over another by its nature of representing the many by the few.

It is simply a balance game. You can go more towards democracy or more towards oligarchy. I think it is nice to have differing balances in differerent areas to have competition. Thus, we have horizontal checks and balances in the national government and vertical checks and balances between individual, local, state, and national.

 

[PaulaGem]

The judicial system, established on the rule of law was to be blind, ruling according to law, equally for all. Under democracy the judicial system becomes a legal system with activist judges who rule not according to law but according to their own passions, opinions and prejudices. The result is that the Bill of Rights has been pretty much nullified.

http://www.newswithviews.com/Stuter/stuter97.htm

My personal experience is that the judicial system has been co-opted by the legal industry, individual passions and prejudices play a much smaller role in the prostitution of Lady Justice.

 

[PaulaGem]

I thought I heard, illegal aliens are allowed to vote too. Is this true?

If this is true, then I can understand why we are having such a hard time with illegal aliens entering this country. They could get here and vote for people who would let them stay or have some other privileges.

In Colorado people register to vote when they get their driver's license. There is no check on citizenship, only a check box that can be filled out by an illegal by accident or by fraud claiming the right to vote.

Still, I think the above issue is another one of those red herrings being served up by the media. Corporations are now raping this country. Individuals could never cause harm on the scale that it is being done now.

Why worry about illegals voting when the voting machines regularly go on sleepovers that allow them to be reprogrammed, and use technology that allow the flipping of the vote with a garage door opener tuned in to the voting machine?

 

[PaulaGem]

. Thus, we have horizontal checks and balances in the national government and vertical checks and balances between individual, local, state, and national.

I don't think those "vertical checks" that you refer to exist any more. The vote is broken.

 

[CUnknown]

I understand what Rand Paul means when he says stuff like "We are drifting dangerously towards democracy in this country and away from being a Republic." But honestly, I don't care for this kind of rhetoric. It sounds like he is disparaging democracy, although of course he isn't. What he wants is a return to the rule of law, and we all agree of course. A Republic is a type of democracy.

The way I would phrase it is that we are drifting away from being a democracy and towards fascism. But I know we mean the same thing when we say these things.

So, I tend to agree with the OP, but at the same time the exact phrasing isn't really important to me.

 

[BenIsForRon]

You guys know, if only landowners could vote, Ron Paul wouldn't have gotten nearly as many votes. Most college students don't own land.

 

[LibertyEagle]

You guys know, if only landowners could vote, Ron Paul wouldn't have gotten nearly as many votes. Most college students don't own land.

And many of Obama's votes would not have been made.

The whole idea is for the voters to be only those people who are being asked to fund the government. Those living off of government largesse should not be able to vote to steal more money out of their brethren's pockets to line their own.

Think about it.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Republics and Democracies are quite different

Here are a couple of good articles if you're interested.

"A Republic, if You Can Keep It"
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/659-qa-republic-if-you-can-keep-itq

Republics and Democracies -- best treatise on this that I've ever read
http://www.serendipity.li/jsmill/welch.html