Democracy as an experiment

[Diogenes]

I am an idealist that believes in the Declaration of Independence that enabled the US constitution to dream big.

Should Americans still embrace that dream is my question today?

Our Constitution starts with the popular refrain, “we the people, in order to form a more perfect union,”

These 2 concepts, “we the people,” and the ideal of a “more perfect union,” are the cornerstones of the revolutionary ideas of Madison and his contemporaries as they attempted to create the blueprint for a fledgling nation. The idea that a governmental structure could simultaneously protect liberty and allow for effective government was all but unheard of.

Along with protecting against factions, creating a governmental system that included separation of powers and checks and balances to protect against self-interest and ambition, arguably Madison’s biggest contribution to our society are the principles of freedom and responsibility.

These principles are paramount to the great American experiment in self-government, a previously unheard of trust in “we the people.” According to Madison, the freedom for individuals to exercise the mind is our most basic human right, and the one from which all of our other civil rights and liberties are derived.

 

[B1GTide]

America is not a democracy, but, yeah, we were the shining beacon for a long time.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

America is not a democracy, but, yeah, we were the shining beacon for a long time.

To a degree which only a few here understand, for a very long time, we were the example that it was possible...

 

[UAH]

To a degree which only a few here understand, for a very long time, we were the example that it was possible...

We could list a number of reasons why we see it in such a sad state of repair today, but at the top of most of our list would have to be the influence of large sums of money directly on the body politic.

 

[Tug Tide]

“We the people” need to quit electing selfish people to DC and state capitals

 

[Its On A Slab]

"Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried." - Winston Churchill

 

[TIDE-HSV]

"Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried." - Winston Churchill

I posted that quote a few days ago, James...

 

[Padreruf]

Interesting take on how we wound up so fractured...we have no outside, common enemy:

‘We Are Going to Deprive You of an Enemy’

What did winning the Cold War do to American life?

www.thesgnl.com

 

[uafanataum]

Interesting take on how we wound up so fractured...we have no outside, common enemy:

‘We Are Going to Deprive You of an Enemy’

What did winning the Cold War do to American life?

www.thesgnl.com

Great article and alot to digest in there.
Wars do tend to bring us together and help us make large advancements. I would rather not buy progress with the blood of a bunch of 18-25 year olds so I hope we can find another way to unify.
I still think the media is the greatest divider in America. With all of these far right wing options available now, along with social media echo Chambers, the left and the right are growing farther apart every day

 

[selmaborntidefan]

There's a lot of things that are "tributaries" to where we find ourselves.

A big one, though, is the American people of 1964 trusted their government to (largely) tell the truth. And then came the lies that led to and were used to sustain Vietnam, Watergate, questions about the JFK assassination (which led to questions about other assassinations, all of which rapidly evolved into conspiracies), and a million other things including Iran-Contra, "no new taxes - sike!", questions about 9/11, even more questions about WMDs in Iraq, keeping your own doctor with the new health care law, and the Insurrection.

(And before anyone even tries - I'm only saying these are instances of government lying or at a minimum misleading the populace to varying degrees; OBVIOUSLY something like WMDs and the war that followed had far more consequences on life/death than "no new taxes" or "you can keep your doctor" did, so don't even suggest I'm suggesting they're all on the same level of consequence).

We've become an unvirtuous people that elects an unvirtuous government that even in the rare cases when we think we can believe it anymore, we too often find out we cannot. That being said, the author does have a point that has been mentioned here before in the larger context of "what is conservatism after anti-Communism".

Trump did not start this burning fire, but he did throw more gasoline on it than anyone in recent years, too.

 

[92tide]

Great article and alot to digest in there.
Wars do tend to bring us together and help us make large advancements. I would rather not buy progress with the blood of a bunch of 18-25 year olds so I hope we can find another way to unify.
I still think the media is the greatest divider in America. With all of these far right wing options available now, along with social media echo Chambers, the left and the right are growing farther apart every day

the media would be a lot less of a problem without a market full of folks eagerly lapping up the crap that is being fed to them

 

[uafanataum]

the media would be a lot less of a problem without a market full of folks eagerly lapping up the crap that is being fed to them

Yes, but it permeates our lives now. We carry around a device that can give us bits of news all day long. (And with the 24 hour news cycle it does give us news all day long.) Not only that, but when you buy a new phone it comes with several apps that send you notifications throughout the day. If you are not paying attention you could find yourself spending alot more time reading a bunch of biased stories than you ever thought you would.

 

[92tide]

we were warned

 

[Diogenes]

When you can’t tell right from wrong then even the truth won’t set you free

 

[crimsonaudio]

We've become an unvirtuous people that elects an unvirtuous government that even in the rare cases when we think we can believe it anymore, we too often find out we cannot.

And we've become a people who largely look to the government to fix everything.

 

[Chukker Veteran]

To a degree which only a few here understand, for a very long time, we were the example that it was possible...

My guess is you are underestimating the general readership here. I’ve seen fairly widespread appreciation for what we’ve lost although there is a segment who are willfully ignorant, in my opinion.

We’ve lost the high ground and international respect that was earned over many many years and with a lot of blood.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

My guess is you are underestimating the general readership here. I’ve seen fairly widespread appreciation for what we’ve lost although there is a segment who are willfully ignorant, in my opinion.

We’ve lost the high ground and international respect that was earned over many many years and with a lot of blood.

Depends on the definition of "here"...

 

[NationalTitles18]

And we've become a people who largely look to the government to fix everything.

We've become a people who largely believe we cannot organize self-government to work for the people. This is intentional and meant to undermine and weaken our government so that evil men will be cheered when they try to abolish it. Oh, wait - that already happened?

 

[92tide]

We've become a people who largely believe we should not organize self-government to work for those people. This is intentional and meant to undermine and weaken our government so that evil men will be cheered as godly when they try to abolish it. Oh, wait - that already happened?

fify

 

[NationalTitles18]

fify

Same difference.