Direct Democracy=the solution when RP isn't

[DirectDemocracy]

...

[Tdcci]

Direct Democracy = Against the core principals of the founding fathers AND Ron Paul.

Try and rationalize it.

[MalcolmGandi]

direct democracy = horrible idea

[Naraku]

In a sense we do have direct democracy. Democracy is "rule by the people" as defined in the dictionary and by it the Greek root of the word and in Greece it often meant people would chair a government and rule over the people.

Really it's no different from how our system is because the people are in charge of the government and they rule over the people. The Greeks didn't have a constitution though and didn't have elections, it was determined by lot as I recall. Also, they didn't have an all-inclusive system, only white males could rule in the most democratic city-state of Athens.

Constitutions unassailable by the majority are crucial to true democracy, because it insures it is rule by all the people and not just the majority.

[MrZach]

In a sense we do have direct democracy. Democracy is "rule by the people" as defined in the dictionary and by it the Greek root of the word and in Greece it often meant people would chair a government and rule over the people.

Really it's no different from how our system is because the people are in charge of the government and they rule over the people. The Greeks didn't have a constitution though and didn't have elections, it was determined by lot as I recall. Also, they didn't have an all-inclusive system, only white males could rule in the most democratic city-state of Athens.

Constitutions unassailable by the majority are crucial to true democracy, because it insures it is rule by all the people and not just the majority.
Oh geez, the old "thick" vs "thin" democracy debate...

Before you get into this one you might want to read...

Rousseau, The Social Contract, Book III, Chapter XV, "On Deputies or Representatives"
Robert A. Dahl, Polyarchy
Joseph Schumpeter, "Another Theory of Democracy"
Benjamin Barber, Strong Democracy
Hanna Pitkin, "The Mandate-Independent Controversy" from The Concept of Representation
Kennety Prewitt and Heinz Eulau, "Political Matrix and Political Representation"
Madison, Federalist Paper 10
E.E. Schattschneider, Party Government
Lisa Disch, The Tyranny of the Two-Party System
V.O. Key Jr., The Responsible Electorate
Thomas E. Patterson, "The Miscast Institution" from Out of Order
Walter Dean Burnham, "The Changing Shape of the American Political Universe"


...so you can at least have a grasp of some of the ideology feeding into both sides of the debate (and the debate over the party system and elections as well).

Remember... all this primary/caucus stuff has nothing to do with our government or system of government... it has to do with the major political parties and how they choose to select candidates for themselves. Anyone can run for President, you don't have to be a part of a "political party" according to our system of government...

[hueylong]

That dude just keeps dragging that stuff up every week or so. It's his screenname, so he has to push it.

He wanted everybody to start a new party called the 'Direct Democracy' party last month. Promised to quit the forums when they didn't...