The Friendly dictators

I disagree, George Bush was elected by the american people with democratic elections. We maybe don't like him, but the majority of the american citizens choosed him as president.

Originally posted by Giannis I disagree, George Bush was elected by the american people with democratic elections. We maybe don't like him, but the majority of the american citizens choosed him as president.

Edited by Aelfgifu - 11-Jul-2006 at 06:28

In this case I think there are two aspects of democracy, that get easily confused. In a true democracy:

In theory, yes, America is a democracy. my point is, that in practice, it is not. Can you name one American president who did not come from a very rich and influential family?

And those first election were very dodgy... There were lost of stories of people being banned from voting without proper reasons and of voting billiets being made too complicated on purpose to confuse poor democratic voters. They might not be all true, but some probably are.

I heard that happened in the second too.

Originally posted by Giannis   The USA constitution doesn't agree with you.   Article 1, Section 1 No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.   Article 1, Section 3 No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen.   Article 2, Section 1 No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States.

Brezhnev would be proud to find a rival in Bush, why the incompetence they both exude in their decisions is impressive to say the least.

I can say this about american presidents, they were once humble, but super powerdem can change that. I think maybe Carter was the last president not from a rich family, idk. Abraham lincoln however is well known for having been born dirt poor, whatever happend to modesty. Anyway, the american people don't usually vote in strange ways because they're not presented with madness. Gay marriages are just to elicit conservative support and nothing else. The whole war in Iraq was undertaken because it was easy to attack a weak iraq and presumably get away with it. There are so many things i can mention that are debilitating to our government but it's depressing to go on. All i can say is that it wasn't always like this, so maybe the american people will revert back to sanity once bush and his cronies leave the white house. I think he was being told what to do the whole time he's been around and the man can barely think for himself, he's just an image, nothing more.

Interesting to note though, individual states have all sorts of different attitudes and problems that people often neglect the national problems until it's voting time. That's what happens when you live in such a large and diverse country.

PS what can i say, this really isn't saving any face. We just all have to wait until Iraq cools down and people aren't crazy in their politics.

Originally posted by Tobodai   Personal privacy and democracy are completely incompatable because the will of the people is always trite and conformist.  The current King of Morrocco is a far more benevolent ruler than most elected ones.

Originally posted by R_AK47 There is nothing wrong with the USA supporting friendly dictators.  Many dictators are fair rulers and if they support American policy then we (the USA) should support them as well, particularly in the global struggle against communism.

Originally posted by Aelfgifu In theory, yes, America is a democracy. my point is, that in practice, it is not. Can you name one American president who did not come from a very rich and influential family?

Abraham Lincoln's parent's couldn't even read.  He was born in a one room log cabin on a farm on the frontier. 

Andrew Jackson was born to Scots-Irish immigrants in backwoods South Carolina.

in more recent history, Bill Clinton's father was a traveling salesman and his stepfather owned a car dealership. 

Look at the histories of some US presidents.  Not all pulled a Kennedy or a Bush and got the job based on familial connections.