Originally posted by caltour:

1) Our little experiment in democracy will fail if we no longer make our representatives tell us the truth. If we just "get over" their lies, as you suggest, then we cannot know what our government is doing, or why. Our government will become dominated by those who are most willing to lie and cheat.



The difference is to know the difference between a "lie" and a "creative statement of the facts." Lying is certainly unacceptable. However, spinning of facts has been going on for years in all realms of public life, not just politics.

There are inherently "two sides to every story" as they say, so what's the point of jumping down the throat of someone who sees the other side? Sounds like a crack down on free speech, someone call the ACLU!


Originally posted by caltour:

2) Your refusal to hold liars accountable allows the government to serve other people's interests, not yours. Some very wealthy and powerful people have figured out that there are so many people like you (apathetic, jaded, resigned) that they can manipulate our political system any way they like. Your attitude = policies that overwhelmingly favor the rich and powerful, not you.



You're right... I didn't really give a flying f**k what happened to Terri Schiavo. I think the plug should've been pulled, I think it was unnecessarily blown out of proportion, and I think that the Repubs made a huge political mistake by raising the issue as they did. But its not my life, and its not my family, and their efforts in this particular case have no direct bearing on my life. No law was passed, no permanent effects will be felt.

Furthermore, I would hardly call myself "apathetic" or "resigned." I have been highly involved in local politics helping two sheriffs get elected and working for a losing mayoral campaign. I was an active member of College Republicans and I have voted in every election and contributed money to political campaigns.

Originally posted by caltour:

3) There are no historical examples (that I know of) in which regular working folks have been able to democratically vote themselves back into power, after power has predominantly been usurped by the wealthy and powerful. The founding fathers created a government "of the people, by the people, for the people." A government headed by us, not headed by a king or despot. But they warned us to be eternally vigilant. They thought that democracy could easily be undermined and highjacked by the wealthy and powerful classes that throughout history have grabbed authority from us ordinary folks. As you casually allow your political influence to slip away, think about whether it is even possible to ever get it back again.



"Hello... Delta? Yes... I'd like a one-way ticket to Caltour's Utopia. What do you mean it doesn't exist?"

NEWSFLASH... modern governments are run by the wealthy and powerful. African dictatorships are run by the wealthy and powerful. Ancient tribes were run by the wealthy and powerful. Even pure socialist governments are run by the wealthy and powerful. Oh yeah... those founding fathers? Guess what they were... wealthy and powerful! Was Thomas Jefferson a mill-worker? Blacksmith? Better yet...
Quote:

This powerful advocate of liberty was born in 1743 in Albermarle County, Virginia, inheriting from his father, a planter and surveyor, some 5,000 acres of land, and from his mother, a Randolph, high social standing. He studied at the College of William and Mary, then read law.

W&M has tuition over $30k a year, making it out of reach for most people EVEN TODAY... how rare was it in the 17-f**king-hundreds?!

FACT: It takes money to get elected to political office.
FACT: It takes power to gain sufficient support to mount a successful campaign.
FACT: Those with the most money and the most support win the race.
FACT: I'd much rather have a successful, well-educated, and well-connected man running my country than the guy that was expelled from my high-school for throwing a chair off a balcony at our principal.

Perhaps we should try a return to true democracy, since this whole "experiment in representative democracy" has obviously failed the common man.

Diesel owns you