Republic or Democracy?

“This is a republic, not a democracy” – a seeming truism, but actually a false definitional difference. “Republic” and “Democracy” are not antithetical terms.
A Republic is a structure of governance. A Democracy is a system of governance.
Consider the American government as analogous to a desktop PC. The organizational form is the Republic brand of personal computer. Within that, it runs on the Democracy operating system. Neither works without the other.

The deficit reduction committee sounds much like the Base Closure Committee system that we used many years ago.
Under the BRC, California took most of the hits in job losses, while many of the red states weren’t hit to any significant degree.
Check out the numbers that show how many dollars each state sends to Washington and how many dollars they get back. California loses heavily in the transfer of wealth. Again, the red states usually come out ahead. The deficit reduction plan should take into account this anomaly.

Inheritances and Service to America

The debt ceiling crisis has been averted for now, but it leaves the rich still luxuriating in their lifestyle without any responsibility to the rest of us.
We should have a limit on how much in total any one person can inherit (e.g., $450,000) in their lifetime UNLESS the serve two or three years in the U.S. Armed Services.
That way the children of privilege can do something for the country that has treated them so well, instead of becoming inheritance drones.

Funding and the Balanced Budget Amendment

Any State or Congressional district whose U.S. Senator or Representative or State Legislature votes for the Balanced Budget Amendment is to be placed on a ‘no-funds’ list. The State or District in question should not ask for or receive any federal funds for natural disasters and they should not request or accept any pork-barrel funding.
To do so otherwise would be hypocrisy, and we wouldn’t want them to make hypocrites of themselves, would we?

Voter ID and Challenges

Voter ID at the polling place will be subject to many court challenges.
There is another problem that crops up in certain areas – where self-appointed (usually right-wing) political bluenoses challenge certain voters on their right to vote. This challenge is usually against minorities and is used as a technique to intimidate them and drive them from the polls.
Has anyone ever challenged a voter challenger? If someone is going to question another person’s eligibility to vote, shouldn’t that person have to prove that they have citizenship standing to make the challenge?
The original challenger should have to produce a photo ID with their name and address on it and such information should be duly noted by the person challenged.
After that, let the chips fall where they may.

Arab Uprising and the Russian Revolution

The regime changes and instability in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and elsewhere in the Arab world may have been foreshadowed by the Russian Revolution.
When the Tsar was overthrown, there was no significant opposition group to replace his autocratic regime. In the ensuing chaos, a small but organized band of zealots, the Bolsheviks, was able to seize power and impose their ideology (Communism).
The only organized bands of ‘true believers’ in the Middle East at this time are the Islamic militants.
We cannot do much about this. The U.S. has no credibility or influence in the Middle East because of our support for rightwing autocrats. Our long term interest would have been to help and protect the people of these countries.

Written: January 30, 2011