Main Entry: de·moc·ra·cy
Pronunciation: di-'mä-kr&-sE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -cies
1 a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Would you now like to explain why America isn't a democracy?

Perhaps someone should inform these guys that this isn't 1800, and that the system we use to now is different then the the founding fathers established.

[ 02-07-2005, 01:29 PM: Message edited by: Seraph ]

We had to memorize the preamble last year, it wasn't that hard really. What anoyed me was the teacher played that School House Rock song so much like we were babies. Glad that's over. Oh, and maybe this is just my ignorance, but aren't the first 10 ammendments and the Bill of Rights the same thing?

And that litle fact burns my very soul [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

<font color = lightgreen>With Hoover in charge, I'm not surprised. [img]graemlins/beigesmilewinkgrin.gif[/img] </font> </font>[/QUOTE]Aha, the trouser tyranny was broken in at least one alternate universe, time to spread the love.

Absolutely true, the Bill of Rights is the 1st ten amendments written by the founding fathers to restrict the power of the federal government.

http://www.filibustercartoons.com/ar...hp?id=20050202

notable for the commentary to the right of the actual comic, of the democratic process in Canada.

Prime Minister Martin really wants to see it passed, but a lot of Liberals (not to mention almost all the Conservatives) oppose the legislation. So, in order to ensure it goes through, Martin is going to use his special Prime Minister powers and force all members of cabinet to vote for the legislation or be fired. You see, the PM controls whether or not members of parliament are "allowed" to vote freely or not. And yes, this does make every vote in parliament a largely meaningless charade, and no I don't know why we consider this to be a true democracy.

[ 02-08-2005, 12:56 PM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]

Well lots of folks don't understand what is meant by free speach in the 1st admend. It means the goverment can't stop you from speaking your mind. It doesn't mean what you say is right, wise, or non-offensive. The 1st admend. doesn't give you protection from other citizens, we have other laws that do that. Nor does the 1st admend. give one protection from the consequences of one's speech. Here's some free advice from an OLD COOT that gets called all kinds of things: when it comes to free speech if you can't stand the heat stay the "Hale" out of the kitchen. Don't put yourself through that kind of crap, if you don't like other having the freedom to speak their mind.

Well the person who wrote that on that site, Morg, is wrong and is trying to mislead you. But if it fits with what you want to believe then don't let a little thing like the truth stop you from believing it anyways.

1st: It says in that statement: "You see, the PM controls whether or not members of parliament are "allowed" to vote freely or not." That is a lie. How can the PM, a Liberal, tell a Conservative MP to vote his way? Answer: He can't. How can a Republican Congressman tell a Democrat to vote his way? Answer: He can't. Martin is having a free vote on the Bill for Liberals except Cabinet members who have been told to tow the PM's line. He can tell Liberal party members to tow the party line (we call that leadership) which may or may not be democratic but that is not what the person wrote in that statement.

2nd: The PM can't fire an MP, only the people who voted for them can. He can fire them from the Liberal party, as he did with Carolyn Parish (she was fired from the party for her anti-American rhetoric) but they remain MP's representing their constituents, just independants without a party, at least until the next election. ;)

So that person who wrote that has excerised their right to free speech to lie to you. And you have repeated it here spreading the lie.


Also: Most Liberals support the bill and so do the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois, which will give it the support needed to pass despite opposition from most Conservatives and some Liberals.

<font color = lightgreen>With Hoover in charge, I'm not surprised. [img]graemlins/beigesmilewinkgrin.gif[/img] </font> </font>[/QUOTE]Aha, the trouser tyranny was broken in at least one alternate universe, time to spread the love. </font>[/QUOTE]Viva la revolucion!