Is there something wrong with American democracy?

[Narmer]

I've been watching President Bush on television for the past seven years. It seems like all his answers to questions are either scripted, unrelated to the question asked, or jibberish garbage that one would expect from a drunk. Worse, the President treats American citizens, regular Americans, as props in his marketing campaign. He lines them up behind him and makes his cute speeches and statements. He doesn't have any town-hall meetings or even answers questions from members of congress in a non-scripted manner. Communication is entirely one-way. Everthing he does makes it look like the President is a movie star and not President of the United States of America. Is it me or does the President act like a ceremonial figure?

Hopefully the next President will have more respect for the citizens of this great nation.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Narmer
Is it me or does the President act like a ceremonial figure?

Hopefully the next President will have more respect for the citizens of this great nation.

There's no ceremony, he's actually just Dick Cheney and Karl Rove's handpuppet, period, end of story. And he actually does look like he's reading what he's saying sometimes, doesn't he?

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: Narmer
Is it me or does the President act like a ceremonial figure?

Hopefully the next President will have more respect for the citizens of this great nation.

There's no ceremony, he's actually just Dick Cheney and Karl Rove's handpuppet, period, end of story. And he actually does look like he's reading what he's saying sometimes, doesn't he?

My fear is, considering Bush was re-elected and had his way for 6 straight years, future presidents may seek to emulate this Administration's methods. That will turn Americans into cynics and it'll be awful for this nation.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: Narmer
Is it me or does the President act like a ceremonial figure?

Hopefully the next President will have more respect for the citizens of this great nation.

There's no ceremony, he's actually just Dick Cheney and Karl Rove's handpuppet, period, end of story. And he actually does look like he's reading what he's saying sometimes, doesn't he?

My fear is, considering Bush was re-elected and had his way for 6 straight years, future presidents may seek to emulate this Administration's methods. That will turn Americans into cynics and it'll be awful for this nation.

Cynical is already a common description for most Americans imo.

 

[Jaha]

Originally posted by: Narmer
I've been watching President Bush on television for the past seven years. It seems like all his answers to questions are either scripted, unrelated to the question asked, or jibberish garbage that one would expect from a drunk. Worse, the President treats American citizens, regular Americans, as props in his marketing campaign. He lines them up behind him and makes his cute speeches and statements. He doesn't have any town-hall meetings or even answers questions from members of congress in a non-scripted manner. Communication is entirely one-way. Everthing he does makes it look like the President is a movie star and not President of the United States of America. Is it me or does the President act like a ceremonial figure?

Hopefully the next President will have more respect for the citizens of this great nation.

Every political contender uses people as props. Some just make it look more genuine than others. The big hitters in D.C. know what they are doing, everything is for show and there is no reason to answer questions on a personal level or in depth from certain members of Congress....especially on C-SPAN or anywhere else where it's being taped. I wouldn't answer any questions from at least a dozen of the mouth pieces in Congress if it were me as President. It's just a trap.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

A real problem is that people throw around the word democracy as if we have one.

In the real world, you have two candidates that can win. The most influence another can have is to shake up one of the two entrenched parties and occasionally influence the outcome of the election, but that's about it.

That means the next President and the next and the next WILL be a Dem or Rep. That also means they have to pass a litmus test. Does the candidate conform? Will he follow "the party line"?

A possible solution would be to have elimination rounds and the top dozen or so stand for national election.

The real challenge would be Congress where the rules are written so that power is shared between two parties. The two party system is not a Constitutional construct, but is institutionalized to the point that it may as well be.

Rather that voting for ideas we vote for Parties. Any candidate that may see advantages to other approaches will be culled before you can get to vote for them, and I don't see where the DNC or the rep equivalent should be able to tell the voter we have two and only two choices that THEY approve of.

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider
A real problem is that people throw around the word democracy as if we have one.

In the real world, you have two candidates that can win. The most influence another can have is to shake up one of the two entrenched parties and occasionally influence the outcome of the election, but that's about it.

That means the next President and the next and the next WILL be a Dem or Rep. That also means they have to pass a litmus test. Does the candidate conform? Will he follow "the party line"?

A possible solution would be to have elimination rounds and the top dozen or so stand for national election.

The real challenge would be Congress where the rules are written so that power is shared between two parties. The two party system is not a Constitutional construct, but is institutionalized to the point that it may as well be.

Rather that voting for ideas we vote for Parties. Any candidate that may see advantages to other approaches will be culled before you can get to vote for them, and I don't see where the DNC or the rep equivalent should be able to tell the voter we have two and only two choices that THEY approve of.

True. The scope is so narrow that those behind the scene will stay behind the scene, making it more of the same policy. It's all turning into a complete joke for the voters.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider
A real problem is that people throw around the word democracy as if we have one.

In the real world, you have two candidates that can win. The most influence another can have is to shake up one of the two entrenched parties and occasionally influence the outcome of the election, but that's about it.

That means the next President and the next and the next WILL be a Dem or Rep. That also means they have to pass a litmus test. Does the candidate conform? Will he follow "the party line"?

A possible solution would be to have elimination rounds and the top dozen or so stand for national election.

The real challenge would be Congress where the rules are written so that power is shared between two parties. The two party system is not a Constitutional construct, but is institutionalized to the point that it may as well be.

Rather that voting for ideas we vote for Parties. Any candidate that may see advantages to other approaches will be culled before you can get to vote for them, and I don't see where the DNC or the rep equivalent should be able to tell the voter we have two and only two choices that THEY approve of.

I agree, the parties are the problem. We must abolish them. We won?t, we like the authoritarian powers too much. The phrase ?choke on your own vomit? aptly applies to our situation.

 

[THUGSROOK]

america is not a democracy.

america is supposed to be a constitutional republic.

 

[Siddhartha]

Bush has a speech impediment.

You probably have noticed that some times when he speaks he will stop and fumble his words. He tends to drop words and momentarily lock up. It makes him look like an idiot. When this happens look at his face and you will see him grimace. This is very similar to what a stutterer does.

Yes every public event he attends is scripted. This has been the case for every US president since the TV news has been covering those events.

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
america is not a democracy.

america is supposed to be a constitutional republic.

True. But the problem is the concentration of power into the hands of such a few individuals. The sad thing is that they throw bones at the voters so that we can emotionally argue over nonsense such as extra-marital affairs, gay rights, and what one politician calls another, while they laugh as we divide ourselves as democrat or republican and make cat calls to our "opponents". The truth is we are all Americans and this articifial division is hurting us all.

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: Siddhartha
Bush has a speech impediment.

You probably have noticed that some times when he speaks he will stop and fumble his words. He tends to drop words and momentarily lock up. It makes him look like an idiot. When this happens look at his face and you will see him grimace. This is very similar to what a stutterer does.

Yes every public event he attends is scripted. This has been the case for every US president since the TV news has been covering those events.

His inability to talk clearly is by far his biggest problem.

Everyone who knows and has met him talks highly of him as a person. He just sucks as a communicator.

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: Siddhartha
Bush has a speech impediment.

You probably have noticed that some times when he speaks he will stop and fumble his words. He tends to drop words and momentarily lock up. It makes him look like an idiot. When this happens look at his face and you will see him grimace. This is very similar to what a stutterer does.

Yes every public event he attends is scripted. This has been the case for every US president since the TV news has been covering those events.

His inability to talk clearly is by far his biggest problem.

Everyone who knows and has met him talks highly of him as a person. He just sucks as a communicator.

I thik you overestimate the President.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
america is not a democracy.

america is supposed to be a constitutional republic.

True. But the problem is the concentration of power into the hands of such a few individuals. The sad thing is that they throw bones at the voters so that we can emotionally argue over nonsense such as extra-marital affairs, gay rights, and what one politician calls another, while they laugh as we divide ourselves as democrat or republican and make cat calls to our "opponents". The truth is we are all Americans and this articifial division is hurting us all.

Well said. :thumbsup:

Still afraid we won't do anything about it.

 

[Socio]

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
america is not a democracy.

america is supposed to be a constitutional republic.

Yes now with a heavy lean toward corporatism but I think we are steadily moving to a blend of fascism, nationalism and authoritarianism like that of Mexico.

 

[trenchfoot]

Originally posted by: Socio

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
america is not a democracy.

america is supposed to be a constitutional republic.

Yes now with a heavy lean toward corporatism but I think we are steadily moving to a blend of fascism, nationalism and authoritarianism like that of Mexico.

i suppose, whether by design or coincidence, that has been a part of the neocon agenda for improved corporate control over our government and consequently, the average american.

as stated time and time again, "follow the money". especially those monies from our national treasury. you just gotta do that one thing to fully realize what's going on with our nation as a whole.

 

[kingtas]

You act as if anyone in the two party system cares about what you have to say after the votes have been cast. LOL!

 

[Arcex]

Everyone should read the book "Executive Orders" by Tom Clancy at least once, not for the story itself (which isn't too bad, it even predicted 9-11) but to better understand the process by which an average person (and Dubya is as average as they come) can be molded to fit the common perception of a president. The fact that he still looks like an idiot just goes to show how woefully inept he is.