Marble Composition

Monkey Business

Into the Weeds we go...

Go read this... then come back. Okay, when you have time. It's one of the most incisive reads into modern American politics I've seen. Oh wait, then this came along. It was discussed at length. One has nothing to do with the other. They're just recomendations. So, let's move on. I really like Wikipedia. It's an open-source, on-line encyclopedia that documents a lot of juicy stuff. Here we have Jeffersonian Democracy in a nutshell:

A Jeffersonian democracy is a form of government named for American statesman Thomas Jefferson. In its core ideals it is characterized by the following key elements:

• Government is a necessary evil to be instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation or community.
• Representative democracy (i.e. "democratic republicanism") is the best form of government and representative government is the best form of democracy to prevent the tyranny by the majority.
• Checks and balances between the separate branches of government are the best way to prevent political tyranny by the executive or the representatives in a legislature.
• A wall of separation between church and state is the best method to keep religion free from government intervention.
• The government must protect the freedoms of individuals.
• Freedom of speech and the press is the best method to prevent the tyranny of the people by their own government.
• Whenever any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to the purposes of producing the greatest degree of happiness and safety or of effectually securing against the danger of maladministration, a majority of the community has the indefeasible right to reform, alter or abolish it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public well-being.

A "necessary evil". God Damned Right. He had a nice disdain for authority, but he also realized that no one can organize a meaningful society based on anarchy and lawlessness.

Let's have a short look at "democratic republicanism". This kind of phrase would send the entire Fox News bash-o-matics into a complete lunatic frenzy because of their gross misunderstnding of American democracy. They wouldn't get it, and even if they did, they wouldn't care anyway, and that includes the bloggy cretans that will follow them down into history's toilet.

Wasn't he talking about a united national government, ruled by us, the people? It's worth re-visiting. That is if anyone really gives a shit anymore...

posted by FuzzFinger @ 12/27/2005 09:21:00 PM