Does democracy work?

I believe that democracy does work. Not will, but it does work and better than anything else I have seen. The problem is with representative republic as we have here in the USA. We do not get the best and brightest. We get the charismatic, photogenic and charming. But not the brightest. It's a pity. They may not be able to pour piss out of a boot with the direction on the heel, but if they look good on camera, and can speak will (At least with a teleprompter.) They can be elected. God help us.

 

I would agree that it has worked, and I think you may have pegged quite accurately the only problem we have with it. Obama, in my opinion is one of the most eloquent readers in the political arena today. Has anyone looked to see what country produced his teleprompter?

 

in theory maybe, but in reality it has stopped working 4 us!!! 2 many special interest groups & lobbyist muddying the waters. 2 many good bills out there w/ BS tacked on...so they never pass & please don't get me started on the budget!!!

 

Democracy works best when the power is maintained at the lowest levels of government, giving very limited power to the highest level.

 

I believe Individual has hit on the answer. We the people need to take back the power from the federal government. We also need to take the power back from the states. Place the power at the local lever, Cities and Counties. What we need is a bottoms up government as apposed to the top down government we have now. The federal government need to be held to the preamble of the constitution.

For the last eighty years the Democrats have been actively trying to flip that around. This is why we are in the mess we are in today. :toetap05:

 

sure, mob rule is always effective... for a time

 

It's like leading lambs to slaughter. "Give me one generation of the youths and I'll change the world." How true it was.

 

Democracy cannot work, too many people with too many varying opinions.

You can please masses, but you will never see a place run benevolently, catering for each individual. At least that's what I think, in a sum it all up in one sentence sort of way.

 

I like that. Government should not be making laws based on opinions. Living abroad, I'm seeing the beginning of the dollars devaluation. It shouldn't be long before it becomes quite apparent in the U.S.A. Currently the dollar is having to be propped up to keep the local currency from strengthening to rapidly. Moving from $800 billion in circulation in 2008 to $1.7 trillion in circulation in 2009 is going to have an effect with many negatives for most, while a small number will profit greatly at the same time.

 

democracy is working in bolivia, and some other south american countries. not so much in america and europe

 

I love this quote, because it is so true. Right now the economy is in a complete mess and everyone has a different view on how to fix it. I don't trust any government, or any of it's entities. So I don't want them to have any more power than necessary. (Vote Ron Paul, or his son!) So, I believe that if government would just leave us all the hell alone then it will all be alright. But other people believe that the government is there to hold their hand and make it all better. I don't want the government to hold my hand and make it all better, I can take care of myself, if they would just let me. So, we all have our different views. Unfortunately, the politicians try to get votes so they try to compromise, and what you get is the mess that we are in right now.

However, like Churchhill said, every other form of government is even worse.

 

So, you would have no problems if the TVA pulled out of Tenn. and took all of their dams and power plants with them? It took the most ambitious federal program in history to solve your flooding problems and give you electric power. If it wasn't for federal social programs you would be posting from a coal powered computer as your home floats down the flooded rivers.

The mess we're in now is the result of right wing policies of the Bush administration and the right not wanting to compromise now. Clinton left the country in pretty good shape. Eight years of Republican control left us in a depression, just like they did in 1929. Every time the Republicans get control they fuck up everything.

The Republicans didn't modernize your state, the Democrats did. Or would you rather still be without electricity and fighting floods when it rains?

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democracy works, just not with capitalism

 

Socialism and Communism, including similar forms by other names also work, just not without oppression, redistribution, and hard handed indoctrination.

Change, we can be MADE to believe in.

Democracy, is defined clearly in my signature.
Global warming is a prime example. If the desire was to determine the validity of the premise, would it not make sense to fund those who deny it as well as those who are intent on confirming it?
We would still be living on a flat Earth if it wasn't for just a small number of deniers.

 

Obviously the words "democracy" and "work" employed (a pun?) together.

 

Democracy might work on a small scale where people have the same values. Large scale, no way.

 

No form of government works well on a large scale.

 

Can't argue with that.

 

It can work but the problem with most 'democratic' countries is that the views of the majority of the public are not represented by any major party. Any party that does try to represent them are labelled 'Commie' or 'Extremist' by the press.

 

Depends on what you define as works. All governments will eventually fail because they are ran by people. People are easily corrupted by power and the masses of people are generally easy to manipulate.

I do believe a democratic system is probably the best form for the longer term stability and prosperity of the majority of the people, but that's a general statement. What really matters is the people that are in charge and what their interests are. If you have a strong willed person with the best interest of his nation's people at heart, a monarchy, dictatorship, or otherwise authoritarian government can be be better than a democracy. The problem is, in those other forms of government, there is no way to ensure the next leader will be good. At least in a democracy, the people, no matter how flawed they are, do have a say in who runs things.