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To: LMAO
LMAO @18: "If there was enough demand to stop overspending by the electorate, the elected would have done it."

That is why originally the U.S. was set up as a constitutional republic, but has slowly been perverted into a popular democracy where the immediate gratification of the electorate determines policy.

Noah Webster (1758-1843) is known as the “Father of American Scholarship and Education” as well as his dictionary and The American Spelling Book, which introduced Americanized spellings of words. However, Webster also had much to say about our country and government, including this excerpt from his book, Letters to a Young Gentleman Commencing His Education to which is subjoined a Brief History of the United States (New Haven: S. Converse, 1823, p. 19):

When a citizen gives his suffrage [vote] to a man of known immorality, he abuses his trust and he sacrifices not only his interest but that of his neighbor. He betrays the interest of his country. Nor is it of slight importance, that men elected to office should be able men, men of talents equal to their stations, men of mature age, experience, and judgement; men of firmness and impartiality....

"Whenever a man is known to seek promotion by intrigue, by temporizing, or by resorting to the haunts of vulgarity and vice for support, it may be inferred, with moral certainty, that he is not a man of real respectability, nor is he entitled to public confidence."

19 posted on 03/27/2016 9:11:03 AM PDT by Carl Vehse
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To: Carl Vehse

That is why originally the U.S. was set up as a constitutional republic, but has slowly been perverted into a popular democracy where the immediate gratification of the electorate determines policy.


Exactly

So IMO, the mindset of the electorate needs to be changed first. If the current mindset continues amongst the population we could end up going full Pinochet


20 posted on 03/27/2016 9:29:58 AM PDT by LMAO (I know Hillary and I think she'd make a great president or Vice President. Don Trump 2008)
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To: Carl Vehse

I would also add, or we need to return to the concept of a Constitutional Republic in my options

Sadly, it looks like the Pinochet route is more likely at this point


22 posted on 03/27/2016 9:39:27 AM PDT by LMAO (I know Hillary and I think she'd make a great president or Vice President. Don Trump 2008)
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