Bush takes notes from Stalin

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/350803_military11.html

Is Democracy great, I don't know, there has never been a democracy, switzerland comes close.

A report that critiicizes both Generals Tommy Franks, and Colin Powell has to be bogus anyway.

Nwokie, the report came from Bush's people

You are spot on Radioblogman. "Stalinist" is very good choice to sum up this kind of cloak and dagger government.

Nwokie, since you brought them up, Switzerland is worth a look:

"Swiss citizens are subject to three legal jurisdictions: the commune, canton and federal levels. The 1848 federal constitution defines a system of direct democracy (sometimes called half-direct democracy since it is added by the more commonplace institutions of a parliamentary democracy). The instruments of Swiss direct democracy at the federal level, known as civil rights (Volksrechte, droits civiques), include the right to submit a constitutional initiative and a referendum, both of which may overturn parliamentary decisions.

By calling a federal referendum a group of citizens may challenge a law that has been passed by Parliament, if they can gather 50,000 signatures against the law within 100 days. If so, a national vote is scheduled where voters decide by a simple majority whether to accept or reject the law. Eight cantons together can also call a referendum on a federal law.

Similarly, the federal constitutional initiative allows citizens to put a constitutional amendment to a national vote, if they can get 100,000 voters to sign the proposed amendment within 18 months. Parliament can supplement the proposed amendment with a counter-proposal, with voters having to indicate a preference on the ballot in case both proposals are accepted. Constitutional amendments, whether introduced by initiative or in Parliament, must be accepted by a double majority of both the national popular vote and a majority of the cantonal popular votes."

It really sounds like a great system until you get to this part:

"Women were granted the right to vote in the first Swiss cantons in 1959, at the federal level in 1971, and after resistance, in the last canton Appenzell Innerrhoden in 1990."

Yes, even in progressive countries, basic changes to ancient attitudes have been very difficult to make.

As for me, I like our democracy. I think it is worth participating in, nurturing and restoring. I cannot wait to see the intense secrecy, paranoia, and fat cronies swept out of the White House.

"I cannot wait to see the intense secrecy, paranoia, and fat cronies swept out of the White House."

And replaced by more of the same.

You know, I'm willing to admit that always having to deal with more of that crap than I want to deal with and it is going to be a longstanding truth.

But no matter who is in office next year, Democrat or Republican, I cannot imagine it being on the same level we've seen in the past 20 years or so ( and the past 7 have been particularly brutal for me ).

Then again, I can be quite naive. It's just a hope, wish, etc. It has gotten to the point though where I am kind of at my personal limit. I have all sorts of choices if I really want to do something about it. I would hate to be put in that position, but I'm closer to those decisions than I have ever been.