Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Democrats on 9-11 commission walk out on Bush

smooth · 04-30-2004, 08:08 AM

I find it strange that you're citing a civics book as your ground but you seem to be missing some basic concepts.

First of all, you are going back and forth between two issues. I'm not confused about the nature of the commission, I was responding to your disdain for members of congress, which you just demonstrated again.

Secondly, the president isn't answerable to the people. They vote, the electoral college decides where their votes will go. Your personal vote does not elect the president. If you have a problem understanding how that makes him less answerable to the public than a member of congress, whose position does depend on each of his or her constituent's vote, re-read your "Civics 101" book.

Lastly, the president isn't the entire executive branch, and he doesn't wield absolute power, in any case. That would be under the section most likely called "Checks and Balances" in the intro textbook you may or may not have read.

I should also add that when something comes out of Congress, given that all members are directly elected officials and given that they have to come to a majority before acting, it actually has more "democratic" weight than when a single person makes a declaration.

04-30-2004, 08:08 AM	#18 (permalink)
smooth Junkie Location: Right here	I find it strange that you're citing a civics book as your ground but you seem to be missing some basic concepts. First of all, you are going back and forth between two issues. I'm not confused about the nature of the commission, I was responding to your disdain for members of congress, which you just demonstrated again. Secondly, the president isn't answerable to the people. They vote, the electoral college decides where their votes will go. Your personal vote does not elect the president. If you have a problem understanding how that makes him less answerable to the public than a member of congress, whose position does depend on each of his or her constituent's vote, re-read your "Civics 101" book. Lastly, the president isn't the entire executive branch, and he doesn't wield absolute power, in any case. That would be under the section most likely called "Checks and Balances" in the intro textbook you may or may not have read. I should also add that when something comes out of Congress, given that all members are directly elected officials and given that they have to come to a majority before acting, it actually has more "democratic" weight than when a single person makes a declaration. __________________ "The theory of a free press is that truth will emerge from free discussion, not that it will be presented perfectly and instantly in any one account." -- Walter Lippmann "You measure democracy by the freedom it gives its dissidents, not the freedom it gives its assimilated conformists." -- Abbie Hoffman Last edited by smooth; 04-30-2004 at 08:10 AM..