Chaz

Ok, everyone bear with me please.

We are going to try and throw out the modern political definitions. Forget all the Democrats or Republicans you thought were misguided, corrupt, or just plain evil. For this poll we are using small d and small r republican and democrat.

In this poll a republican is one that prefers semi autonomous regional control and elected represenatives. As in a purely republican form of government.

A democrat is one that prefers more centralized control and popular elections that are based on majority rule. As in a pure democracy.

Both are governments of the people but they are just different flavors.

Which one do you prefer and why.



Republic:
1. A political order in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who are entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them.
2. A nation that has such a political order.
3. An autonomous or partially autonomous political and territorial unit belonging to a sovereign federation.
Democracy:
1. Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.
2. The common people, considered as the primary source of political power.
3. Majority rule.

DjaugheOld

I got to go with the ole fashion pledge of allegiance route.

40yearfan

Both ideas have their advantages, but I like this country exactly like it is, so I have to go with republic.

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Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative.

Chaz

The U.S. Constitution did establish a republic.

With all the people that support the 'spreading of democracy' and others seemingly opposed to the idea of 'states rights' and the electoral college I had to wonder if some people would profess to prefer a democracy in their own country.

LoyaltyisaCurse

We are already a Republic, personally I would prefer a Democracy, where the peole call the shots...

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"Going from the Raiders receivers to Larry Fitzgerald is like trading a Spam dinner for a well-aged T-bone steak." --Dan Hanzus

When I play rock, paper, scissors, I keep a glass of water in my hand and when my opponent throws down I throw the water in his face and say "Water". Beats all three, scissors can't cut-it, paper dissolves and the rock sinks. Plus it usually surprises the hell out of them.

Southpaw

I want my democracy and I want it now.

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"I read the news today, oh boy"

krepitch

I'm not a big fan of regional control, but I do think a body of elected representatives works better than everyone voting on everything.

Where does that put me?

Chaz

I don't know.

Given a choice which would you prefer?


With a republic you could always choose to live in a region that is closer to a pure democracy.

conraddobler

I've been toying with the idea of a new form of government.


Here's what we have now.


A electoral college elected executive branch.

A popularly elected representative branch.

Finally an appointed Judiciary to keep the other two in check.


Various state and local governments.


We turn the state and local stuff over to pure democracy and fire everyone not in the executive branches.

We get rid of our representatives in congress completely and we give the executive branch full powers to do as they wish subject to popular veto.

We leave the judiciary as another check on the executive branch.

For instance if the executive branch wanted to start executing people for wearing the wrong clothes they would stop that.

etc etc.

Now one interesting dynamic that would come of this is that if you notice pork projects are gone.

We'd save Trillions.

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When written in Chinese, the word "crisis" is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity. John F. Kennedy

SouthNZoneFan

What's my tax rate?

I voted republic because a democracy just seems like too many problems with one big power...

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conraddobler

Well hopefully a lot lower, the executive branch could be over ridden by either the Supreme Court or by popular vote say if 55% agreed, maybe 60% so as to make it hard enough it didn't occur all the time.

I don't see how under that system you are going to sneak by a ton of pork projects.

I'd think things would be very very different and built more on need and make sense types of motivations.

Or we could just outsource every thing to India, Brilliant!

I mean how much more annoying could the IRS be even if it had an Indian accent?

__________________
When written in Chinese, the word "crisis" is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity. John F. Kennedy

krepitch

I'm in the middle on this, I'd say. Can I just be a monarch, instead?

AzCards21

This seals it. Republic all the way.

krepitch

justAndy

We have a Technocratic Military/Industrial/Financial/Media State.
Voting is just eyewash.
I'm happy as long as I have my Ipod and cable TV.