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Thursday, June 3, 2010

Majority rule

Majority rule


According to Wikipedia "majority rule is a decision rule that selects one of two alternatives, based on which has 50%+1 of the votes. It is the binary decision rule used most often in influential decision-making bodies, including the legislatures of democratic nations. Some scholars [who] have recommended against the use of majority rule, at least under certain circumstances, due to an ostensible trade-off between the benefits of majority rule and other values important to a democratic society. Most famously, it has been argued that majority rule might lead to a "tyranny of the majority", and the use of supermajoritarian rules and constitutional limits on government power have been recommended to mitigate these effects."
Thomas Jefferson 1743 - 1826
The third President of the United States, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776) and for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States _ one behind a great "Empire of Liberty" that would promote republicanism and counter the imperialism of the British Empire.

Here are a few statements made by Thomas Jefferson regarding Majority Rule

"The measures of the fair majority...ought always be respected." 1792 ME 8:397

"All...being equally free, no one has a right to say what shall be law for others. Our way is to put these questions to vote, and to consider that as law for which the majority votes" Address to the Cherokee Nation 1809

"This..[is] a country where the will of the majority is the law, and ought to be the law." Answers to de Meusnier Questions 1786



"So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy." Aclu founder Roger Baldwin

Case in point......The American Civil Liberties Union sued the National Park Service in 2001 on behalf of (a) retired park employee. (A) federal judge sided with the ACLU and ordered the cross, in the Mohave National Preserve near the California-Nevada border, be taken down.
The majority of citizens of the US had no issues with this cross and in fact were appalled that it would be threaten by the complaint of just one person.
Update.....On May 12, 2010...Less than two weeks after the US Supreme Court ruled that the controversial, 7-foot high Mojave Desert cross could stay put, thieves tore it down.

Of the last four major laws passed by the majority of Democrats in our Congress...all have been against majority citizen opinion, some as much as 65%. Many of these decision have and will have a vital impact on our lives,"this is a F------ big deal" to quote our vice-president".
Do you know why majority rule is no longer popular today?
Because it is decisive....it selects a winner and today the greatest concern is to give everyone what they want (or think they deserve) and be politically correct.........so we are going around in circles.
Personally....I want off this merry go round.
I dream of a day, with all of our technology, that we, the legal citizens of the US, would rule with a majority vote by a click of a button and no longer be strapped with congressional opinions.

6 comments:

Chatty Crone said...

I want off it too! sandie

Kacey said...

I want off, too.... where can we go? I'm so sick of our Congress and Senate that I could barf. There seems to be no end in sight, but I keep watching Glen Beck ....just to keep up with his history lessons.

Small City Scenes said...

AMEN!!!!!

MB

Granny Annie said...

70% of congress has never held any job other than their political legacy. We need to determine the 30% who have actually worked at something other than politics and elect more of the same. This being born with a political spoon in ones mouth is what is killing us.

Granny Annie said...

Oh and also, I never want off the ride of the U.S.A. It is not perfect but this is still the best country in the world.

Unknown said...

Its easy to stamp your feet about majority rule until the majority is voting against you; your right to life, liberty, or property. Its easy to discount scenarios when you're on the short end of the stick . . . until you actually are. Hence, fundamental rights receive enhanced protection.