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RE: "Leaders" - 8/2/2006 4:33:16 PM

ScooterTrash

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dtesmoac

It sounds like a wonderful idea when people agree with your opinions but just suppose it was applied globally and all people globally had the same say and it was applied to one of the issues of the moment like Iraq, Lebanon, Global Warming, Global Free Trade, Stoning Adulterors, Gay rights etc. Would you continue to support it if on each issue the uneducated, ignorant world masses out voted the educated, rich westerners. China and India alone could probably push through the "only bicycles to be used in America" bill.
Freedom, One Person One vote etc always seems to stop just at the edge of a persons back yard. It still suprises me how often I speak with people that have vehement views that I find almost impossible to imagine but which they consider totally reasonable.
Some examples that I can not understand but which others totally believe are - carrying a hand gun around, that sinners will go to hell, extereme animal rights, wanting to go out and shoot bambi for sport, watching baseball, etc....

As always perhaps I am being ridiculous and taking the examples to far but my point is that often the mob / masses etc are wrong and eventually they realise it, but if you allowed them to act on everything they may realise they were wrong, to late. Slavery was once considered to be completely acceptable but now is not......ok that was the wrong example for this web page but you know what I mean.

I understand what you are saying about how a "global" opinion might be an issue, but in our lifetime, chances of that happening are slim to none. On the other hand, on a smaller scale this is a practical thought. No, not having each and every person vote on each and every issue, but for the representative to get a feel for how the majority of the people in the area, district, city, county, whatever felt about important issues that would/could affect them, then voting accordingly. I see no threat of doing what the majority wants and certainly am more concerned about someone given the power to decide on crucial issues who doesn't know what the majority wants, or even if they do, not feel compelled to vote that direction. Now if you are in the minority when it comes to issues that concern most people, I can see why a system based on community preferences would be of concern, but the good thing is, not that many people would share that concern.

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Post #: 41

RE: "Leaders" - 8/2/2006 4:54:45 PM

Dtesmoac

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Yes in many instances it would be, but often populist decisions are wrong and some of the greatest statesmen in history were proved this right
e.g. Nevile Chamberlin returned from Berlin saying peace in our time, a very populor policy. If Churchill's unpopular stance had been instigated as policy perhaps WWII may not have happened.
The Revoluionary War / American War of Independence, at the beginning the majority of colonists probably did not support it, an internet pole vote at the time would probably have stopped old George in his tracks........go on you know you want to bite on that one.

In the US you can watch so many single perspective TV / Radio chanels that the masses would be played by the lobyists / corporations just as much as they currently do. You can only decide if a view point is correct by challenging it from all angles. Most of the masses would not do that even for big questions. It took my comming out to live in the US for a while to make me realise that the European Union is actually quite a good idea, prior to that in any referendum for closer union I would have automatically voted NO but now I'm a MAYBE, and logic tells me I should be a YES.

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RE: "Leaders" - 8/2/2006 5:15:14 PM

ScooterTrash

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I'll just agree to disagree, I'm not that fond of someone who doesn't take into account the thoughts of the people they are representing and voting their preferences instead. Certainly there have been "statesmen" as you say that have made good decisions, by the same token we have numerous examples of those who do just the opposite. At least when you feel you have some say in the matter, you take on some of the responsibility. Currently, many people are quite comfortable with just finger pointing...if it pointed back at them, they might take matters more seriously and become involved. Right now...that incentive isn't there for many.

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Post #: 43

RE: "Leaders" - 8/2/2006 5:19:12 PM

Dtesmoac

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Lets agree there must be a better way.........just not agree on what it is........but at least it gets the grey cells working.

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RE: "Leaders" - 8/2/2006 5:33:52 PM

ScooterTrash

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dtesmoac

Lets agree there must be a better way.........just not agree on what it is........but at least it gets the grey cells working.

Seems reasonable, but I'm pretty stubborn...lol.

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Formal symbolic representation of qualitative entities is doomed to its rightful place of minor significance in a world where flowers and beautiful women abound.
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Post #: 45

RE: "Leaders" - 8/2/2006 6:28:34 PM

popeye1250

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If someone wants to be a "Statesman" let them go somewhere else than Washington.
My congressman and senators are on MY DIME!
I'm not PAYING them to be a "Statesman!

Good and interesting answers! Thankyou everyone!

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Post #: 46