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4.16.2003
Democracy is a Liberal Concept So now we end up in a situation in Iraq where we have the Republican Conservatives spearheading the future of a "Democratic" Iraq. I find this to be troubling. The heart of Democracy in my opinion is at loggerheads with the core political base here in the United States. I think the Bush Administration will have to go against many of its domestic policy agendas if it hopes to succeed in creating a viable Democracy in Iraq. Democracy at its finest represents the best of liberal thought. Yes, liberal, not conservative. I'll cover some of what I consider are Liberal trademarks of healthy democracy. - Secularism - Religious tribalism is poison to Democracy. In the United States we have come to accept religious diversity for the most part. But you will see that some of conservatism’s most ardent supporters are groups that believe in the christian identity of the United States and would not be averse to watching the U.S. become the christian equivalent to Pakistan. In Iraq there must be the clear separation of religion from political power. This may be difficult for the U.S. to promote with its chants of "God Bless America". Of course you may see this come about as a by-product of the christian element in the Republican Party that wishes to send in thousands of christian missionaries as soon as the dust has settled. But the real question is: how do you establish a society that embraces a secular government if no tradition exists? It is possible to have a government that is composed of the majority religious element and still have an atmosphere of tolerance, such is the situation in the United States where a vast majority (~100%) of our elected officials are christian but there is a constitutional ban to promotion of religion. Of course this hasn't stopped our brave leaders from asking us all to pray and fast. But as of now we see little in the way of outright oppression, aside from the targeting of Muslim communities for federal investigations. In contrast to what some people say about the christian identities of the Founding Fathers, I think it is clear that they recognized the vital role that secularism plays in fair and democratic governance. Will an avowed "saved" President be able to promote a non-religious agenda abroad while still pandering to the pro-theocracy crowd here at home. There may well be calls within his powerbase to promote the conversion of the Muslim world. - Education/ Health Care - Access to educational institutions are key to a well-informed public, but also the main roadblock to consolidation of political power. Here in the United States there is an attack on education as a threat to both conservative politics and religious power. Science in particular has been under assault for its secular approach to the world, and for that money has been withheld from public institutions to drive people to private institutions that are free to promote religious doctrine. Other efforts are being made to erode the public access to education in favor of private pay to learn systems that will further divide the country between the rich and well educated and the poor and uneducated. This will lead to a class of people that have access to government and political office and a class that must travel longer roads to the same halls of influence. I doubt very much that the Republican favorite, the voucher, will get much support in some place like Iraq. Which in my opinion shows the inherent flaws in the idea. I predict that in Iraq a system of public access to education will be established. Not vouchers. I also put Health Care in this category as well. Liberals have been advocating to equal access to health care while many conservatives have favored the preferred access that we have now where million so people are deprived of one of the rights set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Pursuit of Life. I suspect that some form of universal health system will be put in place in Iraq, showing for all that restricting access to medical care represents a form of human cruelty. - Free Press - Conservatives have taken aim at the freedom of American press, and have enlisted their allegiance through economic ties. Without free discourse of ideas there can be no political freedom. How can one make the decision to vote without access to an unbiased source of information about their political candidates? Fox news for me represents a clear and present danger to American Democracy. The concepts of a critical press are considered liberal ideas. Hence the accusations that the news media represents liberal ideas, this is true in the sense that they promote the questioning of authority and a free discourse of ideas without seeming to support the "right" or "moral" case. - Rule of Law - Recently the conservatives showed the world what it thinks of the democratic process. First through its election grab in 2000, then in its end run of the UN in its pursuit of the Iraq Invasion. This is in addition of its support of businesses that violate laws here in the United States. And now the people of the Bush administration are in the process of dismantling laws that others have erected in order to protect themselves from the powerful that seek to exploit resources and human life in their pursuit of money. - Regulation of Economic Forces - Conservatives promote unfettered capitalism, such as we suffered through in the 20's and 30's. Liberals seek to limit the power of the business class as being essential to the protection of the process of Democracy. Once you have a dangerous tilt of economic power into the hands of a wealthy class of citizens then that will cause the government to become subservient to their needs. Economic ruin waits any that doesn’t do the bidding of the Business elite. Therefore careful control of economic forces is needed, like anti-trust, corruption and labor laws. Once again these are under attack by conservatives that seek to enable the rise of the American aristocracy as beneficial to their political viability. But will we see the reigns of Iraqi government handed over to a small group of wealthy individuals or will we promote the broad representation that is needed for a healthy democracy, one that allows extremist elements to feel like they have a place to address their grievances? We'll see. | |
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