As a teenager a common conflict resolution used to get parents to a consensus closer to the majority outlook of the family (i.e. the kids), the words “We are a democracy right? So majority rules.”
Weak parenting would fall for the intra-political family ploy. The wise family regarded the vote with consideration of the consequences of the end result; thus deciding accordingly even if the majority was not on board.
This is a microcosm of real politics for nations to determine their system of the rule of law.
A pure democracy sounds good but is it? Think about it: In pure democracy decisions (that can be critical) are voted upon by all that are enfranchised to vote. Is every enfranchised voter qualified to make a decision that affects national policy or the rights of individuals? Does a fry cook comprehend the intricacies of billion and trillion dollar budgets and where the money for the mongo sized budgets come from? Does an educated economist or politician that is wealthy comprehend the social intricacies of the working poor (or non-working poor) living a life of a small paycheck to paycheck where familial cohesion is based on the values or lack thereof?
I am trying to get you to visualize the extremes of a nation’s economic spectrum. The poor’s aspirations are usually centered on survival and whatever entertain their limitations can provide to make a mundane life illusory. The wealthy or upper middle class’ aspirations are usually centered upon hard work to maintain economic freedom with entertainment only being the reward of the accomplishments achieved. There is no concept of day to day economic survival for wealthy because more than likely they have received the education and/or mentoring to maintain at least a minimal level of success.
Then there is the group in between: Which are the lower middle class and the middle class. These guys look behind trying to muster a lifestyle in they do not slide into the working poor. These guys look ahead to emulate the wealthy to try and figure out a paradigm for an upgrade to the wealthy class. The beauty of America is that some succeed on finding the right paradigm. The tragedy of America is that more fail to find the paradigm and are blessed to maintain their status or cursed (in their minds) to slip into the working poor realm.
Really if there is any class bitterness I am guessing it would be found among the lower middle class and the middle class. If there is a basis of joy in achieving the rewards that come with money, a failure will most likely cause bitterness.
It is hard for the working poor to bust out of their lifestyle because it is an embedded cycle in their mind that is nearly allows assuaged by the illusion of entertainment and/or faith. In other words there is a satisfaction that forestalls the cracking out of the working poor cycle of life.
It is equally hard for the wealthy class to find themselves in a situation that permanently thrusts them into the middle class, the lower class or the working poor. Why is this? It is simple. The wealthy class has had the training, the education and the familial environment to reverse bad economic circumstances. The wealthy class mindset (as opposed to the working poor) is always to achieve in such a way that improvement moves upwardly or achievement reverses set-backs.
America is the land of opportunity and anyone that is disciplined enough can acquire the mindset that eventually breeds the success of the wealthy. Lack of a vision and satisfaction usually means an individual will maintain the status he was born into.
Now here is the thing about democracy. A pure democracy without godly values and the power of the mob vote is capable of forming a coalition and utilizing political power to easily force the wealthy to share the fruit of their labor with those who did not work for it. Fairness would be defined variously in a democratic mobocracy. The coalition with the most votes promulgates their definition of fairness over the minority’s definition of fairness.
Or the democratic mobocracy might be a coalition of wealthy, upper class and middle class versus the working poor and the lower class. The result is a differing view of economic fairness that could exploit the labor and taxation of the working poor and lower class.
Just like wise families, America is not a democracy. America is a Republic. A political scientist may call America a representative Republic but I think a democratic Republic fits well also. Enfranchised citizens vote for various government Offices in which the Candidate represents the constituent. The elected Candidate then has to mull over what is good for his constituency vs. what the constituency wants. (Unfortunately modern American elections have turned into the money of Special Interests influencing the votes of constituencies – thus the term buying an election.)
With that in mind here is a fascinating video I found on The Conservative News Intelligence Network (CNIN). CNIN is what many would call the fringe right so I am not so sure I endorse their form of Conservatism; nonetheless CNIN somewhat demonstrates the frustration of the possibility of the Left transforming America into something She was not founded to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGHlvnqPdH0
JRH 2/27/09
Weak parenting would fall for the intra-political family ploy. The wise family regarded the vote with consideration of the consequences of the end result; thus deciding accordingly even if the majority was not on board.
This is a microcosm of real politics for nations to determine their system of the rule of law.
A pure democracy sounds good but is it? Think about it: In pure democracy decisions (that can be critical) are voted upon by all that are enfranchised to vote. Is every enfranchised voter qualified to make a decision that affects national policy or the rights of individuals? Does a fry cook comprehend the intricacies of billion and trillion dollar budgets and where the money for the mongo sized budgets come from? Does an educated economist or politician that is wealthy comprehend the social intricacies of the working poor (or non-working poor) living a life of a small paycheck to paycheck where familial cohesion is based on the values or lack thereof?
I am trying to get you to visualize the extremes of a nation’s economic spectrum. The poor’s aspirations are usually centered on survival and whatever entertain their limitations can provide to make a mundane life illusory. The wealthy or upper middle class’ aspirations are usually centered upon hard work to maintain economic freedom with entertainment only being the reward of the accomplishments achieved. There is no concept of day to day economic survival for wealthy because more than likely they have received the education and/or mentoring to maintain at least a minimal level of success.
Then there is the group in between: Which are the lower middle class and the middle class. These guys look behind trying to muster a lifestyle in they do not slide into the working poor. These guys look ahead to emulate the wealthy to try and figure out a paradigm for an upgrade to the wealthy class. The beauty of America is that some succeed on finding the right paradigm. The tragedy of America is that more fail to find the paradigm and are blessed to maintain their status or cursed (in their minds) to slip into the working poor realm.
Really if there is any class bitterness I am guessing it would be found among the lower middle class and the middle class. If there is a basis of joy in achieving the rewards that come with money, a failure will most likely cause bitterness.
It is hard for the working poor to bust out of their lifestyle because it is an embedded cycle in their mind that is nearly allows assuaged by the illusion of entertainment and/or faith. In other words there is a satisfaction that forestalls the cracking out of the working poor cycle of life.
It is equally hard for the wealthy class to find themselves in a situation that permanently thrusts them into the middle class, the lower class or the working poor. Why is this? It is simple. The wealthy class has had the training, the education and the familial environment to reverse bad economic circumstances. The wealthy class mindset (as opposed to the working poor) is always to achieve in such a way that improvement moves upwardly or achievement reverses set-backs.
America is the land of opportunity and anyone that is disciplined enough can acquire the mindset that eventually breeds the success of the wealthy. Lack of a vision and satisfaction usually means an individual will maintain the status he was born into.
Now here is the thing about democracy. A pure democracy without godly values and the power of the mob vote is capable of forming a coalition and utilizing political power to easily force the wealthy to share the fruit of their labor with those who did not work for it. Fairness would be defined variously in a democratic mobocracy. The coalition with the most votes promulgates their definition of fairness over the minority’s definition of fairness.
Or the democratic mobocracy might be a coalition of wealthy, upper class and middle class versus the working poor and the lower class. The result is a differing view of economic fairness that could exploit the labor and taxation of the working poor and lower class.
Just like wise families, America is not a democracy. America is a Republic. A political scientist may call America a representative Republic but I think a democratic Republic fits well also. Enfranchised citizens vote for various government Offices in which the Candidate represents the constituent. The elected Candidate then has to mull over what is good for his constituency vs. what the constituency wants. (Unfortunately modern American elections have turned into the money of Special Interests influencing the votes of constituencies – thus the term buying an election.)
With that in mind here is a fascinating video I found on The Conservative News Intelligence Network (CNIN). CNIN is what many would call the fringe right so I am not so sure I endorse their form of Conservatism; nonetheless CNIN somewhat demonstrates the frustration of the possibility of the Left transforming America into something She was not founded to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGHlvnqPdH0
JRH 2/27/09
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