[paimei01]

I just thought about a leader for life ,that listens to what people say, talks to them when they demonstrate and works in their best interest, making sure that "the will of the people" is respected
This is democracy
We have a strange form of democracy , it's like we are paranoid and change the leader every 4 or 5 years, for him not to gain power and become a dictator . We do not care if he does not listen to us, we think "the next one will".
I would prefer a leader for life, with strong laws that make him listen to the people, and make sure he does not become a dictator, than changing a lot of leaders that anyway don't listen, and if they really want to nobody can stop them from becoming dictators

I think the NWO benefits from this system, they can put in place their laws, the people take "revenge" and vote another man, but the laws and the system remain

[mekrob]

True. True or even quasi-democratic republicanism (like the US) are hardly good forms of government in large, spread-out nations in my opinion as well.

I prefer a leader for as long as a time as he respects the law that is established. Once his rule deviates from that law, then he must either change his rule to fit the requirements of the law or he would be forced to resign either through peaceful methods or, if he's unwilling and wishing to establish himself as a king, then in a coup that would force him off.

Pretty much what you said as well.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('paimei01', '
')I would prefer a leader for life, with strong laws that ...make sure he
does not become a dictator

[paimei01]

He is not, if he does not kill the ones that disagree with him and allows criticism, and there is a law that says : when there are X number of people in the street asking you to step down you must step down

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('paimei01', 'H')e is not, if he does not kill the ones that disagree with him and allows criticism, and there is a law that says : when there are X number of people in the street asking you to step down you must step down

[mekrob]

A dictator is:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'a') person exercising absolute power, esp. a ruler who has absolute, unrestricted control in a government without hereditary succession.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mekrob', 'T')he law cannot be changed by the... leader. The leader's mission is to enact the law and make sure that it is upheld.

If the leader were to act in any way like you describe, surely there'd be at least one person within his reach that would realize the greater evil and simply kill the leader him/herself.

[jboogy]

" A leader for life is a dictator ",... so GOD is a dictator?

[roccman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jboogy', '"') A leader for life is a dictator ",... so GOD is a dictator?

[mekrob]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')ut when Stalin was the "great leader" for life he controlled the state and used his state power to murder tens of millions of innocent people.

[jboogy]

Ahhh, ....yes Mekrob , you truly have much wisdom ,.....but ...yet you do not have the wisdom to aquire a suitable avatar , yes ? no? Is not the measure of a man not only in his words and deeds , but also in his ability to showcase a small picture that identifies him to his peers ? You debase yourself publicly yet ask that we heed your words , do you not sense the struggle between ying and yang within yourself over this apparent contradiction ?I will leave you now to ponder these enigma's , confident that you will eventually accept this advice which is not offered in judgement and condemnation , but love . Peace be with you.

[mekrob]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jboogy', 'A')hhh, ....yes Mekrob , you truly have much wisdom ,.....but ...yet you do not have the wisdom to aquire a suitable avatar , yes ? no? Is not the measure of a man not only in his words and deeds , but also in his ability to showcase a small picture that identifies him to his peers ? You debase yourself publicly yet ask that we heed your words , do you not sense the struggle between ying and yang within yourself over this apparent contradiction ?I will leave you now to ponder these enigma's , confident that you will eventually accept this advice which is not offered in judgement and condemnation , but love . Peace be with you.

[wisconsin_cur]

Among the problems with a "leader for life" is there is

1. no getting rid of the bad ones

2. even the good ones are apt to become a bit out of touch with the people and listen more to members of their court than the population

3. they tend to try to get their children into spheres of power undermining meritocracy.

Republics are not immune to any of this (one can make good arguments based upon the last two decades of American history deomonstrating this) but at least we have an opportunity every few years to try to make things right. If there in for life, there is only one way to take them out.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mekrob', '
')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')History is full of dictators who prove you wrong.

[jboogy]

Sorry , Mekrob. I've been studying under a Buddhist monk on the weekends lately and sometimes I tend to try to see beyond the obvious and delve into underlying issues and look at what's underneath for insight and possible motivations for what others do . Your square with the red x in it is just as viable and legitimate a statement as my small , dancing cat .

[mekrob]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'H')e was a cruel slaveholder

[wisconsin_cur]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') find it quite funny that you only look at the fact that he didn't free non-Arab slaves and not at the fact that he did free Arab slaves. When did George Washington or Jefferson ever free ANY slaves? Yet all we hear is how great those men are.

I never said any of these men were perfect, but is there ever a perfect leader who didn't do something that was deemed wrong at a later period or that he didn't regret?

[mekrob]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')Regarding Washington they were his wife's slaves (and for that matter his wife's estate). He felt the need to respect what was not his....

[wisconsin_cur]

mekrob,

regarding Washington and his own slaves...
you were right;
I was wrong;
and I hope you are able to say the same when our roles are reversed.

Washington was a Deist/theist, he and Jefferson lived in a culture that allowed someone with his beliefs to rise to the top and we are beneficiaries of their work. It was Christians (first Quakers and later the whole protestant gambit) who led the abolistionist movement. The Deists counseled compromise. When the church solidly turned against the institution then congregations in southern states seceeded from their denominational bodies before they left the union.

While Islam has produced its own unorthodox thinkers (geniuses even) they are repeatedly silenced and not allowed to spread their ideas for more than a generation or two. They do not write constitutions.

Do you really want to argue that Islam has a better record on women's rights than the post-Christian/secular west? There are some rights afforded women in Islam, I understand that. But as practiced how far can women assert those rights if her husband objects? Where do I look for these expansive rights in practice that is not a society influenced by the secular west?