[tomder55]

But that rarely happens and they are mostly all corrupted by money. What now?

When exiting the Constitutional Convention a woman asked Franklin what they had done. He said they had given the people 'a Republic ;if you can keep it' . Republics are not only founded upon the consent of the people, they are also absolutely dependent upon the active and informed involvement of the people for their continued good health.

"If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools." Plato

[NeedKarma]

Nice quotes, but they offer no constructive solution at all.

[catonsville]

Refresh my memory .What corruption were they protesting when they took up arms and occupied a wild life refuge ? That was a strange hill to take a stand on.

I don't have a dog in the fight but they were protesting the Government owning all the lands that they have in various states and charging the cattle people for grazing on their land. The land belongs to the people not the Government as far as I am concerned. Sort of like damning up the flow of water so the people down stream can not get any of the water. Good Luck getting into court against the Government and possibly winning.

[paraclete]

I expect that what is being said here is government cannot be corrupt since it operates under the weight of law. This is the falacy of democracy where decisions are no longer made by people but by bureaucracy

[catonsville]

I expect that what is being said here is government cannot be corrupt since it operates under the weight of law. This is the falacy of democracy where decisions are no longer made by people but by bureaucracy

Well said, Para. Along with the power to in force what it wants. One other thing that I hate is the statement "You Don't have Standing" in this case.

[Wondergirl]

Well said, Para. Along with the power to in force what it wants. One other thing that I hate is the statement "You Don't have Standing" in this case.

Just like the residents of Flint, Michigan, didn't have any standing and were at the mercy of money-seeking interests.

[paraclete]

Just like the residents of Flint, Michigan, didn't have any standing and were at the mercy of money-seeking interests.

Yes but the residents of Flint can drink bottled water and who benefits Coca Cola

[Wondergirl]

Yes but the residents of Flint can drink bottled water and who benefits Coca Cola

And fill up the landfills with plastic bottles. (Ever take a bath or shower using a bottle of water?)

[paraclete]

Income distribution: Australia's highest earners think they are battlers

What it means is that people well above average earnings, which is well above the poverty line, think that they have it tough. Some of this may be mortgage related in that they just have to afford that million dollar house in outer suburbia with room for a pony, but it tell us that reality has gone out the window. Today an article suggested that 10% are below the poverty line but that included students 15-18 living at home so not "living" in poverty. We cannot measure wealth by earning capacity. The fact is if you get the equation right you can have significantly lower income and still live well. But it is obscene to suggst someone with an income twice or three times average is doing it tough or even that a person earning average income is in poverty. Average income is $1,400 a week which is a princely sum to a factory worker or labourer

And fill up the landfills with plastic bottles. (Ever take a bath or shower using a bottle of water?)

Try to keep up, plastic bottles can be recycled where I come from we are working on zero to land fill, I think it will just be plastic bags, which can be recycled, and some very odd rubbish. Anything recycleable is and food and organic waste is composted and no doubt will be turned into methane gas for renewable energy

[Wondergirl]

Keep up yourself. Guess where most of those bottles will end up -- in landfills. The last thing on anyone's mind is recycling.

[tomder55]

I don't have a dog in the fight but they were protesting the Government owning all the lands that they have in various states and charging the cattle people for grazing on their land. The land belongs to the people not the Government as far as I am concerned. Sort of like damning up the flow of water so the people down stream can not get any of the water. Good Luck getting into court against the Government and possibly winning.

I agree that it is wrong for the Federal government to own so much of the western lands . But they do ,and all the protests in the world aint going to change that reality . They made the provision as part of the admission to statehood .It is up to the states to lead the fight to regain control of their lands ....not individual armed up fools who's only fight is about paying grazing fees .

I expect that what is being said here is government cannot be corrupt since it operates under the weight of law. This is the falacy of democracy where decisions are no longer made by people but by bureaucracy

On the contrary . I am saying that it is the government that is corrupt . People will do what is in their self interest . It is the governments that can be corrupted and the governments that have to be reigned in .

[tomder55]

Just like the residents of Flint, Michigan, didn't have any standing and were at the mercy of money-seeking interests.

like the EPA ,the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Democrats that ran the state and the city into the ground . The issue of standing on the national level has come up with the silly birther issue .

[Wondergirl]

like the EPA ,the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Democrats that ran the state and the city into the ground . The issue of standing on the national level has come up with the silly birther issue .

And who switched the water from Huron to the Flint River?

Cruz's birther problem?

[tomder55]

Cruz's birther problem?

I give as much credit to Cruz's so called birther problems that
I gave to the emperor's so called birther issues..........none. It is nonsense .

[tomder55]

And who switched the water from Huron to the Flint River?

The switch was a local decision that was approved by Flint's mayor, and confirmed by a City Council vote of 7:1

[Wondergirl]

The switch was a local decision that was approved by Flint's mayor, and confirmed by a City Council vote of 7:1

And they belong to which party?

[Wondergirl]

I give as much credit to Cruz's so called birther problems that
I gave to the emperor's so called birther issues..........none. It is nonsense .

President Obama was born in the US.

Cruz is a Constitution originalist, a literalist. If "natural-born citizen" doesn't apply to him and the term is not be taken literally and as originally meant, then much of his literal and originalist rhetoric on what the Constitution says about certain issues cannot be taken seriously and does not apply.

[talaniman]

And who switched the water from Huron to the Flint River?

And why did they switch it and when did they know it was poison, and what are they going to do about it? Gov Snyder to testify before congress.

[paraclete]

The switch was a local decision that was approved by Flint's mayor, and confirmed by a City Council vote of 7:1

And this tell you what, it is democratic to poison people if some local dills approve? Many wrong decisions are made at local level and we can only guess why

[talaniman]

I read that article by the former emergency manager Tom,

Column: Don’t blame emergency manager for Flint water disaster

Darnell Earley formerly served as the emergency manager of Flint. He is currently the emergency manager of Detroit Public Schools.

Okay that's his side, but let consider another viewpoint,

Daniel Howes: Truth, competence are largest casualties in Flint water debacle

Virginia Tech's Marc Edwards says “the state of Michigan has been breaking federal law since April 2014, triggering a massive lead-in-water problem in Flint that they are covering up to this present day. The cover-up includes the repeated claim (not once retracted) that Flint has always met the provisions of the Lead and Copper Rule....”