2nd Term Part X - A link to a fore gone conclusion

[Kepler]

Re: 2nd Term Part X - A link to a fore gone conclusion

The USA is not a democracy. It is a constitutional republic, and it should very well remain as such. Ridding any sort of republican (and I don't mean GOP, I am speaking of the classic definition of the word) form of government results in the rise of oligarchs that create dictatorships. It is exactly what happened in Ancient Rome, and it will happen here if we change to a democracy.

I didn't say "a democracy," I said "democracy." I am well aware that the United States is a republic. I believe in small d democratic tendencies to fix our problems, you believe in anti-democratic measures which is kinda funny coming from a guy worried about the NWO.

Also, you've got your Aristotle a little off. He says democracies are inherently unstable and they inevitably descend into anarchy, which is (after much destruction) ended by a tyrant -- a non-malicious term of art for someone who governs without being limited by the traditional rights and privileges of aristocracy. Aristotle and Plato were extremely keen to preserve the rights of the aristocracy, which in a world were the vast majority of citizens were barely above the level of wild beasts was probably a pretty good rule of thumb.

But we no longer play by 18th century rules, and with universal educations and something at least approaching equal rights an informed, democratic electorate with universal suffrage is now appropriate. The Founders had the wisdom to design a constitutional system that allows us to adapt to changing circumstances, and so successive waves of popular reform have taken us farther and farther from the theo-feudal state that conservatives lay awake at night beating off to. It would bother Aristotle (and Hamilton) no end, but we've moved on, and the vast majority of us are better for it. The Haves are sad but don't cry for them. It's still always sweet to be a Have.

 

[Kepler]

Re: 2nd Term Part X - A link to a fore gone conclusion

And direct election of senators is above board and transparent? Remember, Senators are supposed to be the ambassadors from the State to the Federal Union (Hence "the Senator from _____" when he/she is recognized).

Maybe, just maybe, legislative appointment/election of senators would lead to greater turnover in state legislatures?

Part 2 makes no sense to me at all. If anything the bribery and chicanery would increase as donors could now buy their Senators wholesale via their purchase of legislators.

Part 1 seems to me to be a confusion of different ideas. Transparent and above board, yes -- elections are as good as one is going to get. Representative of the state I have no problem with at all -- I think direct election is a far better system for representing the state than indirect election. In the former each Senator is elected by the whole people of the state. In the latter a Senator is elected by people who were elected by members of a district of the state. The latter is where the impurity is introduced.