I wish I could get an honest answer from Gov. Paul LePage on this question: Why does he have such a problem with the ideal of popular democracy?
I'm afraid I may already know the answer: greed and owed favors.
It's about time others start to see what drives the political machine. And while I doubt the Democratic Party has more pure motives, at least the citizens supporting voter registration and clean elections are persuaded by an appeal to an ideal fundamental to the American hegemony: The people should, at least on the surface, control their representatives.
On the other hand, exaggerations, lies and scare tactics are the milk and honey of the Republican repertoire. What ideals are they pandering to when the Republican-controlled Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee is (currently) dismantling the Clean Election Act that “we the people” fought for a decade ago — the right to buy elections?
I don't think many people are persuaded by the thinking that corporate donations are protected under individual rights to free speech. They are persuaded by the heavily exaggerated, misguided fear that other elements of the population (immigrants, the poor, Democrats' hacks, the apathetic and the ill-informed) have undue influence over elections, so they are willing to vote for the rights of the wealthiest Mainers and out-of-state corporations to exert more control over elections and the elected.
What irony.
Josh Gagne, Lewiston
Report a correction
Democracy is..
.. mob rule.Majority rules. Imagine if our President followed that mindset? He would have cancelled his plans for socialized medicine, decided against blank checks for multi-national banks, invest in a domestic energy program and frankly would retire, if it were a democracy.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond."popular democracy" doesn't
"popular democracy" doesn't work, Josh. That's why presidential elections are decided by electoral votes and NOT the popular vote.
We are a republic, not a democracy.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (3)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Mr. Gagne, nothing represents
Mr. Gagne, nothing represents the hypocrisy of the republican party, then their stance on the Clean Elections Law. Despite their opposition to it, many republican candidate still ran as Clean Election. However, they did so under false pretenses, but mainly because the cannot understand this law. They ran as Clean candidates, but still accepted thousand of dollars if free advertising by out of state PACS. They legally skirted the law, but violated its intent.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (5)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.When you don't have an answer...
...kill 'em with semantics.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedDisagree (1) Agree (2)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Ever heard the words
"and to the republic for which it stands". This country never was and is not now a democracy.
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (3) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Ideals are
good, but this is and has been a REPUBLIC !!
- Permalink
- Is this comment inappropriate?
Kudos AwardedAgree (4) Disagree (1)
Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.