Democrats Solidify Electoral Base

[DiamondDave]

government can do so because we have already assigned them the authority to carry out the people's business on their behalf....

true 'nuff

 

[Ravi]

But government of a republic nature, does have the ability to act without the whim of the public... the recourse of the public, of course, is only thru the elections

Government and society can and should have the ability to restrict those who thwart the society/country/state/etc... including the rights which the power of the government itself, allowed us to have... we can shout that we have rights until we are blue in the face, but it is the power of governance that makes it possible... and with that power to grant, also comes the power of restriction.... as stated, we don't have God or Haley's Comet or whomever as the ultimate authority with the only power to take our 'rights' away... our rights are our perception.. perception can be altered and effected by power.. we give power to the government... government can situationally restrict rights

We give them the right to restrict rights. But, we can also take away that right.

 

[Rhys]

But government of a republic nature, does have the ability to act without the whim of the public... the recourse of the public, of course, is only thru the elections

Government and society can and should have the ability to restrict those who thwart the society/country/state/etc... including the rights which the power of the government itself, allowed us to have... we can shout that we have rights until we are blue in the face, but it is the power of governance that makes it possible... and with that power to grant, also comes the power of restriction.... as stated, we don't have God or Haley's Comet or whomever as the ultimate authority with the only power to take our 'rights' away... our rights are our perception.. perception can be altered and effected by power.. we give power to the government... government can situationally restrict rights

But since political candidates under your system have to be very rich or dependent on the rich, isn't this to say that only the rich have any serious power? I am not wishing to get into an argument - a lot of us over here in the UK are full of admiration for your Constitution but a bit baffled as to what exactly makes it a democracy - to which question the disenfranchisment of prisoners and ex-prisoners seems relevant

 

[Ravi]

btw, ya'll...from the INS test one must pass to be a citizen:

87. What is the most important right granted to U.S. citizens?
The right to vote

Sample INS Citizenship Questions

 

[KGB]

We give them the right to restrict rights. But, we can also take away that right.

through the Constitutional Amendment process, yes....

 

[KGB]

But since political candidates under your system have to be very rich or dependent on the rich, isn't this to say that only the rich have any serious power? I am not wishing to get into an argument - a lot of us over here in the UK are full of admiration for your Constitution but a bit baffled as to what exactly makes it a democracy - to which question the disenfranchisment of prisoners and ex-prisoners seems relevant

that's just the point, we are not a democracy...we are a republic....

Switzerland is a democracy, the United States is a republic....

 

[KGB]

btw, ya'll...from the INS test one must pass to be a citizen:

87. What is the most important right granted to U.S. citizens?
The right to vote

Sample INS Citizenship Questions

a terrible & inaccurate question.....there is no universal right to vote in the first place & even if it existed, who determined it was the most important? What about free speech or religion or the right to bear arms or even the right to post on this board?

Washingtonpost.com: Immigration Policy

 

[Ravi]

a terrible & inaccurate question.....there is no universal right to vote in the first place & even if it existed, who determined it was the most important? What about free speech or religion or the right to bear arms or even the right to post on this board?

Washingtonpost.com: Immigration Policy

If you have no right to vote, you have no voice in the government and the constitution becomes meaningless.

 

[KGB]

If you have no right to vote, you have no voice in the government and the constitution becomes meaningless.

you do have a voice in government & its called your representative....how that representative is chosen is up to the states.....

 

[Glori.B]

If you have no right to vote, you have no voice in the government and the constitution becomes meaningless.

i stumbled upon another interesting article about voter participation:

Citizenship in 21st Century America: Citizenship and Participation

"America has one of the lowest rates of voter participation of any democracy in the world. Even in a presidential general election, only about half the eligible voters turn out. In the presidential primary process and in state and local elections, the participation rate is much lower: in the single digits in some cases.

What factors contribute to our low voter turnout?"

 

[Ravi]

you do have a voice in government & its called your representative....how that representative is chosen is up to the states.....

So...if the State decides the population will no longer be allowed to vote and all representatives will be chosen by the current leaders from now on, the people of the State have no choice but to abide by that decision?

 

[Ravi]

What factors contribute to our low voter turnout?"

Apathy. Mistrust.

 

[KGB]

i stumbled upon another interesting article about voter participation:

Citizenship in 21st Century America: Citizenship and Participation

"America has one of the lowest rates of voter participation of any democracy in the world. Even in a presidential general election, only about half the eligible voters turn out. In the presidential primary process and in state and local elections, the participation rate is much lower: in the single digits in some cases.

What factors contribute to our low voter turnout?"

quality (or lack thereof) of the candidates is probably the biggest reason....

 

[KGB]

So...if the State decides the population will no longer be allowed to vote and all representatives will be chosen by the current leaders from now on, the people of the State have no choice but to abide by that decision?

in the case of the electoral college, the state legislatures were given the authority to seat electors....so yes, if the state voted to do this, the people would need to abide by that decision per Article 2....

"Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector."

this is exactly the situation we nearly had in Florida back in 2000, the Florida Legislature was prepared to seat electors for Bush per their right....

 

[Ravi]

in the case of the electoral college, the state legislatures were given the authority to seat electors....so yes, if the state voted to do this, the people would need to abide by that decision per Article 2....

"Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector."

this is exactly the situation we nearly had in Florida back in 2000, the Florida Legislature was prepared to seat electors for Bush per their right....

If the state voted to do it...you mean the people of the state? If so, does that mean the people of the State can vote to disenfranchise future voters?

 

[Ravi]

KGB, you are talking about a pretty narrowly focused rule, the one governing electing the President. And while the State may certainly vote to do this, they can also vote to change it. That in no way disproves my point that voting is a civil right.

 

[DiamondDave]

KGB, you are talking about a pretty narrowly focused rule, the one governing electing the President. And while the State may certainly vote to do this, they can also vote to change it. That in no way disproves my point that voting is a civil right.

Except for the fact that you never proved it was