For all of you who think that the US is a Democracy...

[Atlanteax]

The US is NOT a Democracy...

... it is a Republic.

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That's why the Founding Fathers went for the Electoral College.

They did not think much of the "average American" and created the EC to protect Americans from themselves.

The single biggest strength of classical Athens was its democracy... which was also its biggest weakness.

All it took was a good orator (politican) to "stir up the masses" into a frenzy (literally then, as they'd kill/injure opponents via the mob) to get things done or going.

Hmm, sounds awfully familiar to modern day US. The "average American" seems to believe whatever they're told...

... and their opinions changes like the wind (no thanks to the Media).

.

It was absolutely brilliant of the Founding Fathers to forsee that the "average American" would be too incompent to determine what was important/revelant.

Which brings us to the purpose of the EC, where the intent was that they'd be educated members of society (of the state they belong to) would be able to cast a disenting vote if it was prudent to do so.

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Unfortunately, the whole thing has already gone to hell... as far as representation goes.

[Jolena]

Man..I will be so glad when the elections are over and we can all stop talking about politics, democrats vs. republics, Kerry vs Bush, etc. There has to be fifteen million of these threads now.

[TheEschaton]

I'm just waiting for the day Atlanteax stops being a fuckwit, and posting retarded shit like this.


I'm not holding my breath.

-TheE-

[Back]

He’s right. I remember learning this in Jr. High or High school, I forget which. PoliSci was one class I did enjoy, along with Geometry, Psychology and Print Shop.

At the time, I recall agreeing that a republic was the better ideal for the reasons he explains. Even then I realized that the masses were dumb fucks. Sheep who get hearded one way or the other.

Its still true today for the most part. Orwell was off by maybe 40 years. The amount of bullshit being fed to the American people right now is outrageous. And we’re eating it up.

Terrorists want Kerry in office.

We are safer without Saddam in power.

Things are going great in Iraq.

Your [the upper 2%] taxes have been cut.

The last election gives me a little more faith in the masses though. The numbers show who won the popular vote, where in a democracy, they count.

All the years past the public has voted with the electoral college. Maybe the masses aren’t as clueless as people want them to be. With better schooling and more access to information, the masses can make informed opinions these days.

Only 23% of the population of the United States has graduated college. One has to wonder what that statistic is so low. With 87% of people having High School diplomas, you can not sit there and say its because they are lazy.

[DeV]

I agree Backlash. I consider it, the plague of Nationalism. The media are no better as they do more to miss-lead people than report the truth regarding governmental affairs especially warfare.
People tend to forget the essentials beliefs behind a democracy. Essential to a democracy is an informed population and people who not only know the facts but can understand what they mean and determine what should be done about them. The basic skill required of an informed citizen is to be able to ask intelligent questions of experts and to be able to critically analyze their answers which should be clear and diverse. Society has lost that ability to a certain extent.

[xtc]

My understanding of the Electoral College system is that it was designed to avoid a small region, with dense population, determining the outcome of an election. Thus we have geographical representation factored in. The second reason I believe for this system was to avoid some demagogue swaying the masses into voting for him/her.

Now whether a republic is the best system of government is a matter of opinion

Damn, so little graduated college?

- Arkans

[Back]

Damn, so little graduated college?

Yeah, WTF? The US goal should be to increase both numbers, college degrees moreso. Even at 87%, the US is fifth in the world. I don’t have a link to that statistic, but below is the link for the other stuff.

US Census (http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/educ-attn.html) report. First PDF link.

[Hulkein]

Some people have to dig ditches.

I understand that, but 23% have graduated college? I mean, yeesh, we really need to put a larger focus on education. Only so many people should/can dig ditches for us.

- Arkans

[Bobby]

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

AND TO THE REPUBLIC
FOR WHICH SHE STANDS

blah blah blah.

Pay more attention in school, Atlanteax. Perhaps you'll learn something then and not 20 years later.