I agree with Seeker, the US is a democratic republic. However, a true democracy is an ideal form of government. It's never actually existed, not even in ancient Greece. Only about 43,000 of the members of the ancient polis were considered citizens in Athens. They met together at regular intervals to discuss matters having to do with the city and vote on policies to deal with them. However, some sources say that only about 6,000 or so attended on a regular basis. These meetings were dominated by the aristocratic faction, although anyone could speak. The assembly did not not include women, peasants w/o citizenship and slaves.
Today in the US we don't govern ourselves. We elect officials to do that for us by inteerpretating the constitution. That's not a democracy, it's a representatative republic.
ONE....
bigboi
"it ain't what ya do. it's how you do it" quote from the song "True Honeybunz" by Bahamadia
The constitution itself, with this excerpt from Article IV:
Section 4. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.
I disagree that our rights as individuals against the powerful are fewer today than in the past. The period of the Robber Barons in the late 19th and early 20th century was far worse than today. These industrialists raped the land and the people.
It is true that there was an improvement after that time, but I was talking more about the difference between more recent decades and today. Industrialists are once again raping the land and the people.
The government has enacted a number of laws to curb these abuses, including the Sherman AntiTrust Act, the Wagner Act, OSHA, ERISA, and many, many laws.
And we've seen what corporations have done to get the government to back down on or de-fang AntiTrust laws, and OSHA.
Again I disagree with you. As I pointed out earlier, those who are well below average in income today are as well off as the average person 30 years ago. Air and water quality have improved. For example, the pollution in California due to auto emissions has been reduced by 30% in the last decade, despite a significant increase in miles driven in the state. Thus, I don't see that corporate America is raping the land and the people.
Again I disagree with you. As I pointed out earlier, those who are well below average in income today are as well off as the average person 30 years ago.
Yes, I know, I already agreed to that part. But I also feel the poor in some other countries have it better than the poor in America.
Air and water quality have improved. For example, the pollution in California due to auto emissions has been reduced by 30% in the last decade, despite a significant increase in miles driven in the state. Thus, I don't see that corporate America is raping the land and the people.
Give it time, it's beginning to happen. With the conservatives in power again, those laws protecting the environment are at risk. With the message from the White House that fossil fuel is the way of the future, and only extremists believe conservation is the answer, watch what happens to the air quality now.
What do you think the answer to our energy problem is, build more damns (kills fish), nuclear (dangerous byproducts), solar (very expensive), wind (limited application), coal(pollutes). Conserve? well California is doing that now aren't they, and they are not to happy about it.
What do you think the answer to our energy problem is, build more damns (kills fish), nuclear (dangerous byproducts), solar (very expensive), wind (limited application), coal(pollutes). Conserve? well California is doing that now aren't they, and they are not to happy about it.
You may want to take a look at other countries with similar (even higher) GDP per capita and at the same time _significantly_ lower energy consumption and CO2 emissions. If it can be done elsewhere, why not in the USA?
That's a whole other thread. All I will say is that it's a multi-pronged effort, which includes conservation. California is a special case due to some idiotic legislation they made a few years ago. Even with that, if they had been conserving all along, their problem would be greatly reduced today.
Take the long view. Americans squawk every time the price of oil jumps, and they relax and squander every time it goes down. Very short-sighted. But, as I say, this is a whole other topic.
I don't mean to but into y'alls conversation, but I thought California's energy problems came from high prices brought on by ill-advised price caps on production, not any conservation policies. I heard the oil and gas companies(that supplied the energy producers) there made a killing.
ONE... bigboi
"it ain't what ya do. it's how you do it" quote from the song "True Honeybunz" by Bahamadia
