tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15139383.post1646536420597631897..comments2024-01-17T22:53:32.139-05:00Comments on The Pool Bar: DUer speaks truth to power (already)Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12382918421904501282noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15139383.post-14715693459115609702008-11-08T09:06:00.000-05:002008-11-08T09:06:00.000-05:00Yeah, my point wasn't that "we the people" shouldn...Yeah, my point wasn't that "we the people" shouldn't let our elected officials know what we think, just that we're not "in charge" in the manner suggested by the DU poster. If we were, every bit of legislation would be put to a referendum and we'd be voting two or three times a week.<BR/><BR/>I still maintain that we put other people in charge on our behalf by electing them.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12382918421904501282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15139383.post-88750928955312422382008-11-08T08:56:00.000-05:002008-11-08T08:56:00.000-05:00I think you're both half-right.Yes, we live in a r...I think you're both half-right.<BR/><BR/>Yes, we live in a republic, not a democracy. One of the net results is that (theoretically) the rights of the minority can not be overruled by 50% +1 of the voters. The classical Greek model of democracy was simple majority rule. So even a guy like Thucydides could be ostracized (thrown out of the Attica region for at least 10 years). So it's being a republic that prevents mob rule. <BR/><BR/>We the people ARE in charge. We pay the bills. We've hired representatives to do our bidding. But we can and should let them know how we want them to vote. The easiest way to do that is to vote for creeps with whom we agree. But contacting your Congress critter or Sen-uh-tor on important issues is always an option that should be exercised when important issues are under consideration.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16513563650246873684noreply@blogger.com