Author Topic: Fundamental Question of the Week...Should govt fear its constituents?  (Read 1878 times)

Skip8282

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Re: Fundamental Question of the Week...Should govt fear its constituents?
« Reply #25 on: January 13, 2013, 04:42:05 PM »
A government is made up of human beings which , the last time I checked, are capable of fear. 

I find it odd that you are pretending not to know what is being asked here.  Perhaps you are trying to give the appearance that you are intellectually superior........which you are not. 



Yes  you're dead-on...a pathetically desperate attempt to come across as smart, lol.






As to the thread...yes there should be a healthy fear of the constituents.

Mr. Magoo

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Re: Fundamental Question of the Week...Should govt fear its constituents?
« Reply #26 on: January 13, 2013, 06:24:25 PM »
Not quite the question I posed, my original used the term healthy.

For instance I have a healthy respect for electricity or fire. That doesn't mean I fear for my life if I'm around a fire or every time I turn on a light. I would however have some fear if I was using it appropriately.

I forgot to respond to this. I won't waste much more time. I think elected officials should respect their constituents. I don't think anyone should go through life in fear of other people.

tonymctones

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Re: Fundamental Question of the Week...Should govt fear its constituents?
« Reply #27 on: January 13, 2013, 06:29:25 PM »
I forgot to respond to this. I won't waste much more time. I think elected officials should respect their constituents. I don't think anyone should go through life in fear of other people.
respect as in respect their ability to defend themselves from laws and actions they deem unfair?

Mr. Magoo

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Re: Fundamental Question of the Week...Should govt fear its constituents?
« Reply #28 on: January 13, 2013, 06:39:32 PM »
respect as in respect their ability to defend themselves from laws and actions they deem unfair?

I think respect as in show equal concern for the quality of the lives of their constituents and they should strive to make the lives of their constituents better (what is "better" is irrelevant now). I think the actions flowing from this "equal respect/concern" are basically the same actions you think should be done. The result would probably be the same. I'm uneasy about using the word "fear". I think what you mean by "healthy fear" is something along the lines of what i mean by "respect."

As a sidenote, I don't think simply feeling a law to be unfair is sufficient to justify civil disobedience.

tonymctones

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Re: Fundamental Question of the Week...Should govt fear its constituents?
« Reply #29 on: January 13, 2013, 06:50:56 PM »
I think respect as in show equal concern for the quality of the lives of their constituents and they should strive to make the lives of their constituents better (what is "better" is irrelevant now). I think the actions flowing from this "equal respect/concern" are basically the same actions you think should be done. The result would probably be the same. I'm uneasy about using the word "fear". I think what you mean by "healthy fear" is something along the lines of what i mean by "respect."

As a sidenote, I don't think simply feeling a law to be unfair is sufficient to justify civil disobedience.
I agree, I think we could use the term fear and respect interchangably here but I would say that without the aspect of fear the respect is based in altruism. Do you really believe our politicians to view their actions towards us in an altruistic light?

at what point to you believe civil disobidience is justified?

Mr. Magoo

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Re: Fundamental Question of the Week...Should govt fear its constituents?
« Reply #30 on: January 13, 2013, 06:59:45 PM »
I agree, I think we could use the term fear and respect interchangably here but I would say that without the aspect of fear the respect is based in altruism. Do you really believe our politicians to view their actions towards us in an altruistic light?

at what point to you believe civil disobidience is justified?

I don't think politicians do view their actions toward us with a moral (i'll use 'moral' instead of 'altruistic') light. I think they should. Kind of a guide to judge how they really treat us.

When civil disobedience is justified is a very tough question. I'll say when it violates conscious, then civil disobedience is morally justified. This is a more stringent requirement, i think, than merely thinking the law to be unfair. I'm not sure whether we should criminally punish those who partake in civil disobedience though (draft dodgers for example). I've read arguments on both sides, and I'm leaning towards that we should criminally punish them. But I see the obvious paradox.

tonymctones

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Re: Fundamental Question of the Week...Should govt fear its constituents?
« Reply #31 on: January 13, 2013, 07:12:48 PM »
I don't think politicians do view their actions toward us with a moral (i'll use 'moral' instead of 'altruistic') light. I think they should. Kind of a guide to judge how they really treat us.

When civil disobedience is justified is a very tough question. I'll say when it violates conscious, then civil disobedience is morally justified. This is a more stringent requirement, i think, than merely thinking the law to be unfair. I'm not sure whether we should criminally punish those who partake in civil disobedience though (draft dodgers for example). I've read arguments on both sides, and I'm leaning towards that we should criminally punish them. But I see the obvious paradox.
so tough to many dispicable actions have been done with "moral" intentions. It isnt up to the govt to determine morals in my mind. The govt is set to govern the constituents given the parameters that are constrained by not set morality in the US. To say that their actions are based in morality is overstepping their bounds in my mind.

What about the means and ability to be disobidient?

you do realize that even with ability without the means to do so the disobedience will not be succesful right?

If you agree that their is a time and place for civil disobedience against a government then you must agree that the govt must have a healthy fear of its constituents.

If not then civil disobedience is nothing more than political masturbation.