@hippiefilms1 -- Not all trees are "imported." and those that r often come from rain forests. And I didn't say we shouldn't. Just that we should use paper as our medium.
From the whole of Europe - yes, the american voter is dumb as shit and votes in other dumbed down retards, how Obama got passed you guys is what we're all wondering. The fact that most of you now hate him just proves our point - Gunslinging ignorant fat and aggressive wannabe's trying to live up Hollywood movies. Finally some truth
The essence of democracy is that everyone's opinion, expressed in their vote, is equal to all other opinions (votes). The vote of someone who votes for a candidate's policies or character, is equal to the vote of someone who votes for a candidate because they like their hair style, or the type of dog the candidate owns.
Since W Bush's election, everyone's opinion on anything is equal to any other opinion. Science, economics, history, it is all just opinion, and all opinions are equally valid.
A republic is a type of democracy, for gods sake. Democratic means the people elect the leaders. republic refers to the fact that you have a president who isn't in the parliament (congress), like France, Ireland etc. which are still democracies! God damn and I try NOT to believe that American schools are shit.
Stewart always fucking talks more than the guest and interrupts way too much. He just wants the spot light to be on him the entire time. He is funny, and smart, but a bad fucking host.
For america to become more democratic you need to institute preferential voting. Otherwise there will only ever be 2 parties. In preferential voting you can vote for a minor party first and still make the difference between the major 2 parties. and if they both suck then you can actually get parties rotating. This will never happen in your system. Australia is closer but we aren't a republic which is also a problem.
Interesting clip, but damn that watermarking is annoying. Note to the uploader of this video: When your self-advertising is so blatent and irritating, and nearly gets in the way of the content, that makes me *much less* likely to visit your site. Please tone it down...
He meant that Bush was meant for the aftermath of Katrina, as in "[the] Katrina [fiasco]." I'm assuming, since he wrote a book about stupid people, that he doesn't believe Bush has godly powers.
Even Fox News coverage from that time showed the inaction of the Bush administration, and their lack of help.
Yeah, i can tell you're a democrat who would rather follow a guy who will tax us to oblivion, to fulfill the new right of americans to have a free lunch.
Katrina was a disaster that was unparalleled, therefore it was difficult to get aid to the people of New orleans, but by the same token, that's the risk they took living there.
you should do some research on democrat vs republican administrations. whenever a democrat is in power the average household income for middle class families increases. the opposite is true when a republican is is in office. Republicans represent the rich and powerful. a puppet of the elite. democrats as well to a point but not to the same degree. money still make the world go round.
As light-hearted this interview is - Rick Shenkmen is actually making quite a profound point about what being a citizen is all about. We the people get into a habit of blaming the media and politicians and big corporations for troubles around the world - but it's only because of our stupidity/ignorance that they are able to do so...
ROFL. Its alll the Americans fault. Sure Americans take a huge amount of blame, but dont deflect the blame where it should also lie, which is WITH GOVERNMENT. Bush lied to the public about the war and the imminent danger. They purported WMDs and many people trusted them (nievely so). But isnt that irrelevant? Why shouldnt I trust my government to protect me? You're saying I shouldnt trust the government? Then whats the point of elected leaders?
Seriously! We are a nation of ignorant fools! This has been true forever... the fact that the guy quotes Ambrose Bierce of all people proves that. Not much we can do about it now.
Democracy? We were NOT set to be a democracy. We were meant to be a republic. We have been sold the idea of democracy but that is not what we started with.
Humans are powerful creatures! The most powerful in the universe. Look at the world we have created. We could create something different at any moment if we chose to!
You're absolutely right, I don't know why you have thumbs down. The founding fathers based the government and ideals of America on the roman republic, going so far as to name city's after roman generals and use roman city planning and building styles.
If only people would discover that they CAN have an effect, and it's their apathy that allows so many bad things to go on in the world. Just being a conscious consumer can have a HUGE difference, you don't even have to do anything drastic.
we're a democratic republic....as in we fallow the consitution (even tho congress and many presidents have forgotten that) which is a republic, and we elect our representativesinto office, which is a democracy. u don't understand much about political idealigies do u...if the US didnt have the republic aspect to us, we would be totally fucked, more so than we already are.
The founding fathers were proud to call us a republic not a democracy.
"At the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 18, 1787, a Mrs. Powel anxiously awaited the results, and as Benjamin Franklin emerged from the long task now finished, asked him directly: "Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" "A republic if you can keep it" responded Franklin.
The masses do rule, only they do it through democratically elected representatives. It's not the same sort of democracy as the Greeks founded, when they only had small city-states to worry about governing, but it's still democracy.
Why dont you find out who funded obama's campaign? Winning an election is easy as long as you got the most money towards PR (public relations) aka propaganda.
Do you think americans do their own research when choosing who to vote for?
Its simply influence of the media.
If you have the capital to invest to spread your influence through mass media, you will surely see a return on that investment.
None of that suggests that the US is an oligarchy, unless you're also suggesting that every single other supposed democracy is in fact an oligarchy as well. In which case I suppose the only possible way you could have a democracy is if you didn't allow people and companies to donate to your campaign, right?
Ironically, if that were the case, then you truly might have an oligarchy, as only the personally wealthy could ever hope to run.
no country is truly democratic. if usa was truly democratic each issue of importance would be voted on by the people and not left up to some group of rich aristocrats who are so out of touch with the needs of the common man that its a joke that they are supposed to represent their needs. if usa is democratic why are they in a war in iraq or have army bases all over the world? do ppl honestly want their dollars going to murdering ppl in far away lands or helping them at home
you won't believe it, but yes they do. i think you mean the old greek democracy when you say true D. this system is not possible with more than a few thousends of people. so many countries have a representative D.
so people in america vote for people they want to make a decision for them. it is a democracy.
but i get your problem. let's say it with churchill:
"it think democracy is a bad system, but tell me a better one!"
Americans have to show interest in politics and start being critical to what politicians and media says. Don't forget the belief that everything whats said in media is right and that politicians know what they're talking about and that they intend to do whats best for citizens led to WW2!
Note, however, that as historically significant as both of them were, virtually none of their ideas are still used, much less implemented. In other words, we remember them for their thoughts, but we don't necessarily say the contents of those thoughts were good models.
well we did for almost 2000 years. If it takes that long to be irrelevant than they can be considered vital for knowledge we possess today. Yes Socrates believed magnets have souls but consider plato's ship and how much it still applies or aristotle's syllogism or theory of forms...
Not really; their ideas never really applied outside of the realm of philosophy in any event. To this day, I've never seen the theory of forms or of potentials ever applied in any discipline. The ideas of those three philosophers are more often used as food for thought in philosophy and literature than in actual practice.
you must be kidding, you've never looked at the opposite (or same) sex and said she's attractive...? Oh an I'm pretty positive the basis for LOGICISTICS is applied to everything but government policies, and scientific methods (a=b=c)
Those things you've mentioned have nothing to do with the ideas of the philosophers you mentioned, unless you're trying to say that one of them came up with the idea of sexual attraction, which would be false, the same being true if you think one of them came up with logistics, which had been around long before anyone made a term for it.
They DID have a historical role in the evolution of science and natural philosophy, but the scientific method itself comes much later than Aristotle.
I know but they laid the basis for it (scientific method) , logistics obviously was I agree but Aristotle improved upon it greatly with syllogism. Philosphy applies to astronomy, sociology, physics...and so on. For example the catalysts for science in the "known world" were atomists, who were philosophers to begin with.
Are you talking about logistics or logic? They're two very different things. Syllogisms are important, but compared to today's logical systems, the syllogism is minuscule and has been replaced with the more formal, more general modus ponens.
Everyone acknowledges the philosophers of Socrates' time and the pre-Socratics for their contributions to revolutionary ideas, but there is a point at which that contribution is overstated. They were historically important, but they were only philosophers.
If Americans were smart, they wouldnt immediately believe what politicians(or anyone in general) say. "Think for yourself, question authority."-Timothy Leary
Where do you live? because I live in the US and i've never once met anyone, from any political party, that thought the electoral college was the best way. Nor have i met anyone with any knowledge on the subject that thought a congress without term limits was anything but bad.
The problem is the same government body that decides these things is the body that changing them would harm, therefore the changes that the American public really wants are the changes we'll never get.
this country has never been a true democracy. this country is a representative republic. If this was a democracy normal people would vote everyday on things and there would be no congress or president.
What the hell are you talking about? You think soldiers get to just go to the wars they want to?
And as has been stated already, Bush' election was the result of the outdated electoral college system, the majority of Americans did not vote for him.
Tell me if i'm wrong, but i feel like being intelligent is not something "positive" in america. It's like people prefer the character of the good man of the country, not very clever but full of honesty to represent them. As a matter of fact they don't seem to like complexity neither, they prefer living in a binary world, where everything is either good or wrong. I suppose that's why american voters are often duped.
Well you arent wrong it seems, if you counter bias with facts you'r looked upon as arogant and elitist. Its better to share an opinion with many others than actually knowing the facts. Big example, religion and evolution bias..
Americans didn't invade Iraq, the Bush Administration did. They used scare tactics, lied to the media and public, and, to top it off, did not follow the proper procedure of declaring war.
An alarming number of Americans are ignorant of current events but it doesn't help that our news sources either don't report important stories or flat out lie.
To those who are a little confused: the US is a Republican Democracy. All republics are democracies, but not all democracies are republics.
It's sad that people can't make that distinction that most US citizens didn't want to go to war with Iraq and those who did really didn't know what they were talking about, because of the media.
Also, George Bush was one of the few presidents who became president without a majority vote. Both times.
So don't blame general Americans - some of us want to throw our shoes at Bush too.
hmm...about iraq, im irish and i was about eight or nine years old when america invaded iraq, i distinctly remember asking my mam why america was doing this and asking why they couldn't at least wait to see if iraq actually had WMDs before invading, i also wondered why americans didnt know that bin laden and saddam hussein actually didnt like each other at all. i was fucking nine, americans have no excuse, that kind of ignorance is scary
yeah, it's really sad. we had a danish foreign exchange student come to my school and was in my government class and he knew almost more than my government teacher.
american news networks have made it their sole purpose to entertain rather than inform us. cnn for example has spent millions of dollars on fancy gadgets, the money they should spend on sending more correspondants to cover a vast majority of news stories
what are we supposed to do ? we feel powerless. Politicians wont tell us the truth. The news Media appears to most be all about who has the most shocking news event regardless of the facts.. (Fox News SUCKS ) what can we do. ? IF i walked in to Capital Hill and demanded i see the accounting books, im sure id be arrested. what do we do.. really !!
I HATE when people say this. A republic is a TYPE of democracy, an indirect type. I think people who say this either don't know that, or expect others not to so that they can feel superior.
A Republic is a form of Democracy, even the name says it.
Democracy comes from the Greek δῆμος κράτος
(demos kratos) which means power to the people,
Republic comes from the Latin Res Publica (Public Thing)
However, The 'Republic' in the Pledge refers to a form of government, namely a Representative Democracy, where we elect people to represent our views, as opposed to a Direct Democracy, Which means the country is governed by the people directly. Both are forms of a Democracy
4. any of the five periods of republican government in France. Compare First Republic, Second Republic, Third Republic, Fourth Republic, Fifth Republic.
5. a philosophical dialogue (4th century b.c.) by Plato dealing with the composition and structure of the ideal state.
re⋅pub⋅lic /rɪˈpʌblɪk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ri-puhb-lik] Show IPA
noun 1. a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.
2. any body of persons viewed as a commonwealth.
3. a state in which the head of government is not a monarch or other hereditary head of state.
No where in the definition of the word republic nor in the Declaration of Independance nor in the Constitution of the United States of America is the word democracy.
I am having this same argument father down the page. LoL. Thanks for posting it. I dont know why people are giving your thumbs down for this comment. It is the truth!
i was under the assumption that a republic is just a type of government with no monarchy, it doesn't necessarily mean that the country's a democracy. and isn't Britain a democracy but not a republic? and China the other way round?
I know what you trying to say. And personally, I think that the western world lives in an oligarchy. But thats not the topic. The topic is that someone said that America is
NOT a democracy and thats simply
not true (officially).
I know that its hard to choose between a douche and a turd sandwich.
Democracy is a bad choice but I think there is no better.
i've seen tons of people who actualy belive that the US is the most democratic and free nation in the world. i just cant get how someone could romanticize their own country so much without visiting anyother place :)
i live in Finland and it's great place to live
but i dont romanticize about it... in my opinion when ppl stop being critical about their country things tend to go more bad than good :)
I live in Germany and i get sick of it how the government runs things.
So many time is wasted to talk about how killer games are bad and how to ban them or to ban cigerettes instead of talking about how to bring jobs to the people or care about economy problems.
America is stupid....how else will he sell his book to stupid Americans who want to save trees but dont do much about it...like not much has been done about the Iraq war and other atrocities that we voted in the image of a "good American President"...The English are to blame for much of our infrastructure breakdown...look up the history!
How smart can the author of this book be if he, for some reason, believes that America is a democracy?
The country's founding document (aka The US Constitution) uses the word 'democracy' exactly zero times. That's because America is a Constitutional Republic and not a democracy. Perhaps someone should inform the author of this fact before he refers to anyone else beside himself as politically stupid.
Democracy and Constitutional Republics are different forms of government. They are mutually exclusive.
Democratic elections (not Democracy) can and do exist within Constitutional Republics. But the candidates must swear to uphold the Constitution. Therefore, you are voting for someone who you believe will "protect and defend" (ie follow the rules of) the constitution.
This is how it's supposed to work. It doesn't work because officials routinely violate their oaths of office & always have.
Ahhh i see, i was confused by your misuse of the phrase 'mutually exclusive', which means, cannot exist at the same time.
Constitutional republics, as you put it, are still a democracy because within the framework of the constitution the country is governed by the people, via democracy.
Not only that but the constitution can be democraticly amended.
You're "confused" because you don't understand the difference between the term "Democracy" (which is a form of government) and the term "democractic election" (which is a voting process, not a form of government).
Summary:
-You CAN have Constitutional Republics which use democratic elections to select officials.
-You CANNOT have a Constitutional Republic that is simultaneously a Democracy. They are different animals (ie a dog is NOT a cat).
Youre quite right, democracy is a form of government wherein political power is shared, or a "Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives."
Democratic elections are the means by which representative democracy is facilitated.
Constitutional republic simply means a society without derived monarchy with rules holding the passing of legislation in check.
@hippiefilms1 -- Not all trees are "imported." and those that r often come from rain forests. And I didn't say we shouldn't. Just that we should use paper as our medium.
Idiot, thanx for the stupid comment.
powmadeak47 1 year ago
From the whole of Europe - yes, the american voter is dumb as shit and votes in other dumbed down retards, how Obama got passed you guys is what we're all wondering. The fact that most of you now hate him just proves our point - Gunslinging ignorant fat and aggressive wannabe's trying to live up Hollywood movies. Finally some truth
gevanssa1 1 year ago 101
hey 3gxrevolution
"Fuck the trees". Yeah real smart comment. The trees give you oxygen to power that wonderful 'brain' of yours.
So fuck the trees and you are fucking yourself. I bet you do that anyway though. Go play your little video games. loser
powmadeak47 1 year ago 178
I have now officially recieved one-to-many- idiotic comments from dip-shits like "piratesthatpwn".
Comments on this video are now blocked.
If you have a rational statement or question, send it too me in a private message and I will post it for you.
powmadeak47 2 years ago
piratesthatpwn
If you had 1/2 of a brain you would know why I keep the stupid daily Show clips.
The reason is right in front of your face and you are too stupid to figure it out.
You have no "character" to attack
powmadeak47 2 years ago
how stupid are we?
all the people who bought his fucking book.
golf1262 2 years ago
The essence of democracy is that everyone's opinion, expressed in their vote, is equal to all other opinions (votes). The vote of someone who votes for a candidate's policies or character, is equal to the vote of someone who votes for a candidate because they like their hair style, or the type of dog the candidate owns.
Since W Bush's election, everyone's opinion on anything is equal to any other opinion. Science, economics, history, it is all just opinion, and all opinions are equally valid.
geezzerboy 2 years ago
A republic is a type of democracy, for gods sake. Democratic means the people elect the leaders. republic refers to the fact that you have a president who isn't in the parliament (congress), like France, Ireland etc. which are still democracies! God damn and I try NOT to believe that American schools are shit.
Fred121212 2 years ago 10
Stewart always fucking talks more than the guest and interrupts way too much. He just wants the spot light to be on him the entire time. He is funny, and smart, but a bad fucking host.
akmstarsun 2 years ago
the thing is the guest is not trying to answer the qs ... he is the only host keeping the guest to they answer the qs
hansson2000 2 years ago
For america to become more democratic you need to institute preferential voting. Otherwise there will only ever be 2 parties. In preferential voting you can vote for a minor party first and still make the difference between the major 2 parties. and if they both suck then you can actually get parties rotating. This will never happen in your system. Australia is closer but we aren't a republic which is also a problem.
someknave 2 years ago
taxpayer funded elections. all of it. no donating money and all that shit. same time for each candidate. goes a long way to helping.
ma98h 2 years ago 2
Interesting clip, but damn that watermarking is annoying. Note to the uploader of this video: When your self-advertising is so blatent and irritating, and nearly gets in the way of the content, that makes me *much less* likely to visit your site. Please tone it down...
DashRantic 2 years ago
How can one man be responsible for a hurricane? that's like saying a singular man is responsible for the tsunami in december of 04.
that kind of thinking is stupidity in plain sight.
keonisan 2 years ago
He meant that Bush was meant for the aftermath of Katrina, as in "[the] Katrina [fiasco]." I'm assuming, since he wrote a book about stupid people, that he doesn't believe Bush has godly powers.
Even Fox News coverage from that time showed the inaction of the Bush administration, and their lack of help.
keyboardplaya 2 years ago 2
"that kind of thinking is stupidity in plain sight."
so are your comments.
FaithNoMore1977 2 years ago
Yeah, i can tell you're a democrat who would rather follow a guy who will tax us to oblivion, to fulfill the new right of americans to have a free lunch.
Katrina was a disaster that was unparalleled, therefore it was difficult to get aid to the people of New orleans, but by the same token, that's the risk they took living there.
keonisan 2 years ago
you should do some research on democrat vs republican administrations. whenever a democrat is in power the average household income for middle class families increases. the opposite is true when a republican is is in office. Republicans represent the rich and powerful. a puppet of the elite. democrats as well to a point but not to the same degree. money still make the world go round.
FaithNoMore1977 2 years ago 50
Republicans by nature are the kind of leaders we need. Bush had the moral conviction that no democrat will probably ever had, and we loathed him...
Money has nothing to do with this, the people want a leader who will not threaten their ability to act by their own definition of morality.
people do deserve healthcare but only if they work for it! No free lunch for those who refuse to work.
keonisan 2 years ago
Having lived in two different countries with two different health care systems I prefer public health care.
I don't look at it as a free lunch but as the government helping me to take care of life's inevitabilities.
ktombak 2 years ago 237
As light-hearted this interview is - Rick Shenkmen is actually making quite a profound point about what being a citizen is all about. We the people get into a habit of blaming the media and politicians and big corporations for troubles around the world - but it's only because of our stupidity/ignorance that they are able to do so...
DaveKarl 2 years ago 8
GET TO THE POINT ALREADY! 2:50
aoeaoae 2 years ago
Love that you spelled American incorrectly ... absolutely priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8352731 2 years ago
a fist bump, a salad bar, alcohol, bowling, and this guy writes a book, he's making money off stupidity
99mees 2 years ago
checkmate!
jbray241x 2 years ago
Hear Hear!! Kudos to Rick Shenkman - wake up and take note America.
PeterVeddar 2 years ago
America was SUPPOSED to be a Republic dipshit...
atlcowboy2536 2 years ago 3
ROFL. Its alll the Americans fault. Sure Americans take a huge amount of blame, but dont deflect the blame where it should also lie, which is WITH GOVERNMENT. Bush lied to the public about the war and the imminent danger. They purported WMDs and many people trusted them (nievely so). But isnt that irrelevant? Why shouldnt I trust my government to protect me? You're saying I shouldnt trust the government? Then whats the point of elected leaders?
vidfreak56 2 years ago
i was just watching some satirical religious videos and now that i watched this im just ashamed to be part of our doomed species...and im 15.
luckynumber58 2 years ago 6
Cheer up kid.
uptightkid 2 years ago
america is a fuckin republic dipshit!!!
akaskyscraper 2 years ago
pretty stupid most people would just get other people to do it
worriedaboutlife 2 years ago
Really good points... i like jon stewart... have you ever looked at a 20 dollar bill on weed????
operation1enduring1b 2 years ago
nope. i use my 20 dollar bills to buy weed.
dracpcpp 2 years ago 2
Pursuit of happiness = Ignorance is bliss
"Checkmate" LMAO!
Jacboy71 2 years ago 5
Seriously! We are a nation of ignorant fools! This has been true forever... the fact that the guy quotes Ambrose Bierce of all people proves that. Not much we can do about it now.
jackkoffin1 2 years ago 6
Excellent!
radia333 2 years ago
Democracy? We were NOT set to be a democracy. We were meant to be a republic. We have been sold the idea of democracy but that is not what we started with.
Humans are powerful creatures! The most powerful in the universe. Look at the world we have created. We could create something different at any moment if we chose to!
Tanui188 2 years ago
You're absolutely right, I don't know why you have thumbs down. The founding fathers based the government and ideals of America on the roman republic, going so far as to name city's after roman generals and use roman city planning and building styles.
If only people would discover that they CAN have an effect, and it's their apathy that allows so many bad things to go on in the world. Just being a conscious consumer can have a HUGE difference, you don't even have to do anything drastic.
GreyDancer42 2 years ago 4
Thanks! I dont know why I have the thumbs down either. I wish people would put a comment to their disapproval so I would know why. LoL
I call is conscience awareness. We dont have to walk on water we just need to be aware of what we are doing! We can make big differences.
I dont know if people have something aganist republics.
Tanui188 2 years ago
I think people just have something against thinking and being responsible for things ;)
GreyDancer42 2 years ago 2
Brother I couldnt agree more. I think people want the government to be responsible for individuals lives instead of being personally responsible!
Tanui188 2 years ago
we're a democratic republic....as in we fallow the consitution (even tho congress and many presidents have forgotten that) which is a republic, and we elect our representativesinto office, which is a democracy. u don't understand much about political idealigies do u...if the US didnt have the republic aspect to us, we would be totally fucked, more so than we already are.
AnthraxByEmail 2 years ago 2
The founding fathers were proud to call us a republic not a democracy.
"At the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 18, 1787, a Mrs. Powel anxiously awaited the results, and as Benjamin Franklin emerged from the long task now finished, asked him directly: "Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" "A republic if you can keep it" responded Franklin.
Tanui188 2 years ago 2
A republic is a type of representative democracy.
BigMikeMcBastard 2 years ago 2
But our idea with a republic is not to have masses rule. Our fore fathers wanted to protect all individuals.
Tanui188 2 years ago
The masses do rule, only they do it through democratically elected representatives. It's not the same sort of democracy as the Greeks founded, when they only had small city-states to worry about governing, but it's still democracy.
BigMikeMcBastard 2 years ago
im sorry to shatter your perception of reality but america is not a democracy. If you think the people elect presidents you're wrong.
the masses don't rule we live in an oligarchy.
do your research.
downshifttt 2 years ago 6
Right, the Illuminati rules from the shadows and the Freemasons and the Zionists pull the strings of global politics.
The world is a lot less complicated than you think.
BigMikeMcBastard 2 years ago
We definitely dont live in a simple world.
Why dont you find out who funded obama's campaign? Winning an election is easy as long as you got the most money towards PR (public relations) aka propaganda.
Do you think americans do their own research when choosing who to vote for?
Its simply influence of the media.
If you have the capital to invest to spread your influence through mass media, you will surely see a return on that investment.
Thats the result when there isnt a free press.
downshifttt 2 years ago
None of that suggests that the US is an oligarchy, unless you're also suggesting that every single other supposed democracy is in fact an oligarchy as well. In which case I suppose the only possible way you could have a democracy is if you didn't allow people and companies to donate to your campaign, right?
Ironically, if that were the case, then you truly might have an oligarchy, as only the personally wealthy could ever hope to run.
BigMikeMcBastard 2 years ago
You got a tartan?
Hullawthere 2 years ago
Why yes, of course, there's the famous McBastard family tartan. Rarely seen, never forgotten.
BigMikeMcBastard 2 years ago
Thats strange, i don't remenber it
Hullawthere 2 years ago
we are ruled by an oligarchy because the people are too lazy to pay attention to what is going on!!!!
gggreggg 2 years ago
you have very nice spelling and grammar, I can tell you did very well in school.
chaoman223 2 years ago
the US is not a democratic republic. did you actually think that? check ur election process and you will see... each vote does not count.
manwithemeraldeyes 2 years ago
So, which country do you think has a democratic system for example?
Morpf 2 years ago
no country is truly democratic. if usa was truly democratic each issue of importance would be voted on by the people and not left up to some group of rich aristocrats who are so out of touch with the needs of the common man that its a joke that they are supposed to represent their needs. if usa is democratic why are they in a war in iraq or have army bases all over the world? do ppl honestly want their dollars going to murdering ppl in far away lands or helping them at home
drillahmon 2 years ago 7
you won't believe it, but yes they do. i think you mean the old greek democracy when you say true D. this system is not possible with more than a few thousends of people. so many countries have a representative D.
so people in america vote for people they want to make a decision for them. it is a democracy.
but i get your problem. let's say it with churchill:
"it think democracy is a bad system, but tell me a better one!"
Morpf 2 years ago
We are a republic, not a democracy. There is a difference.
sugarhigh0307 2 years ago
We are a democratic republic, there is a difference
pakage419 2 years ago 10
touche
sugarhigh0307 2 years ago 3
"The most powerful in the universe."
how do you konw that?
HilfeDirtbag 2 years ago
i don't know how you got a thumbs down for that, but i gave you an "up"
99mees 2 years ago
democracy lool you are hilarious grey haired man
zayadnay 2 years ago 3
*chuckles* I will vote when we get a candidate I can tolerate or when the electoral college is disbanded.
silentsoliloquy82 2 years ago 4
We are in charge? *falls over laughing*
silentsoliloquy82 2 years ago 2
Humans are ignorant shits.
Seigu007 2 years ago 16
Comment removed
rardinshnak 2 years ago
I'm glad you agree puny human.
rardinshnak 2 years ago
This is a democracy? How do you tell?
clementinemcmuhammed 2 years ago
Second paragraph of what? You're going to have to be a lot more specific if I'm going to do anything.
Aoitetsugakusha 2 years ago
Americans have to show interest in politics and start being critical to what politicians and media says. Don't forget the belief that everything whats said in media is right and that politicians know what they're talking about and that they intend to do whats best for citizens led to WW2!
californiaboy92 2 years ago
Aristotle and Plato probably the most celebrated thinkers of the last 2500 years, detested democracy...hmm
skydome29 2 years ago
Note, however, that as historically significant as both of them were, virtually none of their ideas are still used, much less implemented. In other words, we remember them for their thoughts, but we don't necessarily say the contents of those thoughts were good models.
Aoitetsugakusha 2 years ago
well we did for almost 2000 years. If it takes that long to be irrelevant than they can be considered vital for knowledge we possess today. Yes Socrates believed magnets have souls but consider plato's ship and how much it still applies or aristotle's syllogism or theory of forms...
skydome29 2 years ago
Not really; their ideas never really applied outside of the realm of philosophy in any event. To this day, I've never seen the theory of forms or of potentials ever applied in any discipline. The ideas of those three philosophers are more often used as food for thought in philosophy and literature than in actual practice.
Aoitetsugakusha 2 years ago
you must be kidding, you've never looked at the opposite (or same) sex and said she's attractive...? Oh an I'm pretty positive the basis for LOGICISTICS is applied to everything but government policies, and scientific methods (a=b=c)
skydome29 2 years ago
Those things you've mentioned have nothing to do with the ideas of the philosophers you mentioned, unless you're trying to say that one of them came up with the idea of sexual attraction, which would be false, the same being true if you think one of them came up with logistics, which had been around long before anyone made a term for it.
They DID have a historical role in the evolution of science and natural philosophy, but the scientific method itself comes much later than Aristotle.
Aoitetsugakusha 2 years ago
I know but they laid the basis for it (scientific method) , logistics obviously was I agree but Aristotle improved upon it greatly with syllogism. Philosphy applies to astronomy, sociology, physics...and so on. For example the catalysts for science in the "known world" were atomists, who were philosophers to begin with.
skydome29 2 years ago
Are you talking about logistics or logic? They're two very different things. Syllogisms are important, but compared to today's logical systems, the syllogism is minuscule and has been replaced with the more formal, more general modus ponens.
Everyone acknowledges the philosophers of Socrates' time and the pre-Socratics for their contributions to revolutionary ideas, but there is a point at which that contribution is overstated. They were historically important, but they were only philosophers.
Aoitetsugakusha 2 years ago
If Americans were smart, they wouldnt immediately believe what politicians(or anyone in general) say. "Think for yourself, question authority."-Timothy Leary
americaincorporated 2 years ago 5
America......owned by China
nielso212 2 years ago 3
Comment removed
MrSmiles1994 2 years ago
"You're"
EmperorEva0001 2 years ago
Where do you live? because I live in the US and i've never once met anyone, from any political party, that thought the electoral college was the best way. Nor have i met anyone with any knowledge on the subject that thought a congress without term limits was anything but bad.
The problem is the same government body that decides these things is the body that changing them would harm, therefore the changes that the American public really wants are the changes we'll never get.
ThatGuy042 2 years ago
I am from NY, live in VA, I lean left, and I think the electoral college is just fine. Pleased to meet you.
DanHipp 2 years ago
Alright, would you mind explaining why you think the electoral college to be necessary?
ThatGuy042 2 years ago
Ya I do.
DanHipp 2 years ago
is that an explanation?
victorilubiano 2 years ago
no.
DanHipp 2 years ago
Can you give one logical reason why the electoral college is better than a popular vote?
itswink 2 years ago
Yes.
DanHipp 2 years ago
let me restate that for him.
Give one logical reason why the electoral college is better than a popular vote.
victorilubiano 2 years ago
In 2000 George Bush was elected instead of Al Gore.
enoch6977 2 years ago
that has nothing to do with what i asked
victorilubiano 2 years ago
HA i'm sorry did u say ELECTED...?his cousin ran the ballet counts...your *ucking frightinly wrong my friend
Alienpimp33 2 years ago
I'm not your friend...BUDDY!
enoch6977 2 years ago
He has no logical reason, he's just razzing you and you fell for it.
Kinghoran 2 years ago
Your first claim is wrong, but your second is right.
DanHipp 2 years ago
ahh good times...
itswink 2 years ago
It's not a democracy when it's possible for one party to win just over 50% of the vote (in a two party system) and yet retain 100% of power.
TheYellowTelevision 2 years ago 7
this country has never been a true democracy. this country is a representative republic. If this was a democracy normal people would vote everyday on things and there would be no congress or president.
DarknessFalls54 2 years ago 12
This is a democracy, one in which the people stupidly choose a two party system.
yellowkrux 2 years ago 2
That's my point, the majority of overall voters did not vote to elect Bush in the first place, regardless of what happened on a per state basis.
2000 Election Bush Gore
Popular vote: 50,456,002 50,999,897
Electoral vote: 271 266
I think there is certainly room to consider that the American voter is working under a broken system.
ThatGuy042 2 years ago 6
Republic or a Democracy, hmm....
BurritoPirateXO 2 years ago
What the hell are you talking about? You think soldiers get to just go to the wars they want to?
And as has been stated already, Bush' election was the result of the outdated electoral college system, the majority of Americans did not vote for him.
ThatGuy042 2 years ago 9
How many wars are there? 2? Afghanistan and Iraq? They can say hello to each other over the mountains! =)
ashthegreat 2 years ago
i also hear russia can say hello to alaska...
skydome29 2 years ago
Best statement ever.
War is God's way of teaching Americans geography. lol
HierNameneingeben 2 years ago 4
Tell me if i'm wrong, but i feel like being intelligent is not something "positive" in america. It's like people prefer the character of the good man of the country, not very clever but full of honesty to represent them. As a matter of fact they don't seem to like complexity neither, they prefer living in a binary world, where everything is either good or wrong. I suppose that's why american voters are often duped.
thatjazzZ 2 years ago
Well you arent wrong it seems, if you counter bias with facts you'r looked upon as arogant and elitist. Its better to share an opinion with many others than actually knowing the facts. Big example, religion and evolution bias..
kakeloff87 2 years ago
all voters are stuped cos ypor vote means jack shit
all the partys are on the same side .
its just a game to them they all ways say CHANGE
and they all ways go back on ther words "ALL WAYS"
and we keep on falling for it .time after time after time
but this may be the last time for a lot of us if not all
BRAINSTORM555 2 years ago
Exactly, which makes it a type of democracy. Pretty clearly.
Mbast1 2 years ago
Americans didn't invade Iraq, the Bush Administration did. They used scare tactics, lied to the media and public, and, to top it off, did not follow the proper procedure of declaring war.
An alarming number of Americans are ignorant of current events but it doesn't help that our news sources either don't report important stories or flat out lie.
To those who are a little confused: the US is a Republican Democracy. All republics are democracies, but not all democracies are republics.
pixfrk 2 years ago 5
It's sad that people can't make that distinction that most US citizens didn't want to go to war with Iraq and those who did really didn't know what they were talking about, because of the media.
Also, George Bush was one of the few presidents who became president without a majority vote. Both times.
So don't blame general Americans - some of us want to throw our shoes at Bush too.
smartchikchick 2 years ago
It's sad that you all sat there and watch this happen!
You could have done something... There are no excuses!
MarilynFilth 2 years ago
hmm...about iraq, im irish and i was about eight or nine years old when america invaded iraq, i distinctly remember asking my mam why america was doing this and asking why they couldn't at least wait to see if iraq actually had WMDs before invading, i also wondered why americans didnt know that bin laden and saddam hussein actually didnt like each other at all. i was fucking nine, americans have no excuse, that kind of ignorance is scary
gpjos 2 years ago 5
yeah, it's really sad. we had a danish foreign exchange student come to my school and was in my government class and he knew almost more than my government teacher.
cameroooon89 2 years ago
democracy is the greatest form of social life under one condition. the citizins of such democracy must be
1) well educated ... (with knowledge)
2) well informed ... ( with facts)
lacking anyone of these democracy would be the worst form of social life since lies and ignorance would only give a corrupt form of government.
that is a fine line ppl should know.
madmajed 2 years ago 5
american news networks have made it their sole purpose to entertain rather than inform us. cnn for example has spent millions of dollars on fancy gadgets, the money they should spend on sending more correspondants to cover a vast majority of news stories
lovergurlz10001 2 years ago 2
what are we supposed to do ? we feel powerless. Politicians wont tell us the truth. The news Media appears to most be all about who has the most shocking news event regardless of the facts.. (Fox News SUCKS ) what can we do. ? IF i walked in to Capital Hill and demanded i see the accounting books, im sure id be arrested. what do we do.. really !!
StudioMixxx 2 years ago
oopsy, I meant to place "quotations" around the first sentence.
ye11owsn0w 2 years ago
The US was designed to be a republic, not a democracy.
So much for attentiveness.
ChiefHoot 2 years ago
I HATE when people say this. A republic is a TYPE of democracy, an indirect type. I think people who say this either don't know that, or expect others not to so that they can feel superior.
Mbast1 2 years ago
A Republic and a Democracy are seperate forms of government.
A Republican government is as much a type of Democratic government as is an apple like a self-aware reptilian.
ChiefHoot 2 years ago
Sorry, but this is just wrong. A republic IS a democracy, one with a layer between your vote and policy. It's fairly easy to look up.
Mbast1 2 years ago
Please visit my page and access the video "The Republic of the United States of America" to learn the differences.
The United States of America was founded upon being a Republic, not a Democracy.
If you remember the Pledge of Allegiance "...to the Republic, for which it stands..."
Not "the Democracy" which is an entirely different form of government. A Republic.
You will not find the word Democracy any where in the US Constitution or Declaration of Independence.
Please educate yourself.
ChiefHoot 2 years ago
A Republic is a form of Democracy, even the name says it.
Democracy comes from the Greek δῆμος κράτος
(demos kratos) which means power to the people,
Republic comes from the Latin Res Publica (Public Thing)
However, The 'Republic' in the Pledge refers to a form of government, namely a Representative Democracy, where we elect people to represent our views, as opposed to a Direct Democracy, Which means the country is governed by the people directly. Both are forms of a Democracy
Bananas1000 2 years ago 2
4. any of the five periods of republican government in France. Compare First Republic, Second Republic, Third Republic, Fourth Republic, Fifth Republic.
5. a philosophical dialogue (4th century b.c.) by Plato dealing with the composition and structure of the ideal state.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Origin:
15951605; < F république, MF < L rēs pūblica, equiv. to rēs thing, entity + pūblica public
ChiefHoot 2 years ago
re⋅pub⋅lic /rɪˈpʌblɪk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ri-puhb-lik] Show IPA
noun 1. a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.
2. any body of persons viewed as a commonwealth.
3. a state in which the head of government is not a monarch or other hereditary head of state.
ChiefHoot 2 years ago
No where in the definition of the word republic nor in the Declaration of Independance nor in the Constitution of the United States of America is the word democracy.
ChiefHoot 2 years ago
I am having this same argument father down the page. LoL. Thanks for posting it. I dont know why people are giving your thumbs down for this comment. It is the truth!
Tanui188 2 years ago
i was under the assumption that a republic is just a type of government with no monarchy, it doesn't necessarily mean that the country's a democracy. and isn't Britain a democracy but not a republic? and China the other way round?
gpjos 2 years ago 3
Comment removed
ChiefHoot 2 years ago
99% of American believe that Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda is behind 9/11.
josephstra 2 years ago 3
Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda ARE behind 9/11
100% of the people who read your post think your a dumbass.
ye11owsn0w 2 years ago 2
Aside from the questionable Bin Laden tapes, the evidence is?? ... nothing, zip, ziltch! Again if you face the truth, then there is no evidence.
josephstra 2 years ago 3
I like how the feds can find the kids who did marijuana using Michael Phelp's picture and not Osama. sigh...
Fuck it.
QCstudent12 2 years ago
this show is GOOOD!!!...
temarisand 3 years ago
All wrong. The US is a REPUBLIC not a democracy.
halaxis 3 years ago
the US is a democratic republic.
republics can be democratic you know
evilblades 2 years ago
Even if the USA were supposed to be a democracy, it is far from one. Instead, it's a Corporatocracy and a carefully concealed oligarchy
Darusdei 3 years ago 2
To Darusdei and cosmodeluxe:
I know what you trying to say. And personally, I think that the western world lives in an oligarchy. But thats not the topic. The topic is that someone said that America is
NOT a democracy and thats simply
not true (officially).
I know that its hard to choose between a douche and a turd sandwich.
Democracy is a bad choice but I think there is no better.
eddievanpenis 3 years ago
Yeh :)
i've seen tons of people who actualy belive that the US is the most democratic and free nation in the world. i just cant get how someone could romanticize their own country so much without visiting anyother place :)
i live in Finland and it's great place to live
but i dont romanticize about it... in my opinion when ppl stop being critical about their country things tend to go more bad than good :)
Darusdei 3 years ago
So true,
I live in Germany and i get sick of it how the government runs things.
So many time is wasted to talk about how killer games are bad and how to ban them or to ban cigerettes instead of talking about how to bring jobs to the people or care about economy problems.
Its all about to get elected and nepotism.
eddievanpenis 3 years ago
oh yeah, germany isnt there some kinda ban against violent video games?
some games where you kill humans the developers have changed humans to zombies or robots or thats what i've heard...
i once played rainbow six and thought there was too little blood so i downloaded some german bloodpack to fix the thing :DD
Darusdei 3 years ago
Well,
it´s more like cutting media but a few games were banned like Gears of War.
eddievanpenis 3 years ago
the us is not a Democracy is a Republic.
Alexodia 2 years ago
the two aren't mutually exclusive
moondog999 2 years ago
LOL..... Jon is wonderful.
OnePineTree 3 years ago
I LOVE JON !"!
StreightX 3 years ago
"ignorance is bliss"...so true, lol, that was a great argument for Jon, however reality is quite sad.
zic32 3 years ago
As long as MORONS continue to vote, we're ALL going to pay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
roeskid6 3 years ago
dumbass u think by flasing your website i would have the urge to type in that name on my browser?
IM NOT AMERICAN HELLOOO
CFu 3 years ago
jon stuart is so bad ass... check mate.. lol
MaNu469 3 years ago
The theme of the book is STUPID AMERICANS not humans! the video's title should be amended.
dikeasanchez 3 years ago
America is stupid....how else will he sell his book to stupid Americans who want to save trees but dont do much about it...like not much has been done about the Iraq war and other atrocities that we voted in the image of a "good American President"...The English are to blame for much of our infrastructure breakdown...look up the history!
assyrio78 3 years ago
so true, i hate english ppl being half english myself
ahmology 3 years ago
Hm. Close minded?
ebonyil22 3 years ago
lol, nice, throw the blame to the others!
RockeroNato 3 years ago
Google Video: Waking Life
reYKCuf 3 years ago
fuck yeah i love that movie....best postmodern mind fuck around
dchalf10 3 years ago
were in god green earth did he pull them stats from? doesn't he know that 46.7% of stats are made up on the spot.
macca24680 3 years ago
this being 1 off em???
saintconnnor 3 years ago
Jon Stewart is hilarious!!
kcroyalmarine99 3 years ago 3
How smart can the author of this book be if he, for some reason, believes that America is a democracy?
The country's founding document (aka The US Constitution) uses the word 'democracy' exactly zero times. That's because America is a Constitutional Republic and not a democracy. Perhaps someone should inform the author of this fact before he refers to anyone else beside himself as politically stupid.
healthhavencom 3 years ago
Errrr... Republic means no king, and constitutional means abiding by the rules of a constitution.
None of that precludes it being a democracy, or a system where the majority rules, either directly or by representation.
enderwiggin42 3 years ago
America was founded as a Constitutional Republic. It is not a democracy.
You wrote: "constitutional means abiding by the RULES of the constitution"
Then you claim: "None of that precludes it being a democracy, or a system where the majority RULES."
But the truth is: Constitutional Government and Majority Rule are mutually exclusive concepts.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"
Benjamin Franklin
healthhavencom 3 years ago
I dont want to wax semantic, but from its inception America has elected ruling officials, the very definition of a democracy.
"....mutually exclusive concepts"
What? then what is america now? You have a constitution and the right to vote.
Nice quote from BF, but utterly irrelevant in regards to a country where people vote to remove the rights of minorities (Prop 8 etc.)
enderwiggin42 3 years ago
Democracy and Constitutional Republics are different forms of government. They are mutually exclusive.
Democratic elections (not Democracy) can and do exist within Constitutional Republics. But the candidates must swear to uphold the Constitution. Therefore, you are voting for someone who you believe will "protect and defend" (ie follow the rules of) the constitution.
This is how it's supposed to work. It doesn't work because officials routinely violate their oaths of office & always have.
healthhavencom 3 years ago
Ahhh i see, i was confused by your misuse of the phrase 'mutually exclusive', which means, cannot exist at the same time.
Constitutional republics, as you put it, are still a democracy because within the framework of the constitution the country is governed by the people, via democracy.
Not only that but the constitution can be democraticly amended.
enderwiggin42 3 years ago
You're "confused" because you don't understand the difference between the term "Democracy" (which is a form of government) and the term "democractic election" (which is a voting process, not a form of government).
Summary:
-You CAN have Constitutional Republics which use democratic elections to select officials.
-You CANNOT have a Constitutional Republic that is simultaneously a Democracy. They are different animals (ie a dog is NOT a cat).
healthhavencom 3 years ago
Youre quite right, democracy is a form of government wherein political power is shared, or a "Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives."
Democratic elections are the means by which representative democracy is facilitated.
Constitutional republic simply means a society without derived monarchy with rules holding the passing of legislation in check.
More or less.
enderwiggin42 3 years ago