http://life.lege.net/

[Chuck in ND]

Making this a seperate thread--Leif said:

As I guess we have all figured out, those who lead believe that there is too much democracy and that real democracy is dangerous so they have set it up with a multitude of value-inversions so we are supposed to think that we have real democracy while their kind of "democracy" really means that their kind of rule rules. Think Orwell, and you'll be fine.
What we might discuss is who runs things best -- those who create endless wars to "feed the beast" or those who think of what serves man?
Is "the machine" (as in war machine, organized armies, factory assembly lines, etc) necessary for our survival or are there more life-grounded ways to organize society?

I think it's just the opposite. Bush has said that democracy is God's will for all mankind. (Of course, we have no idea where he got that bit of insight. I guess we have to just take it on faith. LOL)

And therein lies the problem. Our Founders abhorred democracy--they saw it as a very bad thing, thus we (the US) were to be a Republic. A democracy draws its power from the lowest common denomenator. Most people are fat, lazy and self-interested and their political choices reflect that. It was the Founders' hope that in establishing a Republic we would be able to minimize the general publics' self-interest and choose laws and policies that truly foster liberty.

A democracy is when 3 men and 2 women are stranded on a desert island and they vote that rape is lawful. A democracy is when all the neighbors decide their rich neighbor doesn't really need his second car and it should be given to their poor carless neighbor.

On the other hand a Constitutional Republic limits what government (at any level) can do. It leaves all but a justice system, a method for arbitration between states and defence to the most local level of government. It calls for the most difficult and wide-reaching issues to be decided by a deliberative (hopefully well-educated and wise) body whose allegiance is to preserving the limits of the Constitution, NOT to satisfying the masses.

Bush on the other hand appeals to the baser desires of the masses--desire for revenge, for power, for nationalism, etc--the precise things our Founders feared in a democracy.

The church teaches that the family is the foundation of society. That is where nearly all social policies should be decided. Moses set the pattern when he divided Israel into companies of 50, 100 and 1000 families. What couldn't be resolved in a family was taken to the ruler of 50. What couldn't be resolved there was taken to the company of 100, and so on. All decisions were made at the most local level possible, allowing for familial and clan differences and preferences. Today we see just the opposite. Everything is top down. Even "democracy" is being imposed top down. (If that isn't a contradiction in terms! LOL)

Since the family is where life begins and is nurtured, I feel we need a return to family-centered government--government that allows the family full autonomy and only comes into action on issues that can't be resolved at the family or community level.
_________________
"Those who are compelled to fight for their freedom are not free." www.mothersagainstthedraft.org

[Leif Erlingsson]

There's problems also with "small popes" deciding over you.

[Chuck in ND]

But the difference is with "small popes" is he lives down the street from you--your neighbor is less likely to get too upity in his office if he has to look at you every day. And you can more easily get him out of office if/when he steps too far out of line. The larger the gov the harder it is for the common man to have much control or influence.
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"Those who are compelled to fight for their freedom are not free." www.mothersagainstthedraft.org

[Leif Erlingsson]

I rather think that a strong government under democratic control is needed as a counterweight to the international corporate oligopoly. The Global Corporate System can otherwise have it their way, as indeed they have even with the U.S. government and even today, but this current control depend on people not having a clue. With clued in-people and strong democratic government, the life-blind international totalitarianism can be kept at bay. Methinks.
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Leif Erlingsson, Tullinge, Botkyrka, Sweden
A-TGSS (anti-totalt globalt slav samhälle / Anti-Total Global Slave Society)

[Chuck in ND]

Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"

Seems rather harsh, but that's the reality--without knowledge (education, wisdom, studying the issues) there can be no freedom, regardless of the system we choose. (That's one reason dh and I homeschool our sons.)
_________________
"Those who are compelled to fight for their freedom are not free." www.mothersagainstthedraft.org

[Leif Erlingsson]