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We are very fortunate to have a form of government that prevents the tyranny of the majority and instead protects minority rights. The Founders of our country saw thinking like yours to be very dangerous and devised this Federalist form of government as a safeguard against it. That others like you have not been able to thwart their plans in over 200 years is a testimony to their foresight and genius.
I did not say that I think constitutional amendments should be approvable by a bare 51% majority. I do think the founding fathers were correct in making it more difficult to do. But it should be a majority of the PEOPLE not of arbitrarily designated states, some of which contain very few people.
There is a problem with tyranny of a tiny minority as well. I don't think the founding fathers foresaw this. I don't think they foresaw that one state would someday have 60 times the population of another.
I did not say that I think constitutional amendments should be approvable by a bare 51% majority. I do think the founding fathers were correct in making it more difficult to do. But it should be a majority of the PEOPLE not of arbitrarily designated states, some of which contain very few people.
There is a problem with tyranny of a tiny minority as well. I don't think the founding fathers foresaw this. I don't think they foresaw that one state would someday have 60 times the population of another.
When the Constitution was ratified, Virginia was the largest state with 820,000 people while Delaware was the smallest with 60,000 so the Founding Fathers not only foresaw population discrepancies but built a system to accommodate them. They did not want Virginia and Pennsylvania to decide what happened in the other eleven states any more than I want California, New York, and Texas to decide what happens in the other 49. What you see as a flaw, I see as a feature, and I believe the Founding Fathers did as well.
That may have worked in 1776. The Founding Fathers™ had no clue that by the 1950s, we would have states that were larger than the 13 original states combined, and yet contain fewer people.
Conservatives like the two senators per state rule because it allows vast, underpopulated, and conservative places like Wyoming and Idaho to have two senators. Those states have ridiculously disproportionate power as a result. Wyoming has 0.2% of the US population, but 2% of the senators. Conservatives also really liked the electoral college until it became clear that it was working against them. And then various state legislatures started toying with electoral vote allocation to circumvent it.
They also really like it when DC residents pay federal income tax but have no representation in congress. That tickles them.
That may have worked in 1776. The Founding Fathers™ had no clue that by the 1950s, we would have states that were larger than the 13 original states combined, and yet contain fewer people.
Conservatives like the two senators per state rule because it allows vast, underpopulated, and conservative places like Wyoming and Idaho to have two senators. Those states have ridiculously disproportionate power as a result. They also really liked the electoral college until it became clear that it was working against them. And then various state legislatures started toying with electoral vote allocation to circumvent it.
They also really like it when DC residents pay federal income tax but have no representation in congress. That tickles them.
The system works the way it is supposed to work. I have no doubt you would be singing a different tune if the states with large populations were conservative and the small states were liberal. You're always about a political objectivenot rather than the principle. For example, you constantly lament that we are so divided as a nation, but do you expect us to believe that you would be happy if the country was 90% conservative?
You're a true believer and I don't fault you for that at all, but I do fault you for not being upfront about your true objectives when you try to hide them behind platitudes like fairness or unity or clarity or succinctness when everyone here knows those are not at all the things you are after.
Just wondering. The cities can't possibly be as liberal as I see on CD or in the Star Tribune.
Can they?
I'm neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I think both parties are corrupt and have agendas that only help themselves.
With that said, here's my opinion, from my personal experience:
Minneapolis (where I live) is so incredibly liberal that they feel they have the right to belittle and berate anyone with conservative views. I would be considered a conservative because I'm a born again Christian who lives by the scripture.
Many liberals here are hypocrites. They DEMAND that everyone accept and respect THEIR opinions, views and lifestyles as equal. But that's not enough for them. They also DEMAND that those who don't believe their way also SAY OPENLY that it's great, wonderful and the only true way. (Conservative political signs tend to "disappear" or get vandalized where I live.)
Yet, they reserve THEIR right to rage against those who don't believe what they do. They demand tolerance and acceptance but refuse to give it. Hypocrisy at it's core.
For example, Christianity clearly doesn't condone gay marriage or the gay lifestyle. That doesn't mean we hate gay people at all. We just don't condone their lifestyle because it's clearly against scripture. As true Christians (because not everyone who claims to be a Christian actually IS one) we use the scriptures as our guide or "instruction manual" for how to live. If the scripture calls something sin, so do we.
Society hypocritically calls Christians "hateful" and says that we commit "hate crimes" because we're "intolerant" and not "politically correct" or accepting of other people's views and lifestyles. Yet, they don't hold that same standard towards themselves when it comes to accepting Christian views or the Christian lifestyle. They're not intolerant or committing hate speech for the way they speak about Christianity and those who follow it.
More times than not, the people who are liberal and speak openly about their views publicly suddenly become mean and insulting when a conservative speaks up with a differing opinion. I'm not rude to people and treat everyone respectfully and with care. But, if I say something that doesn't agree with them, their smiles and good nature vanish and I prepare to be berated as hateful and intolerant. God forbid I should then point out the hypocrisy!
For the record, I'm using homosexuality as an example and am speaking from my own experiences and what I've seen and witnessed.
All people have the right to live and believe whatever they like. It's simply ridiculous and impossible to think that everyone is going to agree or accept everyone else's views or lifestyle. Thus, political correctness as a whole is nothing but hypocritical because it's impossible to make everyone happy.
Last edited by plain and simple; 08-08-2013 at 01:48 PM..
I'm neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I think both parties are corrupt and have agendas that only help themselves.
With that said, here's my opinion, from my personal experience:
Minneapolis (where I live) is so incredibly liberal that they feel they have the right to belittle and berate anyone with conservative views. I would be considered a conservative because I'm a born again Christian who lives by the scripture.
Many liberals here are hypocrites. They DEMAND that everyone accept and respect THEIR opinions, views and lifestyles as equal. But that's not enough for them. They also DEMAND that those who don't believe their way also SAY OPENLY that it's great, wonderful and the only true way. (Conservative political signs tend to "disappear" or get vandalized where I live.)
Yet, they reserve THEIR right to rage against those who don't believe what they do. They demand tolerance and acceptance but refuse to give it. Hypocrisy at it's core.
For example, Christianity clearly doesn't condone gay marriage or the gay lifestyle. That doesn't mean we hate gay people at all. We just don't condone their lifestyle because it's clearly against scripture. As true Christians (because not everyone who claims to be a Christian actually IS one) we use the scriptures as our guide or "instruction manual" for how to live. If the scripture calls something sin, so do we.
Society hypocritically calls Christians "hateful" and says that we commit "hate crimes" because we're "intolerant" and not "politically correct" or accepting of other people's views and lifestyles. Yet, they don't hold that same standard towards themselves when it comes to accepting Christian views or the Christian lifestyle. They're not intolerant or committing hate speech for the way they speak about Christianity and those who follow it.
More times than not, the people who are liberal and speak openly about their views publicly suddenly become mean and insulting when a conservative speaks up with a differing opinion. I'm not rude to people and treat everyone respectfully and with care. But, if I say something that doesn't agree with them, their smiles and good nature vanish and I prepare to be berated as hateful and intolerant. God forbid I should then point out the hypocrisy!
For the record, I'm using homosexuality as an example and am speaking from my own experiences and what I've seen and witnessed.
All people have the right to live and believe whatever they like. It's simply ridiculous and impossible to think that everyone is going to agree or accept everyone else's views or lifestyle. Thus, political correctness as a whole is nothing but hypocritical because it's impossible to make everyone happy.
It may be because a straight violent ex felon can marry upon release from prison and many people like yourself have no problem with that. However, a law abiding gay person contributing to society, working, paying taxes and serving on juries can't marry in 38 states and you are offended that they can marry in the other twelve and DC.
God considers violent felons worse people than law abiding gay people. They should not have more rights.
You are entitled to your view and we agree to disagree.
However, I also like to point out the hypocrisy! It cuts both ways, sir.
I'm neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I think both parties are corrupt and have agendas that only help themselves.
With that said, here's my opinion, from my personal experience:
Minneapolis (where I live) is so incredibly liberal that they feel they have the right to belittle and berate anyone with conservative views. I would be considered a conservative because I'm a born again Christian who lives by the scripture.
Many liberals here are hypocrites. They DEMAND that everyone accept and respect THEIR opinions, views and lifestyles as equal. But that's not enough for them. They also DEMAND that those who don't believe their way also SAY OPENLY that it's great, wonderful and the only true way. (Conservative political signs tend to "disappear" or get vandalized where I live.)
Yet, they reserve THEIR right to rage against those who don't believe what they do. They demand tolerance and acceptance but refuse to give it. Hypocrisy at it's core.
For example, Christianity clearly doesn't condone gay marriage or the gay lifestyle. That doesn't mean we hate gay people at all. We just don't condone their lifestyle because it's clearly against scripture. As true Christians (because not everyone who claims to be a Christian actually IS one) we use the scriptures as our guide or "instruction manual" for how to live. If the scripture calls something sin, so do we.
Society hypocritically calls Christians "hateful" and says that we commit "hate crimes" because we're "intolerant" and not "politically correct" or accepting of other people's views and lifestyles. Yet, they don't hold that same standard towards themselves when it comes to accepting Christian views or the Christian lifestyle. They're not intolerant or committing hate speech for the way they speak about Christianity and those who follow it.
More times than not, the people who are liberal and speak openly about their views publicly suddenly become mean and insulting when a conservative speaks up with a differing opinion. I'm not rude to people and treat everyone respectfully and with care. But, if I say something that doesn't agree with them, their smiles and good nature vanish and I prepare to be berated as hateful and intolerant. God forbid I should then point out the hypocrisy!
For the record, I'm using homosexuality as an example and am speaking from my own experiences and what I've seen and witnessed.
All people have the right to live and believe whatever they like. It's simply ridiculous and impossible to think that everyone is going to agree or accept everyone else's views or lifestyle. Thus, political correctness as a whole is nothing but hypocritical because it's impossible to make everyone happy.
BTW, I agree that Minneapolis is liberal. However, if you spent a few years living in San Francisco or Berkeley (each about two hours north of where I live), you would probably consider Minneapolis moderate or just a little left of center upon returning.
It may be because a straight violent ex felon can marry upon release from prison and many people like yourself have no problem with that. However, a law abiding gay person contributing to society, working, paying taxes and serving on juries can't marry in 38 states and you are offended that they can marry in the other twelve and DC.
God considers violent felons worse people than law abiding gay people. They should not have more rights.
You are entitled to your view and we agree to disagree.
However, I also like to point out the hypocrisy! It cuts both ways, sir.
It would be good to preface a comment like this with something like, " I think" or "I believe." You may be right but reasonable people can disagree as to whether God looks at degrees of sin and, if so, which sins fall where on the scale. Personally, I think the sins to be most concerned about are my own.
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