[ExI] constitution amendments, was: iranian riots all a huge mistake

[spike]

> ...On Behalf Of Stathis Papaioannou
...
> >
> >
> > Ja, agreed, thanks for that comment.  The American founders 
> realized 
> > this, and that is why America is not a democracy but rather is a 
> > democratic republic.  Our current government fails to 
> recognize this, 
> > but we will survive another 3.4 years when most of them 
> will be gone.
> 
> I'm not sure what you mean by this distinction. Are you 
> referring to the US Constitution?...

I meant most of the members of the current congress and the executive branch
will be changed out, if it plays out the way I expect.  If it doesn't play
out the way I expect, then nearly everything I thought I knew about
economics is wrong.  If what I think I know about economics is right, in
fall of 2010 we will be struggling along with 11% unemployment and a huge
number of the representatives will be sent packing.  In 2012, we will be
struggling along with 12% unemployment and a huge number of the senate and
executive branch will go home.  The new guys may be just as bad, possibly
worse, than the ones they replaced.

Democrat and republican are two wings of the same bird of prey.

> A constitution itself will 
> either be written and ratified by a team of dictators or by 
> some sort of democratically elected committee...

Ja, but fortunately the US constitution was designed by a bunch of guys who
had suffered directly under government tyranny.  They carefully designed a
form of government that has a bunch of ways of resisting tyranny.

> ...would it make it any 
> better if a government or law could only be changed if, say, 
> 2/3 of the population agree? Stathis Papaioannou

Ja, but recall that it is difficult to get 2/3 of the voters to agree on
*anything* including the color of snow and whether the sun will rise
tomorrow.  That fact gives the constitution some degree of stability.  The
military insures that the government stays within the bounds of the
constitution, for it is that document that defines who is in command of that
awesome force.

spike