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Re: Why Leahy is No Friend of Ours
Addressed to: E. ALLEN SMITH <[email protected]>
Cypherpunks <[email protected]>
** Reply to note from E. ALLEN SMITH <[email protected]> 05/06/96 8:47pm
= To: [email protected]
=
= From: IN%"[email protected]" "attila" 5-MAY-1996 21:36:54.93
=
= > how many _truly_ "populist" presidents have we elected?
=
= SMITH:
= Given the numbers of times that a democracy has done more harm than
= good to civil liberties (Prohibition, the election of Islamic Fundamentalists
= in Algeria, etcetera), we don't _want_ a "populist"/demagogue president. We
= want someone in charge (to whatever degree that someone has to be in charge)
= who will respect civil liberties. The masses aren't going to elect such a
= person; they prefer protection to liberty and always will.
=
= ATTILA:
democracy is _never_ the ideal government. the difference in the
American government is that it is a _republic_. the problem with a
republic in the techno age is that the press and/or advertising
creates the images --and can be bought, stolen, coerced, etc.
my intent is to "lament" that the American voters do not
influence the choice of candidates --who are vetted my money, or
money's interests.
most mat not wish to consider the hidden importance of the CFR
and related groups --it is not a conspiracy; it is just another
group with an agenda --except they have the money and influence to
_buy_ the agenda over time --amd on their schedule.
= > ATTILA:
= > "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
= > temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
= > --Ben Franklin (Historical Review of PA -1759)
= >
= > and, the bottom line is:
= >
= > "It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen
= > from falling into error;
= > it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government
= > from falling into error."
= > --Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954), U.S. Judge
=
= Quite.
= -Allen
--
Overseeing first-rate programmers is a managerial challenge
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