So it goes like this, the Human Services Department of Detroit awarded a no-bid 1.2 million contract to a company meant to be used to help the poor. Two hundred thousand of that money ended up being spent on furniture that ended up in the Human Services Department.
And this is surprising...why?
Because rule #1 of corruption is do not be obvious!
This is also looter behavior under the guise of helping the poor.
That's a mild story in comparison to the amount of government corruption that has run rampant throughout the city of Detroit.
Try the entire country. Its about time we stood up and voted every single one of them out of office, and keep doing it until they get the point...
Actually, it's time that people stop thinking that democracies are about voting. Because they're about a lot more than that.
Yes, but voting is a major part of our Republic.
Let me explain. This is America. In America, you have a bunch of whiners. They whine about their politicans. They say things like:
Try the entire country. Its about time we stood up and voted every single one of them out of office, and keep doing it until they get the point...
In fact, I think you could find thousands, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans who have said that. Yet, have they ever stood up and protested? Have they ever tried running for public office? Have they ever gotten involved in their community? This is supposed to be a democracy, yet Americans cling to a vote that they themselves think means nothing.
Americans are trolls on a message board. Nothing more. They're not citizens of a democracy.
But it's not everything. Some people forget that.
Let me explain. This is America. In America, you have a bunch of whiners. They whine about their politicans. They say things like:
Try the entire country. Its about time we stood up and voted every single one of them out of office, and keep doing it until they get the point...
In fact, I think you could find thousands, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans who have said that. Yet, have they ever stood up and protested? Have they ever tried running for public office? Have they ever gotten involved in their community? This is supposed to be a democracy, yet Americans cling to a vote that they themselves think means nothing.
Americans are trolls on a message board. Nothing more. They're not citizens of a democracy.
First, a nitpick. America is a Republic, not a Demoracy. That said, you're right. Americans rarely back up their mouth with deeds. My personal philosophy is that if you don't vote, you have no right to complain about what the person elected does. You opted not to help in the decision making process. That's why I always vote. I want to have the right to speak out on what the elected officials do.
The rest of what you say isn't really a Democracy/Republic thing. It's being a good citizen. Citizenship comes with rights and responsibilities, and most Americans ignore theirs. I have not been the best, but I have been to a few protests and occasionally get involved in a community endeavor, but for the most part I have my life and live it and don't do much for society as a whole.
Still, I vote and I view voting as the single most important community endeavor a citizen can take part in. Our elected officials control how our society ebbs and flows much more than any other aspect of society.
But it's not everything. Some people forget that.
Let me explain. This is America. In America, you have a bunch of whiners. They whine about their politicans. They say things like:
Try the entire country. Its about time we stood up and voted every single one of them out of office, and keep doing it until they get the point...
In fact, I think you could find thousands, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans who have said that. Yet, have they ever stood up and protested? Have they ever tried running for public office? Have they ever gotten involved in their community? This is supposed to be a democracy, yet Americans cling to a vote that they themselves think means nothing.
Americans are trolls on a message board. Nothing more. They're not citizens of a democracy.
First, a nitpick. America is a Republic, not a Demoracy. That said, you're right. Americans rarely back up their mouth with deeds. My personal philosophy is that if you don't vote, you have no right to complain about what the person elected does. You opted not to help in the decision making process. That's why I always vote. I want to have the right to speak out on what the elected officials do.
The rest of what you say isn't really a Democracy/Republic thing. It's being a good citizen. Citizenship comes with rights and responsibilities, and most Americans ignore theirs. I have not been the best, but I have been to a few protests and occasionally get involved in a community endeavor, but for the most part I have my life and live it and don't do much for society as a whole.
Still, I vote and I view voting as the single most important community endeavor a citizen can take part in. Our elected officials control how our society ebbs and flows much more than any other aspect of society.
Response to the nitpick: Republics are a subset of the larger set of Democracies. Thus, America is (meant to be) both a Republic and a Democracy.
Good citizens are a requirement of having a democracy (including a Republic). We've got corrupt politicians. How do corrupt politicians get into office, if there are good citizens? Good citizens would not vote for corrupt politicians over and over, and good citizens would be more qualified than corrupt politicians for public offices.
Response to the nitpick: Republics are a subset of the larger set of Democracies. Thus, America is (meant to be) both a Republic and a Democracy.
A Republic is very different from a Democracy. In a Democracy, everyone has an equal say in everything done. This is FAR from true in a Republic. With a Republic, we vote in people who have a far greater say than we do. Every single time Congress passes something, it shows how we are not a Democracy and are nowhere near one. The two are related in the same fashion that a Monarchy is related to a Dictatorship. There are some similarities, but they are still distinctly different Government types.
Good citizens are a requirement of having a democracy (including a Republic). We've got corrupt politicians. How do corrupt politicians get into office, if there are good citizens? Good citizens would not vote for corrupt politicians over and over, and good citizens would be more qualified than corrupt politicians for public offices.
This is a modern impossibility. Being "good" is not enough to get someone elected. You absolutely must have the backing of $$$ to get elected to anything other than a really minor political post, and that backing creates a debt to his backers for the fledgling politician. Those are the baby steps that get you walking down the road of corruption.
Response to the nitpick: Republics are a subset of the larger set of Democracies. Thus, America is (meant to be) both a Republic and a Democracy.
A Republic is very different from a Democracy. In a Democracy, everyone has an equal say in everything done. This is FAR from true in a Republic. With a Republic, we vote in people who have a far greater say than we do. Every single time Congress passes something, it shows how we are not a Democracy and are nowhere near one. The two are related in the same fashion that a Monarchy is related to a Dictatorship. There are some similarities, but they are still distinctly different Government types.
Wikipedia and how I was taught as a boy disagree with you, Max.
Response to the nitpick: Republics are a subset of the larger set of Democracies. Thus, America is (meant to be) both a Republic and a Democracy.
A Republic is very different from a Democracy. In a Democracy, everyone has an equal say in everything done. This is FAR from true in a Republic. With a Republic, we vote in people who have a far greater say than we do. Every single time Congress passes something, it shows how we are not a Democracy and are nowhere near one. The two are related in the same fashion that a Monarchy is related to a Dictatorship. There are some similarities, but they are still distinctly different Government types.
Wikipedia and how I was taught as a boy disagree with you, Max.
We're both right, really. Read Wikipedia closer and you'll see that at the time of our founding, Democracies and Republics were two very different things. However, over time common usage has altered the defintion of Democracy to include our form of Republic, so these days it does fall under that heading.
Republics are a subset of the larger set of Democracies.
Just to be sure I looked Republic up and not a Republic is not a subset of Democracy. While a Republic has an elected leader, that leader can be elected by and from an elite ruling class. In a Democracy however, all citizens has an equal say in all things that affect their lives.
In the US we have a Representative democracy.
Republics are a subset of the larger set of Democracies.
Just to be sure I looked Republic up and not a Republic is not a subset of Democracy. While a Republic has an elected leader, that leader can be elected by and from an elite ruling class. In a Democracy however, all citizens has an equal say in all things that affect their lives.
In the US we have a Representative democracy.
Which is a form of Republic that has over time been come to be known by that name. Currently our form of Republic is a sub-set of Democracy. When the U.S. was founded, it was not. It's kind of silly, but that's the long and the short of it.
Aside from that, we the people have allowed the gov't to become what it is. We the people will not be able to change it through the 'power' of the vote alone. Look at who you get to vote for. Go ahead, take a look. Now tell me how many of 'em are clean. How many aren't corrupt on some level. How many don't have some slate of businesses or lobbyists or other organization's hands in their pockets. Seriously look. Once you're done, tell me who's gonna save the system? Who's gonna make a difference? Who can even move us one notch forward? Not a damn one of 'em. The two party system is effectively big business. The representatives are employess of the party and not of the people. They are beholden to the party first and if that means occasionally doing something the people want in order to make the party look good, so be it. More often than not, it means walking a fine line of pretending to want so much but finding impassable roadblocks at every turn ... conveniently. Think about what's been happening. What's actually changed. There's a pattern here and we the people are at fault for allowing it to happen and to continue. We the people have allowed the system to become so damaged that change from the inside is no longer possible. And we the people are 'ok'. And for we the people, that's enough to keep us quiet, keep us working and, most detrimentally, keep us hoping that some good guy or gal will come along and right the ship once again. That will not happen. Wake up. There is no way to vote us back to a good place - if we were ever in one in the first place.
The first step, if you really want change, is to recognize that our gov't is no different than any other and that our system is in no way better. There's no need to keep it alive. None. We aren't going the right direction and maintaining the status quo - electing idiots that do it for the cash and that have to have cash to get to the point they can do it for the cash - won't change a damned thing. His name could be George or Billy or Barrack or Hillary or Condi or Ron or ... it doesn't matter. They're all the same person working the same job. They rep the party, not you. Don't ever forget that.
The first step, if you really want change, is to recognize that our gov't is no different than any other and that our system is in no way better.
No, the first step is taking over Rhode Island. Seriously, it's only got a million or so people, wouldn't be that hard and after all the geeks and freaks move in how long do you think the old tenants would stick around?
No, the first step is taking over Rhode Island. Seriously, it's only got a million or so people, wouldn't be that hard and after all the geeks and freaks move in how long do you think the old tenants would stick around?
But ... but it's so ... Rhode Island-y.
'... and to the Republic, for which it stands ...'
Aside from that, we the people have allowed the gov't to become what it is. We the people will not be able to change it through the 'power' of the vote alone. Look at who you get to vote for. Go ahead, take a look. Now tell me how many of 'em are clean. How many aren't corrupt on some level. How many don't have some slate of businesses or lobbyists or other organization's hands in their pockets. Seriously look. Once you're done, tell me who's gonna save the system? Who's gonna make a difference? Who can even move us one notch forward? Not a damn one of 'em. The two party system is effectively big business. The representatives are employess of the party and not of the people. They are beholden to the party first and if that means occasionally doing something the people want in order to make the party look good, so be it. More often than not, it means walking a fine line of pretending to want so much but finding impassable roadblocks at every turn ... conveniently. Think about what's been happening. What's actually changed. There's a pattern here and we the people are at fault for allowing it to happen and to continue. We the people have allowed the system to become so damaged that change from the inside is no longer possible. And we the people are 'ok'. And for we the people, that's enough to keep us quiet, keep us working and, most detrimentally, keep us hoping that some good guy or gal will come along and right the ship once again. That will not happen. Wake up. There is no way to vote us back to a good place - if we were ever in one in the first place.
The first step, if you really want change, is to recognize that our gov't is no different than any other and that our system is in no way better. There's no need to keep it alive. None. We aren't going the right direction and maintaining the status quo - electing idiots that do it for the cash and that have to have cash to get to the point they can do it for the cash - won't change a damned thing. His name could be George or Billy or Barrack or Hillary or Condi or Ron or ... it doesn't matter. They're all the same person working the same job. They rep the party, not you. Don't ever forget that.
+1
I've started to sign petitions. and I plan to run for president not this election but next. We'll see if someone without major corporate backing can even get their name on the ballot. I've also registered to vote (when I applied for EBT). I plan on donating all but $60,000 of my pay if I get elected directly to the debt the U.S. owes. I also plan on not signing a single bill into law until congress passes laws to eliminate lobbying and corporate corruption.
Laugh if you want, but don't say I'm not doing anything...