Both are pro corporation and anti individual in practice. So things will progress in the same direction of decreasing individual freedoms and increasing corporate control of the government regardless of which party is in power.
Ie-
Obama promised to stop raids on cannabis dispensaries in states with medical laws. He did many times as many raids as Bush. So regardless of the promise, the practice was progressing the previous president's campaign.
Is It Me or Are Democratic and Republic False Dichotomies?
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Re: Is It Me or Are Democratic and Republic False Dichotomies?
There certainly is very little difference between them on the use of federal police powers. There are more differences at local levels, but not always strictly along party lines, depending on the issue. I would disagree that all personal freedoms are being decreased, as the relatively recent proliferation of marijuana-friendly states and the expansion of marriage rights has shown. But this seems to be a bottom up process, and the federal government is either lagging in some instances or pushing back in others.
Re: Is It Me or Are Democratic and Republic False Dichotomies?
this dichotomy only exists in the US. other countries have various names for their more lefty/more righty parties, e.g. labour party, center party..
brute would define a republic as a state which protects individual rights from the rulers (and others), so a democracy can be unrepublican and a republic can be undemocratic. brute has never quite understood what is so great about mob rule, thus he's not inherently a fan of democracy.
brute would define a republic as a state which protects individual rights from the rulers (and others), so a democracy can be unrepublican and a republic can be undemocratic. brute has never quite understood what is so great about mob rule, thus he's not inherently a fan of democracy.
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Re: Is It Me or Are Democratic and Republic False Dichotomies?
In the UK we have Labour on the left largely supported by the unions and the Conservatives on the right largely supported by big business. It looks like two sides of the same coin and not so different from the US. Both seem to like sticking their nose in my personal business so I don't feel enamoured with either.
The good thing about mob rule is if one party does something particularly obnoxious then the mob will throw them out. The downside is it does seem to slow up everything, just compare progress in India to that of China.
The good thing about mob rule is if one party does something particularly obnoxious then the mob will throw them out. The downside is it does seem to slow up everything, just compare progress in India to that of China.
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Re: Is It Me or Are Democratic and Republic False Dichotomies?
@Brute
Is India an example of a democratic nation that is not a republic due to its caste system?
@Dragline
I agree that we are moving towards regaining lost freedoms (cannabis, gay marriage) and new freedoms (technology) as a result of the people standing up for their values but I'm referring to the trend of government itself. I read in "A People's History of the United States" that it always has been the people fighting to increase their freedoms while government has acted as a hindrance to progress, only changing when the people absolutely demand it.
The more I think about it the more it seems like people vs government rather than left vs right is where progress comes from.
@ducknalddon
I've wondered about why China seems to have so much more power. Isn't it in a more strategic location to trade with US? I can't imagine their increased success comes purely from democratic vs fascist since Western culture is often democratic and also has success.
Is India an example of a democratic nation that is not a republic due to its caste system?
@Dragline
I agree that we are moving towards regaining lost freedoms (cannabis, gay marriage) and new freedoms (technology) as a result of the people standing up for their values but I'm referring to the trend of government itself. I read in "A People's History of the United States" that it always has been the people fighting to increase their freedoms while government has acted as a hindrance to progress, only changing when the people absolutely demand it.
The more I think about it the more it seems like people vs government rather than left vs right is where progress comes from.
@ducknalddon
I've wondered about why China seems to have so much more power. Isn't it in a more strategic location to trade with US? I can't imagine their increased success comes purely from democratic vs fascist since Western culture is often democratic and also has success.
- jennypenny
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Re: Is It Me or Are Democratic and Republic False Dichotomies?
Left and right sometimes define progress very differently.
Re: Is It Me or Are Democratic and Republic False Dichotomies?
It seems Republicans are more concerned with Freedom From, and Democrats with Freedom To.
Of course, whenever their constituents aren't paying attention, they both just pass the legislation that lobbyists write for them.
Of course, whenever their constituents aren't paying attention, they both just pass the legislation that lobbyists write for them.