"America is no longer a functioning democracy" - Ex President Jimmy Carter
130 replies, posted
I used to have a pretty positive view of Obama, but if time has taught me anything lately it's that you can't trust politicians. I however still suppose he was the lesser of two evils, because I doubt Mitt Romney would both in general and in the larger sense have made any more sensible decisions.
[sp]Fuck I'm terrible at politics... I forgot the name of his 2012 opponent and almost made myself look like a complete ass comparing the wrong people[/sp]
[QUOTE=Simski;41528172]I used to have a pretty positive view of Obama, but if time has taught me anything lately it's that you can't trust politicians. I however still suppose he was the lesser of two evils, because I doubt Mitt Romney would both in general and in the larger sense have made any more sensible decisions.
[sp]Fuck I'm terrible at politics... I forgot the name of his 2012 opponent and almost made myself look like a complete ass comparing the wrong people[/sp][/QUOTE]
Keep in mind that Obama has done a lot more to end the war on terror and solve our financial problems than bush did in all eight years of his office.
Despite some of his shortcomings, the man has had some work cut out for him, and he's not doing so bad considering how he's basically working for our best interests instead of the powers that be, especially if his job says he has to support some things publicly, even if he disagrees privately.
The man has a job to do.
[QUOTE=Xystus234;41528237]Keep in mind that Obama has done a lot more to end the war on terror and solve our financial problems than bush did in all eight years of his office.
Despite some of his shortcomings, the man has had some work cut out for him, and he's not doing so bad considering how he's basically working for our best interests instead of the powers that be, especially if his job says he has to support some things publicly, even if he disagrees privately.
The man has a job to do.[/QUOTE]
Eh I don't think he is working in your best interests. He is a weak leader who lies to his people when it comes to controversial issues. He also avoids difficult questions. His strongest point is public speaking.
[QUOTE=fruxodaily;41527499]I think its time for another civil war[/QUOTE]
Great idea! Shall we fold the inevitable 650,000 flags now, or after we've buried all the unnecessary dead?
[QUOTE=Protocol7;41527382]I dunno if America not firing on all cylinders is new. Maybe all this technology and readily-available media means when shit goes south, it balloons straight into the view of millions of people in a matter of seconds. Little harder to cover up bullshit when everyone sees it for that split second, y'know?[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I mean... What was there before that ever came close to the Internet? Nothing even comes close.
If there was a debate & discussion club that a few thousand people attended, that ran 24/7, and allowed everyone to speak, listen and reply at once, on any topic, that'd be Facepunch.
If there were a few million such clubs spread around the country that were all interconnected - that'd be a past-time representation of 'The Internet'.
I think the internet is so understated, I think it's potential to create or support a 'true democracy' where everyone can have, raise, and debate a viewpoint, is huge.
Such a thing wouldn't be too difficult to implement either, but it would need to be based on some powerful anti-trolling/anti-bad-decision frameworking, so that individual belief systems can't rise up and overrun the general wellbeing, open and transparent freedoms in favour of their own cause.
[QUOTE=fruxodaily;41527499]I think its time for another civil war[/QUOTE]
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/998693_632926853385981_385550000_n.jpg[/img]
lead the way
He lets school trips drive past his house, which is usually off-limits and protected by the Secret Service. When I was in 6th grade our entire class went out to Plains, Georgia, this small town in south GA where he's from and we got ot see it. It's this small little house and it has a swimming pool out front, and the tour guide says that sometimes Mr. and Mrs. Carter go skinny-dipping in it just for the hell of it. Put some rather disturbing thoughts in everyone's minds.
I assume there is no coverage of this on american news sites?
No longer a democracy?
What is it then? An autocracy?
I bet you any money that it isn't.
[QUOTE=Emperorconor;41529891]No longer a democracy?
What is it then? An autocracy?
I bet you any money that it isn't.[/QUOTE]
dont be daft
[QUOTE=Emperorconor;41529891]No longer a democracy?
What is it then? An autocracy?
I bet you any money that it isn't.[/QUOTE]
He didn't say it wasn't a democracy. He said that it is no longer a [I]functioning[/I] democracy.
[QUOTE=valkery;41529951]He didn't say it wasn't a democracy. He said that it is no longer a [I]functioning[/I] democracy.[/QUOTE]
A non-functioning democracy doesn't sound like a democracy.
[QUOTE=Emperorconor;41529961]A non-functioning democracy doesn't sound like a democracy.[/QUOTE]
It doesn't sound like one, but it still is. It's a shitty, broken, rusty democracy to be sure, but it is still a democracy.
A car with a busted piston, slashed tires and shattered windshield is still a car, it's just a really shitty car that needs a lot of work to become viable again.
It is pretty much an autocracy. Those in power and those with capital do what they like while the rest of us are forced bend over and take it in the ass.
[QUOTE=Emperorconor;41529891]No longer a democracy?
What is it then? An autocracy?
I bet you any money that it isn't.[/QUOTE]
We are a Plutocracy now.
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;41530013]It is pretty much an autocracy. Those in power and those with capital do what they like while the rest of us are forced bend over and take it in the ass.[/QUOTE]
Source?
If it were an autocracy, why can people vote for anybody they like?
Why are there senates and houses, judges and courts?
Rule of law? A well paid police force? Freedom of speech?
They can't. They're limited to voting for a pre-vetted selection of candidates and rather than electing a representative they elect a master to make decisions FOR THEM. They have no real say in what goes on and their so-called "representative" can change their mind at any point regardless of what his or her supporters want with little real consequence.
The senate is owned by corporations as are the judges and courts and they are not impartial arbiters of justice such that a "patriot" might have you believe. The rule of law is applied inconsistently and some are held more accountable for their actions than others due to the rampant corruption in the legal system. Many laws are simply enforced in order to bolster the profits of private prisons and the military industrial complex inlcluding the arms industry i.e. the "war on drugs", the "war on terror", etc.
How exactly does 'a well paid police force' constitute democracy? A police force is just there to enforce the laws that authority autocratically decide upon based primarily on their vested interests and corporate profit and not what the people and workers want.
Freedom of speech hahahahahahaha
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;41530252]They can't. They're limited to voting for a pre-vetted selection of candidates and rather than electing a representative they elect a master to make decisions FOR THEM. They have no real say in what goes on and their so-called "representative" can change their mind at any point regardless of what his or her supporters want with little real consequence.
The senate is owned by corporations as are the judges and courts and they are not impartial arbiters of justice such that a "patriot" might have you believe. The rule of law is applied inconsistently and some are held more accountable for their actions than others due to the rampant corruption in the legal system. Many laws are simply enforced in order to bolster the profits of private prisons and the military industrial complex inlcluding the arms industry i.e. the "war on drugs", the "war on terror", etc.
How exactly does 'a well paid police force' constitute democracy? A police force is just there to enforce the laws that authority autocratically decide upon based on their vested interests and corporate profit.
Freedom of speech hahahahahahaha[/QUOTE]
Source? You sound much like a conspiracy nutter.
I'm not sure where I mentioned a conspiracy. I just described the autocratic hierarchy that controls society.
If you think I'm a conspiracy nutter just because I am questioning authority then please just go away. I'm not interested in talking to you.
Our corruption rate has actually gone down from 2008 from a 68 to a 73. (100 being a Politician couldn't lie even if he tried, 1 being Satan himself controls everything. Denmark, Finland and New Zealand Tied for least corrupt countries with scores of 90. Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia tied for most corrupt countries with scores of 8.)
This country was not built on Democracy, it was built on a Constitutional Rebublic and should never for a second had any Democrap Presidents.
Corruption rate is kind of subjective and depends on the definition of corruption being used. Which corruption rate are you referring to? Also, are you suggesting that "republicans" are somehow more preferable? Both democrats and republicans seem equally irrelevant and retarded to me.
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;41530282]I'm not sure where I mentioned a conspiracy. I just described the autocratic hierarchy that controls society.
If you think I'm a conspiracy nutter just because I am questioning authority then please just go away. I'm not interested in talking to you.[/QUOTE]
You kind of need to prove that we are controlled by a cabal yet we still have all these institutions kept in place? Why even bother with them if we are an autocracy?
Even better, why even bother having big long and lengthy trials over convoluted cases and election campaigns? Why bother with schools or welfare at all? Why is homosexuality now allowed and women have greater freedoms and choices?
Really, why bother with the pretense of a democracy? Unless.... maybe the USA is one....
[QUOTE=lolz3;41530291]Our corruption rate has actually gone down from 2008 from a 68 to a 73. (100 being a Politician couldn't lie even if he tried, 1 being Satan himself controls everything. Denmark, Finland and New Zealand Tied for least corrupt countries with scores of 90. Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia tied for most corrupt countries with scores of 8.)
This country was not built on Democracy, it was built on a Constitutional Rebublic and should never for a second had any Democrap Presidents.[/QUOTE]
Until we can cap and/or ban lobbyists and drastically lower the running cost for politicians, we will still be a [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutocracy"]Plutocracy[/url].
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;41530299]Corruption rate is kind of subjective and depends on the definition of corruption being used.[/QUOTE]
I am picky with my evidence as well, I only choose that which I like.
[editline]20th July 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Fangz;41530311]Until we can cap and/or ban lobbyists[/QUOTE]
This is actually bad. You'll end up killing off all the enviromentalist, feminist, LGBT, and animal rights groups at the same time.
[QUOTE=Emperorconor;41530303]You kind of need to prove that we are controlled by a cabal yet we still have all these institutions kept in place? Why even bother with them if we are an autocracy?
Even better, why even bother having big long and lengthy trials over convoluted cases and election campaigns? Why bother with schools or welfare at all? Why is homosexuality now allowed and women have greater freedoms and choices?
Really, why bother with the pretense of a democracy? Unless.... maybe the USA is one....[/QUOTE]
All of those things are all there just to maintain the illusion. Sure they do some good sometimes and I'm not denying that some politicians have good intentions initially but that doesn't mean we're still not getting fucked by the upper one percent i.e. capitalists.
Of course everyone has a say that's why we keep granting them new privileges right? I don't think so, those so-called 'privileges' shouldn't have to be granted as they should be communally provided in the first place.
The USA and other developed nations try to be democratic or appear to be but really they just pick and choose from democratic ideals to suit them. When initially conceived democracy was more like rule by jury/demarchy.
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;41530332]All of those things are all there just to maintain the illusion. Sure they do some good sometimes and I'm not denying that some politicians have good intentions initially but that doesn't mean we're still not getting fucked by the upper one percent i.e. capitalists.[/QUOTE]
So you're a marxist or what?
[quote]Of course everyone has a say that's why we keep granting them new privileges right? I don't think so, those so-called 'privileges' shouldn't have to be granted as they should be communally provided in the first place.[/QUOTE]
This is difficult considering you have lots of other people in the "masses" who hate others over petty matters. It's the job of the state to arbitrate these disputes.
more of a Libertarian Socialist
Those hates of different people actually form an important part of what prevents us from autonomy and maintains the power of the 'cabal'. Divide and rule. Sure they try to eradicate them in some levels but in other places they create new differences and stereotypes to divide the citizenry.
I blame Reagan
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;41530337]more of a Libertarian Socialist[/QUOTE]
How do you think resource allocation operates? What do you think of Keynesian or Monetarist economics?
[QUOTE=Emperorconor;41530318]
This is actually bad. You'll end up killing off all the enviromentalist, feminist, LGBT, and animal rights groups at the same time.[/QUOTE]
I really don't think it is fair that someone can throw excessive amounts of money at a issue for selfish reasons, and get it passed.
We are voting for people to represent their district, and this silences those voices.
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