Hello Dale,
I think that the USA constitution is doing just fine, in spite of how
it is getting strained lately. After all it has lasted intact more
than almost any other country's constitution.
MVDV>> Because it is impossible to change it and adding amendments
MVDV>> is vey difficult. When push comes to shove that rigidity
MVDV>> may turn out to be a weakness. It can not be adapted to a
MVDV>> rapidly changing world.
That was done by intent of the founding fathers. They wanted something that
might stand the test of time.
The framers of the US Constitution wanted something that would
protect their own vested interests, including ownership of slaves.
They were totally unconcerned about women, black folks, or anybody
under age 25. And lets not get into what they thought about who
were gay, lesbian, or transgender. These were old white folks who
owned property (slaves) and would never give up what they had.
MVDV>> A basic weakness of democracy is that it can turn itself
MVDV>> into a dictatoship if that is what the majority wants. You
And that is why the USA is not a "pure" democracy, but has three
branches of government which are supposed to be co-equal and which are supposed to act as checks and balances against abuse of power by any one branch.
All democracies have fascist tendencies. Including the USA. All
democracies are also fragile, not taking much to go rogue. It is
a concept that is very difficult to keep and maintain, and easily
lost if care is not taken to protect what exists.
Germany had a democracy, and lost it through legal means, giving
the world Adolf Hitler and his National Socialists. Argentina had
a democracy, and lost it through legal means, giving the world
Juan Peron and his lovely wife, Evita. Brazil claims to have a
democracy, but has actually lost it with their current president.
I would hate to find out what the USA will become if Donald Trump
remains POTUS after the election in November. Maybe he will not
concede, and just remain there forever, like an orange stain, and
claim the election was rigged.
That is the fatal flaw in the US Constitution (and all other
constitutions of democratic states). One thing the framers of
the Constitution did not think about was how to secure the
peaceful transition of power. Ditto with all other constitutions
around the world. Nobody was smart enough to figure out how to
do that. Everybody assumed it's going to happen. An incumbent
loses, then steps down from office, allowing the winner to take
office. But what if some dingbat loses, but refuses to concede,
choosing to remain?
MVDV>> (plural) keep saying that in the US there are checks and
MVDV>> balances that prevent that. I do not share your confidence.
MVDV>> On the contrary, I wonder if that accident in slow motion
MVDV>> isn't exactly what we are watching right now... :(
I certainly hope that does not happen, but that the USA gets pulled back from the brink by the next election.
How? President Trump has already said he would not concede, even
if it is shown he has clearly lost on election night. What then?
Rather than a stolen election, we would be left with an election
with no result. A president who has lost, according to the polls,
but not willing to concede. There is no mechanism in our vaunted
US Constitution to make him leave. None whatsoever.
MVDV>> And no, I am not saying it can not happen here....
Actually, I know far less of your government than you and most Europeans know about the USA government.
European countries have the same problem as the USA. The one
thing they do not secure is the peaceful succession of power.
I know more about the British Government than that of other European countries, probably because I lived there for three years.
That may be, but the British also have the same problem, even with
an unwritten constitution.
According to Lawrence Douglas, all democratic systems assume that
political actors (Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, etc.) have absorbed
whatever norms there are that make the system work. But what if you
have a crazy man in office who ignores the norms, and you have a
party that also ignores the norms, that facilitates the rejection
of those norms, and if you have a news media that is fractured (real
news vs fake news) that rewards the president for rejecting those
norms, you're in a very dangerous situation.
There is only one way out of this. The only way out is not to go
there. But what if we are already there? What if we no longer have
a way out? The president is no longer putting up a fight to win
the coming presidential election because he knows there is no way
possible for him to win. Just not enough votes out there for him.
So what has he chosen to do? Since we have to have an election,
and federal law forbids him from postponing it indefintely, he can
stay by not conceding and refusing to leave.
Oh. You protest. Joe Biden would be declared the president by the
news media, and be sworn into office by Justice Roberts. What a pipe
dream. President Trump would simply claim the election was rigged
and be sworn into office for a second term by Justice Clarence Thomas.
See how that works? Not a stolen election, but an election with no
result. No binding result. Meaning President Donald Trump forever.
Oh, what a "stable genius" we have with our fine president!
--Lee
--
You're fired, Donald!
--- MesNews/1.08.05.00-gb
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