Now is the time at SDA when we juxtapose!
Obama at Buchenwald, June 5: “This place teaches us that we must be ever-vigilant about the spread of evil in our own time, that we must reject the false comfort that others’ suffering is not our problem, and commit ourselves to resisting those who would subjugate others to serve their own interests.”
Obama in Cairo, June 4: “So let me be clear: No system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.”
(nice catch by Brian J.)
It’s not about principals, it’s about polling numbers!!!
Nice catch. Obama’s moral relativism comes out loud and clear in these two statements.
His antipathy to America is obvious. He ignores and refuses to acknowledge its achievements, its greatness, its history as the only nation, ever, to have decided on its own, to establish itself as a democracy, as a society dedicated to the freedom and well-being of its people.
He’s probably the only US President, ever, who actively rejected America.
ET, Don’t fret too much.
I have a strong hunch that America will reject HIM at the next election.
He is nothing more than an incompetent putz.
The United States was established as a federal constitutional Republic, not a democracy.
Athens was the first known democratic state in 500 years BC.
The US is a republic first and foremost. A republic and a democracy are identical in every aspect except one. In a republic the sovereignty is in each individual person. In a democracy the sovereignty is in the group.
Republic. That form of government in which the powers of sovereignty are vested in the people and are exercised by the people, either directly, or through representatives chosen by the people, to whome those powers are specially delegated. [NOTE: The word “people” may be either plural or singular. In a republic the group only has advisory powers; the sovereign individual is free to reject the majority group-think. USA/exception: if 100% of a jury convicts, then the individual loses sovereignty and is subject to group-think as in a democracy.]
Democracy. That form of government in which the sovereign power resides in and is exercised by the whole body of free citizens directly or indirectly through a system of representation, as distinguished from a monarchy, aristocracy, or oligarchy. [NOTE: In a pure democracy, 51% beats 49%. In other words, the minority has no rights. The minority only has those privileges granted by the dictatorship of the majority.]
Maybe I should re-state that the U.S. USED TO BE a republic. It’s now in the chrysalis phase about to emerge as a fascist dictatorship. Obama is busy at home and abroad passing out candy in order to secure the mid term Senatorial elections. The Democratic party will see this as a one shot deal as I beleive the real spending hasn’t started yet. In addition to taxpayer money, there’s also ACORN to ensure every peron, alive or dead, gets out to vote!
Today’s Rasmussen Report puts O’s Approval Rating Index at 0. Yup, O=0
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll
“No system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.”
That makes no sense. Obviously systems of government can be imposed upon a nation. It’s happened many times throughout history.
And if a system of government can not be imposed, then it’s moot whether it should be imposed.
Sounder,
I had heard that Owe-Bama’s approval ratings are the lowest of any President at this point in their administration. Don’t know how to confirm that, but to only have 34% strongly approving so early and considering the unbelievably positive press he has been receiving does not look good.
Obama may control most of the press, but he can’t control events, or the effects of his ill conceived policies.
Kate, btw Macleans blog is complaining about tax freedom day celebrations: because we need firefighters!
Response here
Slightly off topic but still what President Obama promised versus reality.
Nothing says juxtapose like a graph!
Link
Saddam was an evil dictator who did mass genocide on the Kurds. Bush invaded Iraq and brought freedom and democracy (more or less). Obama condemns Bush for invading Iraq while saying we must never allow genocide – what a buffoon.
Bill Clinton and his buddies at the UN watch as almost a million Rawandans are slaughtered in cold blood. Bill Clinton, like Obama is a hero to the media while Bush who had the moral courage to fight evil is demonized. Bill and Obama talk a good game but vote present when a moral stand needs to be taken. Like their buddies in the media. They are all repugnant scum.
Aww nahw!!
I brow uppa Nuke an Obama goes to Cairo?
Whats happening here? I punt Hans Brix and threaten Japan, South Korea and The US, and for what??
You jus ain’t made it to the evil tyrant hall of fame until the US carrs you evil or a terrorist nation. What’s the hold up with dis Obama guy, he got poor eye sight?
What’s a dollar store despot gotta do to get some attention arroun here!
I’m so ronery and sadly arone!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCmqzrFL26M
Oz – we’ve been through this argument before. A republic is the structure of governance; a democracy is the process of making decisions within that structure.
Eskimo – I disagree with your definitions of republic and democracy. What’s your source? I think your definition of a republic is essentially the same as that of a democracy. There is no such thing, in any state, as a ‘sovereign-individual’ who can reject the rules of his state.
The US is, structurally, a republic, which means that it has no hereditary leader; and it makes its political decisions by democracy, i.e., by a vote of the people.
sounder – thanks for the Rasmussen update. Well, it’s finally happened. Obama’s rating is zero. Heh. It will go up again, but, that also means that it will turn negative at some point. It dropped from the double digits (eg 11) to the single digits at the end of March and has more or less remained there since then. I wonder what the Democrat backroom boys will do to offset this slip.
OZ
Nice catch!
ET you are splitting hairs … He got you. Athens was the first Democracy. They even had the guy it was named after … Democrates … member him?
Here is some further info on the development of that system
http://tinyurl.com/rao99d
Demos – common people
kratos – rule, strength
Argue with ET at your own peril
>>> The US is a republic first and foremost.
“No system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.”
Quick, somebody ask the Japanese if they agree. Better yet, ask all former colonies of the British when they’re finally going to get rid of that terrible imposition: parliamentary democracy.
Since he loves to hear himself give speeches he will eventually contradict himself into obscurity.
momar – I’m not splitting hairs. A republic is a structure of a political entity, and democracy is a process of coming to decisions.
No, Democrates is not a well-known individual and there is absolutely no proof that he is related to the process of democracy; you are probably confusing him with Democritus, who developed the atomic theory, also used by Aristotle.
As for Athenian democracy, which is indeed well-documented, that’s an historic or linear evolution over several hundred years of a mode of governance. My point is that the US actually chose, from a set of options, so to speak, to be a democracy.
They could have chosen their own monarchy, or an aristocracy. They instead, knowingly, chose to be a democracy. That’s unprecedented.
And, of course, almost all hunting and gathering societies (which are not states) operate by the process of direct democracy…and they’ve been around for over 40,000 plus years.
Listening to Rush L today re the “porkies that have surfaced about O’s supposed recollections of WW2 events learned from his Dunham relatives. According to O one was a U S army officer who took part in the liberation of Auschwitz notwithstanding the fact that the Red Army did the deed. It should be more of a concern that his grasp of historical events is so marginal.
As to his being a one term wonder, I would not be too sure. The people who will surround him by the time of the next election will be quite capable of doing anything necessary to retain power.
One thread that seems to run through everything is his active dislike of most European leaders who cooperated with any or all previous American administrations prior to his arrival on the scene.
Obama understands well the nature of evil dead people such as Euro-Nazis from the previous century. He understands poorly the nature of modern day evil people such as 21st century Islamic jihadists. But that’s not his biggest problem.
His biggest problem is his insatiable need for approval by whatever audience he is currently engaging. It’s a huge blindspot and every problem he has leads back to this weakness.
“So let me be clear”
There’s another phrase to add to the Drink! game. He’s said it in every speech he’s given.
Typical leftist, Obama, condemning Nazi imposition but not Islamic imposition.
Hell, they deny that Islam imposes.
Just as Islamists deny the Holocaust, which Obama says happened.
Talk about being all over the place, having the right talking points for the right places at the right time.
There must be a whole roomful of people and hi-tech stuff dedicated to controlling the POTUS through the TOTUS. Kind of like the control center for spacecraft…
As I recall, he said something about the international community must intervene against genocide. My first thought is that he now endorses the policy which brought the invasion of Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein.
I am still glad to see that he was respectful of those who suffered in the holocaust.
Ah, the Joy of Rhetoric. It is enough to talk glibbly and woo teh world. NOT!
ET said: “They could have chosen their own monarchy, or an aristocracy. They instead, knowingly, chose to be a democracy. That’s unprecedented.” when speaking of the US. “They” didn’t make this decision, “He” did. “They” wanted to make George Washington King, “He” rejected that. Sorry to bud in, but I thought I would correct you on that one point.
Obama’s cadence is spookily like the Rock from WWE. Listen to his inflection and watch a clip of the Rock cut a promo on youtube. The president is a brilliant orator, no doubt – but sooner or later there has to be some concrete substance.
Obama like Clinton will inevitably face an impeachment. When I say inevitably….sooner or later he will offend the “men behind the curtain”/TOTUS who will then shove him under the bus….and they have the influence to do so….and will do it in an attempt to maintain their control…..
ET-here’s my source:
http://www.1215.org/lawnotes/lawnotes/repvsdem.htm
I’ll also add the following. Yes, it’s a cut and paste, but I think it sums things up nicely. A republic, if it is adhered to, is the ultimate in check and balance:
Republic vs. Democracy
Rule by Law vs. Rule by Majority
Just after the completion and signing of the Constitution, in reply to a woman’s inquiry as to the type of government the Founders had created, Benjamin Franklin said, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
Not only have we failed to keep it, most don’t even know what it is.
A Republic is representative government ruled by law (the Constitution). A democracy is direct government ruled by the majority (mob rule). A Republic recognizes the inalienable rights of individuals while democracies are only concerned with group wants or needs (the public good).
Lawmaking is a slow, deliberate process in our Constitutional Republic requiring approval from the three banches of government, the Supreme Court and individual jurors (jury-nullification). Lawmaking in our unlawful democracy occurs rapidly requiring approval from the whim of the majority as determined by polls and/or voter referendums. A good example of democracy in action is a lynch mob. A more recent example was the failure of the US Senate to uphold their oath “to do impartial justice” and remove bill clinton from office. Those Senators should be removed themselves, for failure to uphold their oath and for aiding and abetting a known criminal.
Democracies always self-destruct when the non-productive majority realizes that it can vote itself handouts from the productive minority by electing the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury. To maintain their power, these candidates must adopt an ever-increasing tax and spend policy to satisfy the ever-increasing desires of the majority. As taxes increase, incentive to produce decreases, causing many of the once productive to drop out and join the non-productive. When there are no longer enough producers to fund the legitimate functions of government and the socialist programs, the democracy will collapse, always to be followed by a Dictatorship.
Even though nearly every politician, teacher, journalist and citizen believes that our Founders created a democracy, it is absolutely not true. The Founders knew full well the differences between a Republic and a Democracy and they repeatedly and emphatically said that they had founded a republic.
Article IV Section 4, of the Constitution “guarantees to every state in this union a Republican form of government”…. Conversely, the word Democracy is not mentioned even once in the Constitution. Madison warned us of the dangers of democracies with these words,
“Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths…”,
“We may define a republic to be … a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure for a limited period, or during good behavior. It is essential to such a government that it be derived from the great body of the society, not from an inconsiderable proportion or a favored class of it; otherwise a handful of tyrannical nobles, exercising their oppressions by a delegation of their powers, might aspire to the rank of republicans and claim for their government the honorable title of republic.” James Madison, Federalist No. 10, (1787)
“A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.” Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
Our military training manuals used to contain the correct definitions of Democracy and Republic. The following comes from Training Manual No. 2000-25 published by the War Department, November 30, 1928.
DEMOCRACY:
A government of the masses.
Authority derived through mass meeting or any other form of “direct” expression.
Results in mobocracy.
Attitude toward property is communistic–negating property rights.
Attitude toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether is be based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice, and impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences.
Results in demogogism, license, agitation, discontent, anarchy.
REPUBLIC:
Authority is derived through the election by the people of public officials best fitted to represent them.
Attitude toward law is the administration of justice in accord with fixed principles and established evidence, with a strict regard to consequences.
A greater number of citizens and extent of territory may be brought within its compass.
Avoids the dangerous extreme of either tyranny or mobocracy.
Results in statesmanship, liberty, reason, justice, contentment, and progress.
Is the “standard form” of government throughout the world.
Trent- the Founding Fathers didn’t want a monarchy,and never offered or suggested such to Washington. So, I disagree with your use of ‘they’.
The suggestion was made, an irrelevant one, by one person, Col. Nicola, (not one of the Founding Fathers) to set up a new state on the western borders of the US, with Washington as King, (see accounts of the Nicola Affair May 1782).
Again, eskimo, I disagree with you.
A nation can be both a republic and a democracy, just as it can be both a monarchy and a democracy (as is Canada). The first form is the structure of authority; the second is the process of coming to decisions. Two different things.
And of course, you are quite wrong to assume that only a Republic has a constitution while a Democracy lacks one! That’s nonsense. Again, the two are not comparable; the first is a structure, the second is a process – and there are at least four different types of democratic process.
Franklin was asked about the type of government, and replied – a republic. He wasn’t asked about the process of coming to a decision.
The definition in your cut and paste that democracy is ‘direct government ruled by the majority’ is incorrect. There are at least four different types of democracy (again, see Aristotle’s discussion in Politics)..and that definition is the weakest one.
And of course, I reject the conclusion that a Republic recognizes individuals while democracies only focus on groups. Absolutely incorrect. I don’t know where you get those opinions from, but I strongly dispute them.
And it’s nonsense that democracies ‘always self-destruct’. Again, I don’t know who wrote these opinions but they are opinions and not universal truths.
Notice how your author, who sounds like a Liberal, a leftist, has great contempt for the people, the ‘masses’. Notice how he sneers at the control of government in democracy by ‘the people’ because they are ‘the masses’.
Notice also how he defines control of the government by the people as ‘communist’. This, of course, denies the famous words of a government by the people, of the people, for the people. And Jefferson’s caution that ‘when people fear the government there is tyranny; when government fears the people, there is freedom’. Your author derides the people.
Notice that his outline of a republic is elitist, how it rejects the people and instead, sets up an elite who are ‘best fitted’ to act as the government. This is a typical left/Liberal elitism.
Notice that Madison’s outline contradicts your cut and paste definition of Republic.
Sorry- but I strongly disagree with your views.
…best juxtaposition ever.
“So let me be clear”
Sounds vaguely Nixonian to me.
Well fought ET!
The answer to the brute form of “democracy” is never better given than by Burke in his speech to the Electors of Bristol,
“Certainly, gentlemen, it ought to be the happiness and glory of a representative to live in the strictest union, the closest correspondence, and the most unreserved communication with his constituents. Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinion, high respect; their business, unremitted attention. It is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his pleasures, his satisfactions, to theirs; and above all, ever, and in all cases, to prefer their interest to his own. But his unbiassed opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure; no, nor from the law and the constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he is deeply answerable. Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.”
Sadly, in this day of overnight polling and insta-pandering, dweebs like Harper forgo their judgment. So s. 13.1 is still on the books while the CPC oinks at creating the “right” to sue terrorists in Canadian Courts.
Morons.
That is a nice catch …
“Typical leftist, Obama, condemning Nazi imposition but not Islamic imposition.”
The extreme left is playing the radical Islamists like a violin …
I don’t necessarily think Ohbummer is an extreme leftist but the fundamental principles of liberalism today and communism are the same. Mind you, when conservatives start babbling about sacrifice and the common good, so are theirs.
What does this initials stand for ‘TOTUS’?.
republic, democracy, who gives a rats ass. the people of the u.s. have become so dumbed down they don’t know shit from shineola. i had hoped that someone with a brain would kick the media in the ass there and at least get them to tell the truth. it would appear that is never going to happen.
Merle – Teleprompter Of The United States
I guess twenty years under the guiding hand of rev wright did teach obama something after all.
I think that, both times, he was talking about the “Palestinians” and Israel.
The gold medallion necklace, the King Abdul Aziz order of merit, presented to President Obama by Saudi King Abdullah , now that’s major Bling-Bling ! Honking huge chain links with an equally oversized, obnoxious medallion, gaudi-Saudi at it’s best.
I half expected a chorus of Saudi princelings to break into a misogynic rap routine.A get down and dirty, crotch grabbing, I’m going to smack my Bi_ches rendition.