[PLUG-TALK] Anti-war vs war mongers. (ick)

[Jeme A Brelin]

On Fri, 17 Jan 2003, Russ Johnson wrote:
> I also seem to recall that we do NOT live in a democracy. We live in a
> republic. Final authority for electing the president, as outlined in
> our constitution, is with the electoral college (EC), NOT the people.  
> Regardless of how the people vote, the EC could elect any natual born
> citizen, over the age of 34, to the POTUS.

I believe I brought up that point.  Madison (the principle author of the
Constitution) was decidedly anti-democratic.

Remember, this is the man who said -- during the discussion of this aspect
of the Constitution, so it's not quoted out of context -- that, "the
purpose of government is to protect the opulent minority from the
majority".

He changed his tune late in life, after the proliferation of market
capitalism, and realized the great error in leaving the nation in the
hands of only whose who accumulate personal power.

> Even then, if the EC is unable, then the House of Representatives do
> it.  Either way, the people are mearly making what amounts to a strong
> suggestion, not a mandate.

All the better reason to follow a more Enlightened or Jeffersonian
approach to the problem putting the will of the people first and change
the mode of rule in this country.

J.
-- 
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
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