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Articles:
Counterpoint
Someone
Needs to Retake Political Science 101
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
You
have to believe in what you're doing, see? You have to believe
in certain principles and beliefs. And you can't let the public
opinion polls and focus groups cause you to you abandon what
you believe and become the reason for making decisions. --President
George W. Bush
Someone
wasn't paying attention in Political Science 101. See, in
America we have this thing called "democracy", which
translated from the latin means "rule by the people".
Your assertion that you must stick to your own narrow-minded
agenda rather than the will of the people demonstrates utter
contempt for our system.
There
are other political systems besides democracies. There are
systems where the leaders do as they please, with no concern
for the will of the people. They are commonly referred to
as "monarchies" or "dictatorships". Some
of the nations you seem to hate the most, such as Hussein-era
Iraq, North Korea, and Iran exemplify such systems. You don't
want to be what you despise, do you? Did I just make your
head hurt?
Beliefs are a fine thing to possess. They can guide our actions
and lead to sensible judgment. They can also be used to justify
oppression. Your belief that you know what's best for America
is increasingly in doubt among your people. When it comes
down to it, Americans know what's best for themselves. They
don't need their leaders to tell them what to think, it is
they who are supposed to tell YOU what to think. You continue
to adhere to beliefs that are in increasing conflict with
the beliefs of the majority of Americans you serve. At some
point, you must let go of such personal convictions and do
your job: serve the convictions of your constituency..
Your
belief in being able to lead as you please without regard
to the will of the people underscores your spoiled brat upbringing.
Go back to playing cowboy on your ranch with your daddy's
money and leave public policy to those who give a damn about
democracy in America.
The
surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic
paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic
colours breaking through. --Alexis de Tocqueville
Of
all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims
may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under
robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The
robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may
at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our
own good will torment us without end, for they do so with
the approval of their own conscience. --C.S. Lewis
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