First time in awhile where Blogger borked a post. Let’s try this post again, originally titled “Democracy Worship Again.” Retitled, “You know, we’re just not reaching that guy.”
From a comment thread at Quora:
James Briggs
Those who claim that America is a republic, not a democracy are opposed to democracy. The former Soviet Union was the kind of republic that the Federalists want.
Kevin Baker
And you base this on…?
James Briggs
The words we are not a democracy says it all. Those who deny American is a democracy do not want it to be a democracy.
Kevin Baker
This is known as circular reasoning. While I will grant that the words “we are not a democracy” mean exactly that, it’s quite a logical leap to the position that those who say it want a Soviet dictatorship. Care to elaborate?
James Briggs
Those who oppose democracy want a dictatorship. Those are the only two choices we have at this time.
Kevin Baker
Well, my time of taking you seriously has certainly come to a middle.
Democracy = 1 person/1 vote. 50%+1 of a population can vote for anything – the banishment of all left-handed redheads, for instance. Since left-handed redheads are a distinct minority, they have no recourse. They’ve been outvoted. Then there’s gang-rape. Should the victim acquiesce simply because they’re outvoted?
Here’s something I like to remind people of who extol the wondrous desirability of DEMOCRACY!!:
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding on what to have for dinner.
A representative republic is 50,000 wolves and 40,000 sheep voting 50 wolves and 40 sheep into office to decide what to have for dinner.
A constitutional republic is a similar situation but with a constitution saying that lamb cannot be for dinner, with a Supreme Court of 5 wolves voting against 4 sheep to determine that mutton is not lamb.
Liberty is well-armed sheep protesting the vote.
So as for your assertion that there’s only a binary choice: 1=Democracy, 0=Dictatorship, I disagree wholly.
I thought we were finished, but he replied!
James Briggs
Your spurious examples have been used by those enemies of the truth from time immemorial. it is like the old canard that Hitler was elected. It is in the people’s interest to vote what is best for the people. They may be mistaken but it is better to be ruled by a fool who is on your side than by a genus who is your enemy. The fact is democracies always win in the real world. Germany was destroyed by the experts who rejected democracy and put Hitler in power. We have just seen the demise of the Soviet Union a republic that was not a democracy. Then Venezuela had the same results. Now we undemocratic Islamism take the stage and you have learned nothing.
Kevin Baker
Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.
HE REPLIED AGAIN. (And upvoted my comment!)
James Briggs
Thank you but as you have been so nice I feel that I should add to my point. Those who make decisions fall into two groups those who know the answer and those who don’t. Statistics assumes that mistakes are random and cancel each other out while those who are right are all going vote in the same direction. Groups of people voting have been able to beat chess masters. I wish I could find a journal article on this issue but I was unable on short notice. Best wishes.
Yeah, I’m done with that particular wall of knowledge.