Bush is at it again.

Acid King · Post by **Acid King** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 8:12 pm

CMoon wrote:Hey, a two party system is only one party away from totalitarianism.

Look up Duverger's Law sometime.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:35 pm

We should really stop referring to America as a democracy and call it what is is: a capitalistic society.

Acid King · Post by **Acid King** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:44 pm

Brian wrote:We should really stop referring to America as a democracy and call it what is is: a capitalistic society.

????? Why? Capitalism and democracy are not exclusive... and I'll say it once again, the US is a republic. Has no one here ever heard the Pledge? "...and to the republic, for which it stands" ring a bell? It's not a true democracy.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 1:13 am

Uh, yes they ar exclusive. They work in tandem because they are forced on each other. The conflict between the two is very real. Read this excellent paper and you will learn why there is a conflict and how capitalism has won the day.

(mod edit: long url made into compact form -Ghegs)
Link

Moreover, a Republic can constitute ANY government that is not a monarchy, so of course the US is a republic. As is any country in the world except for a scant few, such as Jordan.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:27 am

Do I really need to explain more why a 2 party system is no democracy?

There's no democracy when a small party don't have the same air time on TV, and don't have the same money, power and influence to make a huge campaing like a bigger party.

In a real democracy, parties should not receive money from private funds. Damn, no one should ever vote in a party that receives money from a private fund, this just make them "hostages" of the one donating, so they care more about from where the money comes than with people.

ARGH, I wish my english was better, so I could express my arguments in a more clear way.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:41 am

Shatterhand wrote:Do I really need to explain more why a 2 party system is no democracy?

There's no democracy when a small party don't have the same air time on TV, and don't have the same money, power and influence to make a huge campaing like a bigger party.

In a real democracy, parties should not receive money from private funds. Damn, no one should ever vote in a party that receives money from a private fund, this just make them "hostages" of the one donating, so they care more about from where the money comes than with people.

ARGH, I wish my english was better, so I could express my arguments in a more clear way.

Democracy is a very very frail and recent thing on this planet. Most democracies aren't even an hundred years old. btw, Italy is going to switchto 2 parties system in future

I hope this process will fail somehow.

Arcatech · Post by **Arcatech** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 8:28 am

Post by **Shatterhand** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:53 am

This is very fucked up, about Italy going into the 2 party system.

Many countries in South America use the same system too. I am glad here in Brazil this doesn't happen... some politics begun talking about this, and quickly there was a bad response about everyone.

Like I said before, they used to do it like that in Venezuela too, but Hugo Chavez ended with this system.

The 2 party system is only good for the rich people.

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:12 pm

Although it seems possible that capitalism and democracy COULD exist without stomping on each other too much, this is clearly not true in the US. Most people who have put thought into the tennants of capitalism recognize its weaknesses, namely that it is only an economic retooling of 'survival of the fittest' and left to run its course, it will act mercilessly, with no regards to justice, morality, or even the future survival of the country of its birth. The parallel to evolutionary models where it is possible for populations to run themselves out of existance by becoming TOO FIT is pretty incredible, especially when you consider how much capitalism has done to hurt the economy of the US in the last 15 years (hehe, where did all the industry go?)

The truth is, any person observant on the nature of capitalism knows that capitalism is a beast that needs a master. That master could be democracy (or some other thoughtful and compassionate entity), but this is not what is happening in the US. All the masters have been kenneled, and the beast has been set loose to run about the house, get mud all over the furniture, piss on the rugs, etc.

I think the real pitty here is if our capitalist-hound was just mucking up the US that would be one thing, but clearly he's left some little brown gifts on the doorsteps of our neighbors as well...

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:15 pm

Bush plays on my volleyball team and sucks.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:39 pm

Brian, can you please shorten that link.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 10:10 pm

I don't know, but I think the capitalism as we know it is on its last days.

In a few years, history books will tell how our current age was a "Transictory" age... I just don't know where we will head to.

Capitalism just swallows everything, and there's not much more left to swallow, The whole thing is just going to implode (If this isn't already happening). The money wants MORE money, and there's nowhere to get it anymore without fucking up with someone else who also wants more money. This just doesn't work anymore.

PaCrappa · Post by **PaCrappa** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:00 am

"We want one class to have a liberal education. We want another class, a very much larger class of necessity, to forego the privilege of a liberal education and fit themselves to perform specific difficult manual tasks." ~ Woodrow Wilson

I guess Pink Floyd was right, we don't need no education.

Pa