Posted on 08/25/2008 2:11:01 PM PDT by mainestategop
Local elections definitely need more people. National, I’m not so sure. People don’t understand what our system of government is and many have never read the Constitution. People tend to vote for whoever will give them the most benefits because they don’t understand that our government is not a democracy, but rather a limited government Constitutional Republic where the majority does NOT always get what it wants and the rule of law is more important the whim of the so called “masses”.
I’m not proposing that we necessarily exclude people, I’m just pointing out some facts.
The complaining does get annoying, but many people would complain whether it’s a democrat or republican and they see voting 3rd party as a waste. So they don’t vote. I can’t always blame them. I just wish more people educated themselves on the Constitution, the subsequent papers written about it at the time, and the Founding Fathers’ beliefs.
Knowing the rules and getting the people in power to follow them are two different things. I do know young people haven’t a clue about our government. They seem to believe a lot of what the media tells them, and ignore the facts.
Perhaps our public education system has failed us more than we think! Perhaps everyone’s brains have been fried by the garbage on TV.
As a side note:
Before summer break, my 5th grader came home and told me all about the class ‘voting’ for Obama, of course, her teacher told her all about his qualifications...This and much more is being ‘taught’ to kids. I really should go back to homeschooling!
Problem is, someone has to make all of these "rules" you are talking about, the legislatures would have to pass it into law and then the courts would interpret it. That's how the systemn works.
...and guess what, sometimes it will be people you agree with making those decisions, votes, and interpretations, but most times it will probably be people you don't agree with and the very litmus tests you propose would be administered and implemented against the very things that you hope to accomplish.
The only way to implement and administer what you propose is to have a totalitarian government that forces the definition to be uniform for all time...and then you won't need a vote...you will need a gun, a lot of guns, to try and get it back to a constitutional republic...if you can.
That may be where we are headed anyway.
Eduction is indeed the key...but it is up to us, the people, to do the educating. To awaken from our slumber and use the town halls, and town squares (internet, email, editorials, blogs, etc., etc.) to educate people about things and convince them through reason so that their hearts are in the right place. That takes time and a lot of effort.
IMHO, until enough of us (tens of millions) are willing to take that time and make that effort to help change people's hearts all around us over time...or until some catastrophe comes along that humbles sufficient people so they are willing to even open their hearts...we will not solve this problem.
We should pray and then develop the strength and put forth the effort to accomplish the first...while also praying and preparing to be able to abide the second.
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."- John Adams, Oct. 11, 1798IT'S TIME FOR A RETURN TO THE OLD SCHOOL
Because...
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