Like Tree7Likes

Democracy or Republic

Closed Thread
Page 3 of 8 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... LastLast
  1. #21

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Sarcasm - because beating the crap out of people is illegal
    Posts
    14,622
    Quote Originally Posted by hullexile:
    Everyone knows freedom means being able to carry a gun
    And being able to kill five of one's co-workers because one's supervisor insisted on safety googles...

  2. #22

    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    420
    Quote Originally Posted by redwriter:
    All the people on here are from dictatorships under a Queen and not true elected rulers.
    Shush now. Some of us came from countries that actually fought for our independence. It's not just America that pushed back the British.

    That said, a monarchy isn't a dictatorship. Many have been peacefully abolished in modern times on the peoples' vote.

    (Me: Irish.)

  3. #23

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Gold Coast Marina
    Posts
    17,934

    One of the advantages of a constitutional monarchy is that you get somebody who has been trained since birth for the job ... Pity Bush only got a fraction of the legacy!


  4. #24

    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    420
    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    One of the advantages of a constitutional monarchy is that you get somebody who has been trained since birth for the job ... Pity Bush only got a fraction of the legacy!
    It does lead to the occasional crazy inbred too though. (Also see Bush.)
    ouwen likes this.

  5. #25

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Gold Coast Marina
    Posts
    17,934

    Yep - tis true! I like the checks and balances of NOT having everyone elected though - if you do not have to worry all the time about popular opinion I think people are free to make better decisions. Not that the Queen actually has any decision making power, but the house of Lords in the UK used to be in this position (I think they are slowing being phased out unfortunately...)


  6. #26

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    4,905
    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    One of the advantages of a constitutional monarchy is that you get somebody who has been trained since birth for the job ... Pity Bush only got a fraction of the legacy!
    How much training does it take to wave a hand?

  7. #27

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Fo Tan
    Posts
    2,389
    Quote Originally Posted by hullexile:
    Just Googled it. Weird system. I always thought the people in the state voted for the candidate they wanted and then the electoral college members were meant to vote the same way. Didn't realise you didn't actually vote for the presidential candidate but for some unknown who promises to vote for the person you wanted. Never understood why you couldn't just have a normal vote and cut out the college.
    The founders did not trust the common man. US Senators were elected by the State legislature, women could not vote, had to own land to vote, etc....

    And Claire ex-ax, did you have actual examples of that list or were you just making a list? I don't doubt that there are actual examples, I just question your overly broad statement. You can't be arrested for wearing an anti-war t-shirt nor for carrying a sign. Something else was the reason for the arrest. You can travel across the USA, I have done it many times and personally know people who are doing it right now. All free speech isn't limited to certain zones, "unreasonable searches" is in the eye of the searchee, just as "cruel and unusual punshment" is in the eye of the punishee. Americans have a ton of access to due process/counsel/fair trial/public trial/impartial jury There are more lawyers per capita in the US than anywhere else).

  8. #28

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    23,205
    Quote Originally Posted by Sleuth:
    There are more lawyers per capita in the US than anywhere else).
    Are you seriously suggesting that this is a good thing? I'm pretty sure it is not something that the rest of the world envies.

  9. #29

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Fo Tan
    Posts
    2,389

    No, not a good thing. I have a more "Shakespearan" attitude about lawyers.
    Just pointing out that if there was no due process, counsel, trials, etc... there would not be as many lawyers.


  10. #30

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    23,205

    Fair enough, but all of the developed democracies seem to me to have sufficient process. The problems arise from the laws which are enacted by some of the political leaders (for example the complete freedom to intercept any and all private communications without any judicial oversight whatsoever, as just enacted in the US).


Closed Thread
Page 3 of 8 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... LastLast