USA: Worlds most democratic country!?

[thesightless]

Re: USA: Worlds most democratic country!?

hooded, in respect to my views on the war on terror, picture a fucking nut bag, seriously. i had clients down there, where if it happened a day or two later, i would have been dead. i spent 4 weeks going to funerals, buried my uncle and 3 friends. my family is heavily involved with both the fire and police depts of NY, both in professional and personal matters. if it were up to me, and be glad it wasnt, everything from afghanistan to saudi arabia would be a nuclear wasteland right now. but lastly i will admit, i am very biased to the issue. it could have been me. :?

on a simialar note, i can say that iraq had nothign to do with the war on terror, it was oil. (you can add a small amount of human rights, and stabilization to the reason, but not much. nothing with democracy was even mentioned when bush and his pals got together to think of a reason to do it.)

[brakada]

Re: USA: Worlds most democratic country!?

I'm not really that sure that the democratization events in ex Soviet sattelites were triggered by the invasion on Iraq. IMHO people just got tired of misjustice, opression and restoration of totalitarian-like regimes, so I think these events were more likely triggered by the Orange revolution in Ukraine...

[face]

Re: USA: Worlds most democratic country!?

I'm not really that sure that the democratization events in ex Soviet sattelites were triggered by the invasion on Iraq. IMHO people just got tired of misjustice, opression and restoration of totalitarian-like regimes, so I think these events were more likely triggered by the Orange revolution in Ukraine...

that's what i've been saying for a long time now!

Lastly, nonviolent movements cannot be created or directed by external sources; they have to be homegrown. The population needs to believe in the cause and righteousness of the struggle in order to stand up in the face of repression and say "enough," as many are now doing in Egypt.

this is the final and most crucial condition, according to the ICNC framework, for public uprising to occur [successfully].

example: early 1950s Iran: the shah was undermined, and Mosaddeq becomes the first president. dutch shell and british petrol, etc. are not happy about this. the CIA goes into Iran with briefcases full of cash to throw at the people in the streets. the momentum is lost, Mosaddeq is thrown out, and the shah restored. because of the leading role played by outside forces, this movement did not last for long. about 20 years later, the popular movement had been rekindled and the shah was toppled for good.

[hoodednight]

Re: USA: Worlds most democratic country!?

I hear you sightless....I"m sorry to hear about your losses. I was
just curious because I noticed that you often display a conservative
tone with your posts. I'm always interested to hear contrasting
perspectives on the "War on Terror" and U.S. foreign policy in
general....

[rewing3]

Re: USA: Worlds most democratic country!?

I can tell you right now as long as bush is in power the states is not the most democratic country. It just seems that way to everyone else. Try living here.

[Morgan]

Re: USA: Worlds most democratic country!?

I think that the states is a most undemocratic country. Regardless of who is in charge, i think as has been mentioned before the amount it costs to become a polictical figure in the USA causes some seroius conflict of interest.

The companies who sponser the campains are not doing it for the good of the community, they are buying influance. Who is going to put the people first when they are contacted by that chemical company who paid there way into congress? Remember the money we gave you they will say, right now we need your support for a new processing plant. Who you going to support, the public or the people that are funding your re election campain?

[krelm]

Re: USA: Worlds most democratic country!?

I can tell you right now as long as bush is in power the states is not the most democratic country.

It has nothing to do specifically with Bush, just how the system has developed in such a way that it is tainted with corporate "sponsorship". I think Morgan laid it out pretty well...

If anything, Bush appears more draconian with domestic policy, civil rights, etc... But that has more to do with how he uses/abuses the powers given to him than usurping the democracy. Were a democrat president, you would see the exact same corporate influence (just with a ketchup corporation rather than oil corporations :wink: )

[toasty]

Re: USA: Worlds most democratic country!?

[quote="krelm"]

It has nothing to do specifically with Bush, just how the system has developed in such a way that it is tainted with corporate "sponsorship".

This presidency brought to you by your friends in the oil industry and the pharmaceutical industry. Oh, and God, too...