Another Great Rant: The Illusion Of Democracy

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

The Illusion Of Democracy
http://saneramblings.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=223&sid=bea925056a9d5b7d9a622f70ac04c2ce

As Americans, you and I live in what had been a great democracy, a model to much of the world. But our democracy has been drained of most of its substance and now the common citizen has no voice in major decisions and his or her vote is meaningless.

A case in point: In November, 2006 a sizeable majority of people voted for change and put the Democrats in charge of Congress to end the Iraq war. Instead, Congress endlessly funds the war, with no limitations on President Bush, as our government sinks in its own debt.

Another case in point: President Bush ignored the shocking disclosure from 16 U.S. Intelligence Agencies that Iran had no nuclear weapons program since 2003, and even more shocking, it turned out he knew it months ago, But as he has said, he's "the decider" and that's the way it is.

Then Mr. Bush and Vice President Cheney again threatened the lives of the 71-million Iranian men, women and children. This unconscionable threat surprised no-one because it is consistent with the insanity that has led the U.S to occupy and destroy Iraq and try to control Afghanistan.

It is consistent with the madness that made the U.S. the biggest supporter of Pakistan's Dictator, who crushes his own people. Under pressure from the U.S. he may create the illusion of elections, as if Pakistanis actually had a say in their government.

But then we Americans play the same game. In theory, our votes count yet so many citizens know they don't, that EVERY OTHER person eligible to vote doesn't register. And of those who do, 1/2 of them don't vote.

So who is America today? The U.S. government has 737 military bases across the world, and for the first time in U.S. history, it employs a huge private mercenary army. An army that reports to the President and most of the information about it is "classified" meaning the common citizen can no little about it.

What is the result? Take a look at the U.S.'s occupation of Iraq.The U.S. has no intention of leaving, despite the staggering suffering it has caused the Iraqi people. The U.S. just built the world's biggest "embassy" complex there along with its giant new military bases. Nor does the U.S. respond to the Iraqi government's wishes other than to ignore them. The U.S. government doesn't even control what its mercenaries do.

The latest spin from our government is that "things are getting better in Iraq." Oh really. To what end? What does better mean? Fewer deaths? Less torture? There's no serious talk of "withdrawal" and the U.S. doesn't even sell the illusion of "Operation Iraqi Freedom" anymore.

In the meantime, war has been a bonanza for Pentagon contractors and oil companies and there is no end in sight to their profiteering.

Then I asked myself what kind of democracy has:
-- 737 military bases?
-- 16 spy agencies?
-- 35% of its budget devoted to the military? And the military doesn't allow its citizens to see 40% of its fast growing budget. Nor do citizens see any of the CIA's budget.
-- no CIA accountability? The CIA seizes people and brutalizes them and destroys records of its actions. It hasn't yet seized U.S. citizens as far as we know but that may change if they're viewed as a threat to the government. Why even have an organization as dangerous as the CIA?
-- secret prisons including in the U.S. where it tortures people it seizes and denies them legal rights as it holds them indefinitely, ignoring American and international law?
-- over 8,000 nuclear weapons, by far the biggest atomic arsenal in the world? The Pentagon plans to expand that arsenal in the name of peace.
-- its government ignore the Bill of Rights and the rest of its Constitution as it chooses?
-- its government use "executive privilege" and "national security" continually to avoid revealing to its citizens the basis for its decisions?
-- its government spend its citizens' money so fast, it has to borrow money to stay afloat? Thus the government threatens the well-being of its people as it mortgages their future.

Dear reader, this is what happens when the Pentagon and its contractors take control.

Then I looked at next year's national elections and realized they too are an illusion. There are no major Presidential or Congressional candidates who haven't accepted large sums of money from lobbyists. And just since 2000, the number of lobbyists in Washington, DC has tripled! So clearly there is plenty of money to spread around on behalf of those buying control of our government.

Mr. Bush has grabbed powers for the Presidency that our founders never meant for it to have. Here is an historical fact. Heads of State rarely have given back powers they've inherited, and if anything they try to add to them. Don't anticipate the next President surrendering powers he or she will have inherited from Mr. Bush.

Waiting for the November, 2008 elections is not going to solve these problems, nor will voting for Democrats for their performance is as dismal as the Republicans'. When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says "impeachment is off the table," she's saying so is accountability for that's the form of accountability our founders put into the Constitution.

These problems will also not be fixed by praising insightful statements by television commentators or other pundits from the comfort of your computer keyboard. Those who are critical, however clever haven't changed government policies any more than you have.

But yet these dark days can also lead to the greatest of times if we as a people come together to reclaim our government. For in a democracy the government is meant to serve the people, not the reverse, and it is answerable to us.

The time to act is now and you are not alone in your disappointment, frustration, fear and anger. Raise your voice, take to the streets, whether in candlelight vigils as I do or in some other peaceful form, but make yourself visible, as you act to save your democracy!

In these times, you can't be too busy to get involved, for those who are well along in taking your democracy from you are succeeding because they have the time and the determination to seize power, just as they are doing.

For now the power rightfully belongs to you. The question is, what actions will you take to retain the freedoms your forefathers handed to you?

Dick Kazan (posted with permission of the author)
http://saneramblings.com/

[flashl]

1. K&R

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

2. I think it is a really good rant, too! nt

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

3. In case you are too busy to read the whole thing...

<snip>
"The time to act is now and you are not alone in your disappointment, frustration, fear and anger. Raise your voice, take to the streets, whether in candlelight vigils as I do or in some other peaceful form, but make yourself visible, as you act to save your democracy!"

"In these times, you can't be too busy to get involved, for those who are well along in taking your democracy from you are succeeding because they have the time and the determination to seize power, just as they are doing."

"For now the power rightfully belongs to you. The question is, what actions will you take to retain the freedoms your forefathers handed to you?"

Agreed!