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I will rant only for a moment - first off - there's a lot of throwing around of terms that obviously a lot of people here don't understand - the misconception that the US is a democracy is foremost - it is not and hasn't been for over 100 years - it is a republic.
From the Army Training Manual in 1928:
Democracy, n. "A government of the masses. Authority derived through mass meeting or any form of "direct" expression. Results in mobocracy. Attitude toward property is communistic - negating property rights. Attitude toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether it be based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice, and impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences. Results in demagogism, license, agitation, discontent, anarchy
The framers of the constitution knew the problems with a democracy and decided that a republic would be a much better stance to take - therefore they chose to form a republic and it is even in the "pledge of allegience" we Americans say every day in grade school (to the republic for which it stands) - A republic is similar to a democracy except that it forms a governing body with the rule of law at their side and checks and balances to use in cases where it gets out of hand.
Second as far as the liberals and conservatives issue - this has been going on for hundreds of years as well - and is a part of that checks and balances - the funny part of it all (and I believe I could actually be some peoples grandfather here) is that the "mold" of liberalism that we spout off about here - is so conservative to me I have to laugh. The liberals have been so spun by the "conservative press" that they don't even realize that what is left-wing today was middle of the road 30 years ago.
When we had another war that we (I kinda define myself as a real left-winger but then I did serve 12 years in the military and I vote so I guess I have that right) really didn't approve of, we didn't sit and watch TV news - back then the government actually let the pictures of caskets flying into Dover, DE be shown (they dont allow that anymore) on TV and in newspapers. We did something about our beliefs. If you are not familiar with it - search for old stories about the weathermen, May Day in Wash DC, Students for a Democratic Society, Black Panthers, Kent State and on and on.
You will find that enough people back then actually stood up for their beliefs and were willing to die for it (hell we were dying faster in jungles than we were at home so why not?) compared to these sheep that think they are liberal now a days.
If you are a true American, you have not only a right, but a duty to be questioning every decision your elected representatives make - if you do not vote, ask the questions, and take action to fix what you believe is wrong(not what your fucking news program tells you but what you truly believe) then in my book you are not an American citizen. I'm sure that most will argue with me saying that being an American gives them the choice to not do anything - I disagree and hope that maybe some of you will start thinking and stop being little sheep to the news and BS talk shows. Maybe we can actually put some of those checks and balances back into play that everybody threw out their gas-guzzling SUVs (gee how come the people that bitch the most about oil and not having it or having to pay so much for it arent actually doing something to reduce our dependence on it?)
Ok rant over for the morning
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