Outlaw Republicans…

& Democrats.

What would happen if we abolished the (for all intents and purposes) two party system that has ruled the US government for the past few hundred years? What if the Senators voted purely by how their constituents felt and not how they felt personally, or how they were influenced by a lobbyist?

What if we could use technology to actually become the democracy that everyone so craves?

But we are a democracy. you say. Nay. We are a republic. We vote people in to office so that they can represent our views, not theirs, or what would sound better for the next election cycle.

Just think, if we could set it up so any interested citizen could vote on any issue (using news blast e-mails or a common page to announce when they are scheduled for a vote) we could really be a democracy. Of course we would need to have a majority of the population participating, or maybe just a quorum. If the common citizen didn’t like the direction our country was moving in, but hadn’t voted, they would have no right to whine. This system would force people to educate themselves on the issues and really become involved in government and society as a whole. Twenty years ago, this would have been almost impossible to even consider, but now with the saturation of the internet and even mobile wifi, much of the voting population could weigh in on issues that are important to them when they come up for a vote. I think our great nation would be unlocked from the partisan gridlock that continuously gums up the system and be released to achieve our greatest potential.

What do you think? Could it ever work?

I don’t like politics/ stubborn-headed Republicans/ foreign policy

I watched the last half of the Democratic National Convention last night. I saw the part where truck driver Republicans said they would vote Obama and Barack’s speach. Well…what now. We get to see the Republican Convention and endure days of them bashing all of Obama’s ideas. But I guess my question is: besides a few points, what reasonable person could say that what he said is bad. I know there are people out there who legitimately believe that everything Obama says is wrong just because it’s coming from him and not a republican. Someone in my Bible Study said that Obama stands for the opposite of everything he (the guy) believes in. Really? Lower taxes for the middle class. Holding big business accountable and taxing them. Trying to talk to countries before invading them. Yeah, that stuff is crap.

That last one really gets me. I know our foreign policy has seen better days but people freaked out when Obama said he would be willing to talk withanyone if there was a chance for peace.  “I want to have direct talks with countries like Iran and Syria because I don’t believe we can stabilize the region unless not just our friends but also our enemies are involved in these discussions.” Why is that a bad thing. Are things going to get better by ignoring the very people we should be trying to bring to the table. I remember watching Diane Sawyer inside North Korea meeting with some of their top military leaders and them saying, “I really wish Bush would stop calling us evil.” Yes, they may have done some bad things but calling them names from across an ocean is not going to make them want to stop. In fact it may spur them on to even more terrible action. I was once a student ambassador for the US and visited two countries. Understanding increases when you just speak with people. If I settled every argument like Bush, I would preemptively punch people in the throat before I confirmed that they had a  WMD in their pocket.

I also think we need to mind our own business. Yes, I know human atrocities abound throughout the world but there are still many happening in our own country that we have not dealt with because we are spending so much time and energy overseas. So Russia invades Georgia. That sucks but what does it have to do with America? Or how about this: Saddam invades Kuwait. What does that have to do with us? Oh yeah, I forgot. OIL. Kinda like how Saudi Arabia has a horrible human rights record but because we have a good business relationship with the royal family we overlook it. And China too. Well, we get so much of our stuff from China I guess it’s OK if they are terrible to their citizens. I guess it seems like I am arguing against myself. China’s human rights violations are not our problem. Why are we the worlds’ policeman?  I am getting off on a tangent here I know. Oh well. Maybe later I will publish my paper on foreign aid and how we should stop that too. Private organizations like World Vision do a much better job than the US Government. Anyway, I suppose I will end here before I go any farther. As always, I welcome your comments and arguments as long as they make sense and aren’t just insults.