Bush has ruined the image of Democracy

[ck4829]

Democracy used to have a positive image attached to it.

However, when Bush says "Freedom's on the march", people just take one look at Iraq and say "Freedom better just stay right where it is!"

Democracy activists all around the world need to say "NO" to Bush if they want freedom and democracy to come to their shores.

[Buzz Clik]

1. Bush has ruined the world's confidence in the U.S. to democratically select leaders.

Fer crissakes! We voted him in twice!

[madrchsod]

2. i think most of the world is waiting for obama

they understand new wine in new bottles. they admire the people of usa but can not stand our president and what he stands for. to hundreds of millions across the world we are the light in the darkness and we must do everything to keep that torch lit

[mr blur]

3. Only Democracy in the US

Democracy is doing just fine elsewhere.

[Peace Patriot]

4. Bush has ruined the image of AMERICAN democracy. Not to mention the substance.

Democracy is actually prospering in many other places, most notably in South America, where a huge, peaceful, leftist (majorityist) democracy movement is sweeping the continent--with leftist governments elected in Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador (and soon in Paraguay), and a bit further north in Nicaragua; also a huge democracy and social justice movement in Mexico that came within a hairs-breadth--0.05%--of winning the presidency last year, with the rightwing victory was probably stolen (and one brewing in Guatemala, though that may take time, given the devastation of Guatemala--200,000 Mayan villagers slaughtered--under Reagan).

The lessons of this democracy movement in Latin America:

1. Transparent vote counting (!)
2. Grass roots organization.
3. Think big.

Our non-transparent vote counting system--all our votes"counted" on extremely insider hackable electronic voting machines run on TRADE SECRET, PROPRIETARY programming code, owned and controlled by rightwing Bushite corporations (!)--is the laughingstock of the world.

In Venezuela, they use electronic voting, but it is an OPEN SOURCE CODE system--anyone may review the code by which votes are tabulated--and they hand-count FIFTY-FIVE PERCENT of the votes, as a check on machine fraud. Know how much WE hand-count? Better find out--cuz that's WHY our democracy has lost its reputation, and its substance. 70% of the American people opposed to the war, we vote, and, guess what? We get a Congress with a 'D' by its name that ESCALATES the war instead.

Well, that's what the "trade secret" vote counting system was FOR.

American democracy is near dead at the ballot box (--that funny old phrase, "the ballot box"), but it is alive and well in other ways. Witness the 70% of the people opposed to the war (way up from what was already a significant majority, 56% opposed, just before the invasion--Feb. '03). This overwhelmingly consensus of the American people against the Iraq War was achieved with NO HELP from the war profiteering corporate news monopolies, and damned little help from the few Democratic Party leaders who still represent us. It was achieved mostly by word of mouth, and the internet, as the result of the basic commitment of most Americans to peace and justice.

When Bush speaks of "freedom and democracy," bats and spiders and other creepy-crawly things fly out of his mouth. No one believes him--least of all the Iraqis, a half a million of whom he has slaughtered, with thousands tortured, and now, no electricity and no water in Baghdad in 115 degree heat, and millions of refugees. Everyone in the world understands that he is not just lying, he insulting and demeaning democracy, here and abroad.

It is up to us--to we, the people--to restore the substance and the image of our own democracy. The essential first step is to restore vote counting that everyone can see and understand. With that practical power issue settled--OUR power as a sovereign people to direct our own government, by means of our votes--things will start changing for the better very fast. But it may be a long difficult road to get that first step accomplished. We need a persistent grass roots movement in every county and state in the country, demanding transparent vote counting. (Congress ain't gonna do it, believe me.) We can take heart from the South Americans, who have done their democracy homework, and have overcome decades of rightwing rule and brutal fascist dictatorships. If they can do it, so can we.