Views to Debate

Your views versus "their" views of democracy. Click the links that follow to find how "their" views might pinch a nerve in "your views".

"The Problem of Democracy Today"--Cornelius Castoriadis

 Cornelius Castoriadis has separated the problems of democracy into its core issues. He mentions many aspects that we, in class, have been discussing. While reading his page, I noticed many connections between his thoughts and Woodruff's. I agree with him when he says that "nowadays democracy doesn't really exist anywhere." I also feel that we are in a "desperate" reality. We need to step back from our individual lives and realize there are many problems in our country other than the personal issues we face on a day to day basis. We have problems that reflect our country as a whole and affects everyone. I like how he restates the meaning of the word "democracy". It is not about the voting and elections, but "the power of the people". I think that we, as a country, have digressed from the meaning of democracy, and define as a vote for the majority.

The Worst Form of Government, but Better than the Rest.

This article is part of a project that was designed as a way of bringing accurate and, believe it or not, misleading information to the table. It is an open page for "regular" people to write their thoughts and views. Depending on if the writer has written factual information or garbage is solely up to your discretion. I did find the article from the above link rather interesting. It gave light to many issues I, personally, have had with our government and its choices of disregarding its own people. It does tend to exagerate on certain issues and even goes as far as to state that "Perhaps the biggest problem with Democracy is that people tend to get exactly the government that they deserve." This is a fine line to discuss. Of course those who are seen as the minority of the United States is going to disagree with this statement and argue that they have no say as to what the government does. I actually would agree that "people DO tend to get exactly the government that they deserve," because no one takes the time to vote, but they do take the time to complain.

"Pros and Cons, and our National Agenda"

"About a year ago Harriet Miers (now nominated for the Supreme Court) answered (on "Ask the White House" http://www.whitehouse.gov/ask/20040811.html ) a question about what White House staff does: "The President sets the agenda for the Nation, and we [the staff] help ... him to accomplish that agenda for the American people." While reading this article I found this statement was interesting. I have the article below that states that the judicial system is just and has does not allow manipulation or interruption from our government. To me, this article denies that approach and clearly says that the White House gives the agenda and the Supreme Court follows it. How is that just? I am curious how the White House would justify that quotation? "Is that the way democracy is supposed to work? The President sets the agenda and everyone in Washington scurries around to accomplish it? Somehow I thought that in democracy the people set the agenda, and the President and Congress worked to accomplish it for us." I completely agree. If democracy is meant for the power of the people, why is the agenda based on what our president feels is right for millions of diverse individuals? Does this also show that the "rule of law" is disregarded when it involves the political party in power?

The Rule of Law

"Protecting the rule of law is an aspiration that most judges accept and strive to achieve." This article is interesting to read because it defends the Judicial system and "the rule of law" in which our society is trying to uphold.  "In the majority of my encounters with judges, I find that they are working hard to implement objective rules in an unbiased fashion." It must be hard to try and uphold the rule of law when you have a Republican system trying to manipulate it. When government officials are brought to court, do you not think money and the presidential authority can steer the ruling in favor of their party?