$7 Dead=Democracy [scholarly vs gutter proofs]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_christin_060221_why_liberal_democrac.htm
February 21, 2006

Why Liberal Democracy Has Failed: "'The End of History' is in the end an argument about modernization. What is initially universal is not the desire for liberal democracy but rather the desire to live in a modern -- that is, technologically advanced and prosperous -- society, which, if satisfied, tends to drive demands for political participation. Liberal democracy is one of the byproducts of this modernization process, something that becomes a universal aspiration only in the course of historical time.' -- Francis Fukuyama, , NYT 2006/02/19 "

It is certainly true that there comes to be an urge to acquire the modern. At its roots this urge is desire or greed -- the grasping onto the outer, the material. It is driven by change -- newness. That, often subtle, pang of wanting to have something new that my friend has just gotten. Associated with modernity is the notion of prosperity -- a higher standard of living, that is a life with more things that provide not just shelter but comfort, a physically good feeling. Comfortable interior lighting, temperature, indoor plumbing. There's also the leisure time that comes from a 35 - 40 hour work week. The dream of the middle class.

But note well that most of the planet isn't middle class and that the means of sustaining rising prosperity, i.e. low-cost energy, are precarious at best.

So while there is indeed an urge toward modernity there is some considerable evidence that this urge will not be met on current energy economic grounds.

Even if the material expectations of modernity are met in the short-term, there is a much greater question as to whether liberal democracy is a by-product. Democratic institutions, i.e. ones in which the adult population are able to discuss, debate and decide in a popular manner on the matters of how they as a group are organized, are not obviously feasible in large groups. The examples in nature that Thom Hartmann likes to cite are relatively small groups (no more than a few hundreds). When we scale to millions and billions of persons the dynamics of the popular manner tend toward a hierarchical form.

Combine a basic itch to acquire that is fueled by advertising and you have a population base that is driven to acquire and with increase in prosperity can scratch the itch endlessly. Add this to any well meaning hierarchical organization and as the leaders become more and more separated from the masses they acquire greater material wealth or access to control of the flow of wealth - political power.

As long as people are primarily driven by measures of self-worth that are external to the individual and as long as there is a sense of self and other, me and mine; there will be domination of the many by the few that hold the various powers and there will be a strong trend for accumulation points of wealth, political and military power in any sufficiently large organization.

Given this ground - the grasping, clawing human - liberal democracy is not a by-product it's a false hope . It won't happen without a fundamental change in the way that the individual values themselves and the reality they are enmeshed in.

Such fundamental change is possible with a long-term commitment over many generations; however, it is necessary to engage in concurrent short and long term programs. Political, social systems that permit and encourage the long-term commitment are necessary. James Q. Wilson and others who try to play short-term only or long-term only solutions to social organization are missing the point that people as a they are organized are intrinsically holistic in a social process no matter what ontology may be imposed by the intellectual.

Without fundamental change at the level of individuals we will find increasingly a world in which most humans are just meat in the market and a very few enjoy a bountiful material life. Education of ourselves and our peers regarding how to effect the fundamental individual change needed over the long haul is the greatest obligation of each of our lives. We must learn to re-orient our values and to reduce our instinctual reliance on judgmental thinking rather than discerning thinking. We must teach our progeny these values and the techniques of training the mind so that patience and discernment are second nature in the vast majority of the population.

With the dynamic of this fundamental change in place through the agency of supportive social structures in the near-term there will be a true increase in the flourishing of human life and all life on the planet. Maybe we'll call it liberal democracy or maybe we'll end up not calling it anything because such labels will have fallen by the way.

Christine Tomlinson is publisher of Bush Watch www.bushwatch.com
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(foul language warning)
February 21, 2006

Diagnosis and Treatment of Right Wing Little Dick Syndrome

http://www.opednews.com

Listen up you stupid, white, Bush Loving, little-dicked man. I call you a little dick, because I think you are so desperate to feel like a man, that you blindly and stupidly, because it makes you feel more like a man, continue to support a piece of shit fake macho president, who is screwing you, your community, your family, your children and your country.

In the movie, Defending Your Life, with Meryl Streep and Albert Brooks, the main characters are described as "little-heads," because they are so much dumber than the entities in heaven who "judge" their lives.

So, in that light, I've been thinking about dumb white "little-dicks." Michael Moore described "stupid white men" in his book with the same name. But I've concluded that it is not enough to call them stupid and white. These right wing, usually rural or small town fundamentalist guys who form the most loyal core of the right wing political universe are pitifully sexually inadequate. They talk, walk and act macho, needing phallic symbol guns and rifles to compensate for their little dick minds. They may even be physically well endowed, but these dumb white little-dicks are pathetically needing to find ways to feel more manly.

Mention Brokeback Mountain and the thought of seeing gay men sends them into a panic. Give their wife a better paying job, if she's allowed to leave the house, and they start drinking to drown their feelings of inadequacy.

The political war is a war between men and women. A strong majority of Rebublicans are men. A bigger majority of Democrats are women. The right wingers political issues are ALL about holding down and controlling women. These guys aren't man enough to treat women as equals. These guys need to keep women from doing all that they can do.

They use the bible as an excuse. That's pure bull. The taliban and the religious fanatics, the fundamentalists in Islam and Judaism do the same thing. Any man who needs to quote from a 500 year old or older document to keep women down is pathetic. Any religion that needs to keep women down is weak. Let me be clear. I do not believe that Christianity, Islam or Judaism require that women be kept down. Certain sects' leaders choose to interpret their scriptures that way. It is not a matter of sacred scriptures saying any such thing, It is always a matter of some MAN abusing those sacred scriptures, you could even say prostituting them for his own purposes that put women down. Of course, whole sects may develop from one man's interpretations. But it starts with some man who decides the way he can gain power through tapping the religious propensities of people is to step on and abuse the rights of women, and often, disrespecting other faiths, another sure sign of a weak sect. So, all you fundamentalist extremists out there, make sure you read this whole paragraph. I respect Mohomet. I respect Jesus and the God of Abraham. I just don't respect the venal, corrupting spiritual leaders who turn a pure, beautiful religion based on revelation into a corrupt, hating, divisive sect. These sects end up being composed of a society of little dicked, braindead, angry haters.

Then we have the war. There are millions of dumb white little-dicks who have been using the war as some form of compensatory mental penile enhancement therapy. Sorry Johnny, war is not Viagra. Bush, the chronic loser, moron, fraft evading coward is also not V ia gra. Bush won't change how woefully inadequate you are.

But "Bush is THE GUY to protect us from terrorism." Right!! What a lame bunch of limp-spined, tough talking gutless wonders. "Let's haul ass off to Iraq and kill some Muslims and that'll do it," is their thinking. Geez. What a pile of mindless manure. Who actually believes this crap? Dumb, white little-dicks, that's who. They need to believe it, whatever "it" is.

Then I get these letters from these dumb little Dicks, saying, "Why don't you just accept that you liberals lost?" Well, little dick, I don't consider a bank robber who is wealthy a success in life. And I don't consider a party that stole two elections using election corruption and electronic voting machine manipulation the winner either. Again, little dick, you desperately take what you get. But that doesn't make you a winner either. it makes you a pathetic, dumb, little dick loser. Think of Dick Cheney as one of your heroes. He get's drunk, shoots a friend, and his little dicked friend apologizes. Sounds like little dick philosophy to me. The powerful leaders of the little dicks screw the dumb little dick followers and they worship the leaders for screwing them.

Let's not forget the rich white little dicks. They don't necessarily use Bush to feel bigger. They use money and the things and the influence and power it buys to feel better about themselves. So do their women. They stay right wing by repeating the mantra-- tax-and-spend-democrats-- blindly and perhaps traitorously driving their Humvees (clear signs of self perceived penile deficiency-- don't let the women say they feel safer in bigger vehicles) and ignoring the steady drift of America towards fascism-- all so they can buy $600 shoes and sweaters.

There is a cure for little dicks. Be a man, Face the fact that you have supported a total loser, a president who is a lying, traitorous failure at everything he touches, except corruption. He's a brilliant whore for anyone who gives him money. He'll happily take a thousand bucks in contributions and turn it over, in government deals for ten million bucks to his contributors.

There is a cure for little dicks. Be enough of a man to let the women in your life be strong. Be enough of a man to express emotions, to see beauty, to be nurturing, to respect men who are able to be soft and gentle, kind and artistic, whether they are gay or straight. Be man enough to not go into a homophobic panic when you encounter homosexual men. Any man who can't deal, as a calm un-upset adult with a gay man has inner fears that he's gay himself. Does the sight of gay men upset you?

There is a cure for little dicks. Face the fact that money and the things it buys does not make you a better person. Remember, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24) If a rich man is to enter heaven, it will be cause of the good deeds he does, the kindnesses, the gestures of humility, of understanding and compassion-- not the wealth and power accumulated.
There is a cure for little dicks. Grow up. Stop listening to macho for morons right wing talk radio. Rush and Sean and the other dittohead imitating idiots are pandering to the worst parts of you. Are you a member of the KKK? Are you a racist? If you are, go fuck yourself. You're a total asshole and hopeless. But if you're no, then you should know that the right wing talk radio jerks are pushing those kinds of buttons all the time. That's what makes right wing talk radio work so well. They know how to push little dick buttons. Grow out of it. Figure out how to be a real man. Not a right wing little dick. There is a cure for little dicks. It's not the drugs that are offered in billions of spam ads. It's not the bogus products that claim to make you bigger, longer, etcetera. It's about growing up, waking up and seeing that the right wing mindset is what keeps you feeling, deep inside, like less of a man. Let go of it and you'll find out what being a real man is all about-- something right wingers rarely know anything about.

Contact Editor

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February 22, 2006 http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_driftwoo_060222_how_many_and_when_wi.htm

How many and when will...

by Driftwood

http://www.opednews.com

HOW MANY AND WHEN WILL

How can a man hold office when it is shown that he came by it dishonestly.

How can any group, no matter under what name be allowed to secretely meet and allow the sale of property directly affecting national security?

How many Deaths does it take to add up to Genocide?

How Many Must Die Because Of A Lie?

How many Lies must be told before you are called a Liar?

How many Facts must come to light to Prove A Conspiracy?

When is a Theory no longer a Theory?

How many people shall die before there is an end to an Illegal War?

How many lives must be snuffed out like candles in the wind because of torture and abuse before those that allow it are brought to justice?

How many Birth Defects will come to light before they place the blame on Depleted Uranium?

How many of our Service People will become sick and die before the government admits it is caused by Depleted Uranium.

How long will this government be allowed to use Depleted Uranium and Phosphorus before the World says Enough is Enough.

How many Programs must be destroyed before a Leader is Called Incompetent?

How Many More True Patriots will be ‘Slimed’ by those in office that did not, would not serve in the Armed Forces when it was their time.

How many No Bid Contracts must be handed out before a connection is made of favoritism, before an investigation? More so, when there have been charges time and time again of overcharging and failure to deliver the services paid for.

How many investigations will be stopped before it is called a Cover-up.

When will those in office be forced to accept accountability and responsibility and held accountable and responsible for their actions?

When will the punishment fit the crime? A governor receives a year for swindling 100,000.00 while a man with a family receives 2 to 5 for stealing groceries to feed his family.

How many Programs for the Poor and Elderly could be paid for with the money paid out for the pResidents many, many photo-ops around the world as he travels with his private army, his reporters, cars, Chefs and Food Tasters.

How many Beneficial Programs can be named that replaces any of the programs that have been ended or cut?

How many Katrina’s must happen to show how incompetent and ineffectual FEMA and Homeland Security really is.

How is it that our National Guard is in Iraq fighting a War they are not trained for with all their equipment when they are needed here. Doing what They Are trained for?

How is it that the very same National Guard needed here for our security will now be Cut according to pResident Bush.

How is it that we have seen Military Base closings, cuts in benefits yet Major Bases being built in places such as Iraq, a place where we are supposed to be finding a way to get out of.

How is it that we have not managed to use the right term in describing what we are doing in Iraq? One word describes it. OCCUPATION.

How is it with the Biggest Natural Disaster in our history that those affected most are Seeking Help From Other Countries because Our Own Government Will Not or is too Incompetent to Respond.

How is it when struck with a national disaster such as Katrina Aid was refused when offered by other countries, when our own was doing nothing and showing its incompetence.

How is it that the very people we need here during a Natural Disaster are not here, nor is their equipment? They are in Iraq and elsewhere.

How can you fight a War without preparing for it either going in or in coming out. Without the proper supplies and armament needed for the troops protection and well being.

How many American Citizens must die because of not being able to get food, medicine, shelter or heat before there is mention of pResident Bush Waging War on the American People.

How many republicans are busily scrapping the Bush/Cheney bumper stickers off their cars finally realizing they are supporting a Mad Man.

How many of our gentlemen career politicians wish they had the Heart of awomen like Cindy Sheehan In fact, how many of them even have the Heart to meet with her?


When will someone ask the Present Administration what Country They Work For, it is apparent they do Not Represent the American People.

How many Martha Stewarts will there be before they get one Ken Lay?

When will there be a Ceiling to Price Gouging as promised by VP Cheney?

How many Department Heads In Government actually have a working knowledge and experience at what they are doing?

When will someone in power say Enough Is Enough to the Profiteering of the Oil Companies?

When will the Petroleum Companies be forced to return some of their profits to the customers?

Why is it that the comment has been made by Congressmen that no one can read all the Bills before they are passed. What Are They Getting Paid For? Maybe they need to spend some of their vacation and recess time actually working. Hell give me what they get and I’ll do the reading for them.

Why is it those in Congress spend more time on vacations and recess than they do in office where half of them do not bother to show anyway? Yet they are called Lawmakers and are entrusted with the running of our nation. That is, the parts that not been sold off yet.

How is it that Foreign Interests own more of our country than We, the citizens do?

How is it if you follow the leader blindly and without thinking you are called a patriot, but should you question or ask for the truth you are unpatriotic.

With Petroleum Companies reporting the Largest Profits in History, why is it Bush see’s fit to allow them to sell Royalty Free to the tune of several Billion dollars.

How is it with the mass profits being made by the petroleum companies it takes a Man such as Chavez of Venezuela to help the poor of this country with heating oil.

When will Big Business be forced to Pay Their Fair Share in Taxes?

When will those in Government that Owe Taxes, Be Forced To Pay Them?

What happened to No Taxation without Representation?

How much backing should an Elected Democrat give Republican Programs before he is no longer considered a Democrat and forced from office?

How many Wars will be started on “Just Because’ without any evidence of danger to our country. Or on ‘Manufactured Evidence’.

How many TV Preachers will be allowed to call for the Assassination of Leaders of Another Country before they are Shut Down?

How can they call the Media Liberal when all you hear is Rupugnican Propaganda.

How is it they have time to preach Hate and the Republican view in the Media but no time to report the real news?

How is it when a program does not work they simply change the name, now it works. That being the case they need rename Homeland Security to Homeland Insecurity, we know that is working.

How is it that Bin Laden has such good timing? Every time Bush gets into trouble and his popularity drops, here comes a tape from Bin Laden.

How many corporations have left the United States to Manufacture in another country for cheaper wages and lower taxes but still sell their goods here for the same price as when they left?

How many people have been stranded and left homeless in other states after being taken from the Gulf Coast after Katrina?

How can a person with the mentality of a spoiled, pampered, tantrum throwing twelve year old make it past any type of mental examination and be selected to run the most powerful country in the world?

When will they finally put qualified people over programs instead of incompetents?

How can Bush Preach Democracy in other countries when he is Destroying it here at home?

When will they return to voting with a pencil and paper with a picture of the candidate by their name so they can be counted without doubt as to who won. Instead of with machines that leave no paper trail and can be tampered with by a high school student?

It is supposed to be One Person, One Vote. Why then with the Electoral College some are allowed to Vote Twice?

How is it that the members of congress with their healthy wage increase every year, their benefits, their perks and what they can swindle through their pork barrel bills are not required to put in as many working days as the average working American?

Why should it be that the Supreme Court has Lifetime Appointments when it is not allowed in any other Branch of Government. Should they not be voted in just as any other politician?

How much power will the churches have in government before they are made to pay their fair share of taxes. I pay more tax on the case of beer I buy on sunday than the church does. Not only that, I am giving a job to someone who is actually working for a living.

We have always been known for a two party system, now we are three major parties. Democrat, (for the people) Republican (for the corporations) and Republicrat (for themselves and republicans) though voted in by democrats.

The Final Question…

How long will it be before we see this Administration up on Charges High Crimes and Misdemeanors, of Treason or brought before the Hague for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity?

This is quite a list and can no doubt be added to. See how many more you can add.

Nuff said…for now
Driftwood
Small Town Southern Illinois