completely!

The reason we elect congress and the president is so they can vote for stuff like that. So either we need to completely redo the entire government or just accept that it's ultimately not our choice.

Well, in fairness, a declaration of war can only be passed in Congress, which is a much better representation of the population than one man, certainly. Do I think the people should be allowed to vote? I suppose so, but I don't think that'll ever happen.

Besides, if we did vote on when war should be declared, chances are we'd vote on when the war should end as well. What do we do in that case? Just vote every month or what?

no, that doesn't make sense. we're a representative republic. the whole point of that is we elect ppl in positions of government to represent us.

and on top of that, ppl will be clouded by how they feel about war. not if it's best for the country to enter the war. sometimes war is necessary. and sum ppl dun' see that...

On 4/18/2006 6:39:53 PM HaroldtheBat wrote: The reason we elect congress and the president is so they can vote for stuff like that. So either we need to completely redo the entire government or just accept that it's ultimately not our choice.

The reason you elect a congress and president is because it's impractical for the population to vote for every single decision.

However that doesn't mean the population can't vote for certain major decisions.

I think it's an interesting question. I don't really know how I'd answer it.

I have no idea how to answer that. Going to war will always end badly, no matter who sends you.

This a completely ridiculous idea. The American public is too stupid to see the bigger picture. They would never vote for war because of the liberal bias this country has. Democrats need to learn to see that you can not have peace without war and grow up.

On 4/18/2006 6:39:53 PM HaroldtheBat wrote: The reason we elect congress and the president is so they can vote for stuff like that. So either we need to completely redo the entire government or just accept that it's ultimately not our choice.

"Or is the fact that the majority voted for Bush".......

it's a shame we'll never know if that's true. sigh. :(

I think we elected our government to lead, so, let them lead.

If so, this war we're in might not have happened. They would find a way to get around what we think, a do what THEY feel like doing.

Most people wouldn't care to vote, and those people that didn't vote would be all angry and wha-wha cry babies if they did go to war.

I think the people who will be fighting should decide.

On 10/28/2006 5:05:49 PM nat_gurl87 wrote: This a completely ridiculous idea. The American public is too stupid to see the bigger picture. They would never vote for war because of the liberal bias this country has. Democrats need to learn to see that you can not have peace without war and grow up.

However war should be fought at the right time.

Countries like the UK really should have had a referendum it was that Blair knew he would lose it and you never have a referendum if it goes against what you want to do

Yes, it should.

I definately do for important things - it would be worth the bother of having to vote if we all had more say.

I'd be nice to have everything be a direct election. I'd be a slow process though.

what is the point in voting for a president if you have to vote to make all the decisions for him?

No, this is a democracy, not anarchy or socialism.

No, simply because if someone is able to be President, s/he would probably be a bit more "mentally gifted" than the majority of the population.

^^^ You have GOT to be kidding.

Bush, more 'mentally gifted' than the majority of the population?

^But wait.... most Americans supported the war at the time of the Iraq invasion. I wonder why? Is it because the general public that is predominately interested in consuming goods will be easily misinformed and therefore it is dammed if it does and dammed if it does not?

for everyone who says "yes" to this question, I urge you to vote for the National Initiative for Democracy!!

No.
As on many other issues the 'populance' can very easily be manipulated in emotional situations (and I'd consider going to war to be one). I'd rather have some people who I elcted because I believe they have the professionality to deal with the issues of my country in a rational way make such a decision than 'the blood thirsty revanchist mob'.
That's a very simplyfied version of my thoughts on this issue, of course.

There is no way that the general population can be knowledgable about all the 'top secret' intelligence that goes into a decision to go to war. We elect our representatives to cast their votes in accordance with the best interests of our country.