Everyone should see the awful video

Awful production, great message. America, is a Republic, and not a Democracy. There's a good reason for that.

This should be mandatory education, once it's fixed up of course.

The Rationale for America is Quickly Disappearing

I recall telling a fellow Canadian something a couple of years ago when they had wondered aloud why Americans were so adamant about their guns and why they were so up in arms over government health care.  I explained to him that both issues stem from the same national sensibility and that America, as a nation was born of a distrust of government.  The English crown was the problem back then, but the DNA today remains the same - at least for many Americans - government cannot be trusted.

 

A light bulb went off for the Canadian in question.  It did not change his opinion on health care I am sure, but it did clarify his understanding of why people would have certain opinions on certain issues. In fact, he was the type whom I'm sure could and would apply that reasoning to views on other political topics.

Of course the explanation was a gross over-simplification of the conservative viewpoint on a number of issues.  But the simplification had its benefits in that it crystalized quite quickly an understanding that had not existed before. Also, I got lucky.  The conversation could have taken an entirely different, and more argumentative course if I had added one word to my explanation: healthy.  If I had said America was born of a healthy distrust of government, I'm sure I would have made no progress in that discussion.

The reason for the back story is that it relates to another issue. The original rationale for America is quickly disappearing.  The idea that the United States was the child of a core human wish for freedom (not democracy, but rather liberty) has been subverted in two fundamental ways. 

Aristotle in action III

Republics decline into democracies and democracies degenerate into despotisms. 

~Aristotle

Here's a current example of that process in action:

Need I say more?

Why Obama won re-election

No rational, thinking person would give Obama a second chance, but he won re-election.  How is that possible?

Well, people like this are allowed to vote.  It's both amusing and sad that people can be this clued out and still be part of the group responsible for electing the leader of the free world.  I bet if Peter Griffin were running most of these people would for him - even though he's a cartoon.

Another Peter - Peter Schiff explains the voters here.  He also comments (too briefly - see below) on why Democracy represents a tyranny.