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

Russ Johnson russj at dimstar.net
Fri Jan 17 22:01:22 UTC 2003


Jeme A Brelin wrote:

>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".
>
Actually, you paraphrase. The quote really goes, "They (governments) 
ought to be so constituted as to protect the minority of the opulent 
against the majority." (ref: 
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/Parrington/bk03_01_ch02.html)

Regardless, that IS the law of the land, until it's changed. A few more 
botched elections like the one we just had and it may get changed, for 
better or worse.

>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.
>
I assume you ment "those".

>>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.
>
That's fine. Change the rules. But until it's changed, ignoring the bad 
law will still get you in trouble. There are rules and procedures for 
doing this.

-- 
Russ Johnson
Stargate Online
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