Worth A Thousand Words

[athelind]

Comments

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Insert obligatory whine about LJ-cut here. :)

-The Gneech

[pathia.livejournal.com]

Well, there's the slight problem that we're not a Democracy, but it is a clever piece of art.

[twentythoughts.livejournal.com]

George Bush: "Arr. Arr. Do I look scary yet? Arr."
Statue of liberty: "This is -so- frick'n boring. When is this photo shoot done?"

[r-caton.livejournal.com]

The blessed statue is of French origin after all.....
obviously the odour of garlic hasn't hung on for long enough....

[terminotaur.livejournal.com]

So, is the Statue of Liberty now going to dress in black and act all angsty? Will she only come out for viewing at night? :)

[athelind.livejournal.com]

We're not?

[cargoweasel.livejournal.com]

No, we're a plutocratic oligarchy. Oh wait, I mean a Republic.

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

As cargoweasel observed, we are technically a representative democracy, or republic.

Which reminds me of the wisdom of George Carlin:
"Even in a fake democracy, the people should get what they want some of the time..."

[waywind.livejournal.com]

Copper-plated women don't retain garlic fragrances very well.

[pathia.livejournal.com]

We never have been. Read the Constitution, it's never mentioned.


We're a Republic.

[tombfyre.livejournal.com]

Well thats amusing. ^^ Nice find.

[tombfyre.livejournal.com]

And here I thought the US was many things. Republic... Dictatorship... Fascist Theocracy... Some kinda Democracy...

[athelind.livejournal.com]

"Republic" simply means "Not A Monarchy".

Indeed, the Constitution never uses the word "democracy" -- but it nevertheless describes a democratic system of government, one in which "... the power to alter the basic laws and forms of government lies with the voting citizenry, referred to as "the people", and all decisions are made by representatives who act by their consent, as enforced by elections and the rule of law."

[pathia.livejournal.com]

There's a difference between having some democratic tendencies and being a Democracy.

The very fact we have a fairly rigid constitution is somewhat undemocratic. =)

[athelind.livejournal.com]

There's glory for you.

[baxil.livejournal.com]

I understand your point, but I'm sorry, this just seems like nit-picking. By the strict definition of "democracy" we are not one, I agree. But as popularly understood, we have a government that is democratic in form. The people, demos, have decision-making power over their representatives and (not at the national level, but nevertheless) some direct power over lawmaking. We have a democratic form of government as opposed to an autocratic, monarchic, etc., form.

This is also why the administration talks about "spreading democracy" in the Middle East even though I strongly suspect they have no plans to build anything resembling the strict definition (but rather something more like our constitutional republic).

[r-caton.livejournal.com]

Aha! Clearly l'amour 'as to be electrifying, no?
Com 'ere mah sweet, an' 'old zis wire.....

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

Thank you, oh Carrol-quoting Boojum Snark...

[kolchis.livejournal.com]

Vote for this current Resident in the White House, and what should be a democracy will become even less so than it already has in the last four years.

Here's a list of reasons not to vote for GWB:

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1023-23.htm

(Note: Don't dismiss it out of hand for its origins. All entries are extensively footnoted).

Have a nice day.

[pathia.livejournal.com]

Error in assumption, I've already voted.