Do Governments Represent Their People?

[Gawd]

You as the people voted Washington into power. You reap the benefits and you must also bear the responsibility.

What if we voted against the ones that actually went?

You as a people still voted Washington into power. By your constitution and laws, they are your President and leaders even if you don't like them. You can't just disobey your leaders simply because they won the election over your preferred choices. Democracy doesn't work that way.

...I'll accept that responsibility, if religious folk will accept the guilt for the religious leaders that their support allows to wield power.... i.e., all Americans are guilty for Washington, DC, if all Muslims are guilty for bin Laden and the rest of the maniacs. Deal?

Muslim is not a country.

[Ian]

Muslim is not a country.

...yet.

[Gawd]

You keep avoiding the question. Is Obama your President?

Yes.

Does Obama represent the people of the US?

Only to the extent of the power delegated to him by the US Constitution. He is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, he is the Chief Executive of the the US, charged with seeing the constitutional laws of the United States are justly enforced, and he is the chief foreign policy mouthpiece of the U.S. -- however, he does not represent the US as a general agent - any negotiations he has with foreign leaders have to be ratified by the Congress - he can't act outside of his delegated power, etc. If he acts ultra vires, he is not representing the people of the US.

I'll give you brownie points for being straight. Now, since Obama is your representative and you finance his activities, I hold you and your associates as personally responsible for his actions (vicarious liability & providers liability).

[Gawd]

Muslim is not a country.

...yet.

Wouldn't be unprecedented, Jew is already a country.

[Ian]

You keep avoiding the question. Is Obama your President?

Yes.

Does Obama represent the people of the US?

Only to the extent of the power delegated to him by the US Constitution. He is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, he is the Chief Executive of the the US, charged with seeing the constitutional laws of the United States are justly enforced, and he is the chief foreign policy mouthpiece of the U.S. -- however, he does not represent the US as a general agent - any negotiations he has with foreign leaders have to be ratified by the Congress - he can't act outside of his delegated power, etc. If he acts ultra vires, he is not representing the people of the US.

I'll give you brownie points for being straight. Now, since Obama is your representative and you finance his activities, I hold you and your associates as personally responsible for his actions (vicarious liability & providers liability).

Okay, so what's your suggestion if you don't happen to like your leaders? Move someplace else (and move again and again, when those other governments change leaders every few years)? Refuse to pay taxes? Go live in a shack in the woods?

[Gawd]

You keep avoiding the question. Is Obama your President?

Yes.

Does Obama represent the people of the US?

Only to the extent of the power delegated to him by the US Constitution. He is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, he is the Chief Executive of the the US, charged with seeing the constitutional laws of the United States are justly enforced, and he is the chief foreign policy mouthpiece of the U.S. -- however, he does not represent the US as a general agent - any negotiations he has with foreign leaders have to be ratified by the Congress - he can't act outside of his delegated power, etc. If he acts ultra vires, he is not representing the people of the US.

I'll give you brownie points for being straight. Now, since Obama is your representative and you finance his activities, I hold you and your associates as personally responsible for his actions (vicarious liability & providers liability).

Okay, so what's your suggestion if you don't happen to like your leaders? Move someplace else (and move again and again, when those other governments change leaders every few years)? Refuse to pay taxes? Go live in a shack in the woods?

Why not all 3? And there is always the American time honored tradition of murder/assassination used to "remove" political leaders in other countries.

[Ian]

Uh-huh.
So which one of those are you doing? Surely you can't be happy that your government is friendly towards Israel (not to mention the Fourth Reich south of the border).

[Gawd]

Uh-huh. So which one of those are you doing? Surely you can't be happy that your government is friendly towards Israel (not to mention the Fourth Reich south of the border).

Unlike you, I can live with those with different views and not bomb them.

[Ian]

Uh-huh.
The next time you try whining about hypocrisy in others, bear this in mind:

My balls. Your tongue. You know what to do.

[Gawd]

Uh-huh.
The next time you try whining about hypocrisy in others, bear this in mind:

My balls. Your tongue. You know what to do.

I get a bigger mouthful with raisins.

[Ian]

[Gawd]

See, Ian, this is the problem with you, you think you always have the right point of view.

[Ian]

See, Ian, this is the problem with you, you think you always have the right point of view.

Uh-huh.
Why don't you go back to the beginning of this thread and count how many people have disagreed with this idiotic idea that you've put forth?

[Gawd]

See, Ian, this is the problem with you, you think you always have the right point of view.

Uh-huh.
Why don't you go back to the beginning of this thread and count how many people have disagreed with this idiotic idea that you've put forth?

You are all idiots if you think the government doesn't represent you and you aren't responsible for the actions of your government. Plus, I'm smarter than you.

[Ian]

See, Ian, this is the problem with you, you think you always have the right point of view.

Uh-huh.
Why don't you go back to the beginning of this thread and count how many people have disagreed with this idiotic idea that you've put forth?

You are all idiots if you think the government doesn't represent you and you are responsible for the actions of your government. Plus, I'm smarter than you.

So you're responsible for everything the Canadian government does? Wow, no shit.

Besides, you're not smarter than me. Fact.