The last time I voted in the USA was in Broward County, with an Absentee Ballot. Of course I'm still not confident that my vote was counted.
In Bangkok, Thailand, where I live now, we have just experienced a political upheaval, to return the power to the people from those that seized that power. The Thai Rak Thai party, of the Thaksin government, accomplished this by subverting the Thai constitution and manipulating it to serve their own corrupt ends.
Some say that the Military coup here in Thailand was undemocratic... But let me quote from the US Declaration of Independence... a document that is of great personal importance, as I was born on the 4th of July...
"WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness -- That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government…”
I’m NOT suggesting that the situation in the USA requires such desperate measures as were utilized here… I’m only trying to draw an analogy to illustrate what could happen if the current situation of citizen apathy continues in the USA. The exact details of Presidential/Prime Ministerial malfeasance differ between the two countries. The Thaksin government in Thailand was overtly corrupt, and instead of stealing his election by trickery and manipulation of the system, he was able to out-rightly BUY the electoral process in Thailand. This ability to control the government through a culture of corruption, and the inability for an opposition to regain power via the democratic process, led directly to the Coup as the only means left to effect change, and redirect the government back to a truly democratic system.
It seems to me, that due to the totality of the domination of Partisan Politics in Washington, the current Two Party system has now become moribund and dysfunctional. It is beyond repair. May I suggest that the time has come for a retooling of the US political system as it is currently structured? I’m not suggesting any violent act... I’m only confident that the best way to assure the return to the tenets of the Founding Fathers and the America of The Declaration of Independence and US Constitution we love and respect, is to establish a VIABLE and empowered THIRD PARTY… One that believes in the power of Bread and Education… Not Bombs.
The Declaration of Independence may provide the justification required for a democratically inspired Military Coup in Thailand, BUT it also provides for the revamping of our US system, to put in place a redesigned one that could address the imbalances currently corrupting the existing one.
Do you Agree?
CosmicSurfer
In Bangkok, Thailand, where I live now, we have just experienced a political upheaval, to return the power to the people from those that seized that power. The Thai Rak Thai party, of the Thaksin government, accomplished this by subverting the Thai constitution and manipulating it to serve their own corrupt ends.
Some say that the Military coup here in Thailand was undemocratic... But let me quote from the US Declaration of Independence... a document that is of great personal importance, as I was born on the 4th of July...
"WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness -- That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government…”
I’m NOT suggesting that the situation in the USA requires such desperate measures as were utilized here… I’m only trying to draw an analogy to illustrate what could happen if the current situation of citizen apathy continues in the USA. The exact details of Presidential/Prime Ministerial malfeasance differ between the two countries. The Thaksin government in Thailand was overtly corrupt, and instead of stealing his election by trickery and manipulation of the system, he was able to out-rightly BUY the electoral process in Thailand. This ability to control the government through a culture of corruption, and the inability for an opposition to regain power via the democratic process, led directly to the Coup as the only means left to effect change, and redirect the government back to a truly democratic system.
It seems to me, that due to the totality of the domination of Partisan Politics in Washington, the current Two Party system has now become moribund and dysfunctional. It is beyond repair. May I suggest that the time has come for a retooling of the US political system as it is currently structured? I’m not suggesting any violent act... I’m only confident that the best way to assure the return to the tenets of the Founding Fathers and the America of The Declaration of Independence and US Constitution we love and respect, is to establish a VIABLE and empowered THIRD PARTY… One that believes in the power of Bread and Education… Not Bombs.
The Declaration of Independence may provide the justification required for a democratically inspired Military Coup in Thailand, BUT it also provides for the revamping of our US system, to put in place a redesigned one that could address the imbalances currently corrupting the existing one.
Do you Agree?
CosmicSurfer
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Tolerating Intolerance is Intolerable.
No Tolerance for the Intolerant, is more Tolerable then Not.
