"What this country needs most, ..."

[TahitiNut]

"What this country needs most, more than laws and political programs, is a few courageous, tireless, devoted leaders in whom the people can put their faith."

Agree? Disagree? Why?


I've noted this theme ("leadership") quite a bit on DU over the last year or two. Let's examine it.

[wuushew]

1. This country needs education more than anything

seemingly all current problems arise from massive levels of ignorance

[Qibing Zero]

5. Agreed wholeheartedly on that one. nt

[meegbear]

2. is a good 5 cent cigar

[Qibing Zero]

3. I somewhat disagree

I don't agree that putting faith in leaders is ever a good thing. If we're going to have 'leaders' or representatives, they have to be kept in check because of the great power that they do have. We as a people have to pay attention to them and we have to be able to call them out when they aren't representing us.

The divide between the people and the government is too great, and something needs to be done about that before we just find ourselves some new leaders.

[lebkuchen]

4. If only a few people do the work, it's not a mass movement

It's not a democracy.

[BlueJac]

6. A Big Fat Doobie!

[Burried News]

7. We need the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

With the truth we will make the right decisions and find the leaders who already exist among us in ample numbers.

[Sewsojm]

11. Disagree

We need a news media (tv, radio, print, internet) that reports the truth and responsibly reports it to the people. I'm so sick of the lies that they spew along with all the garbage like reports about reality tv shows like Survivor. I won't rant about Faux News because I loose it every time I think of those Nazi bastards, but I do think faux and the rest of the television media are our biggest and worst enemy's. I don't think things will change much as long as the media continues to lie and cover things up for the Nazi's in charge, just my opinion.

[CrispyQ]

15. Agreed.

A populace that is lied to & that is too complacent/comfortable to search for the truth themselves is easy to manipulate & deceive.

Also, please see my post below about reclaiming our airwaves & government.


Oh, and welcome to DU! :hi:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. The people need to lead. The "leaders" have got us where we are.

"Strong leaders" tend to command, not lead.

[DJ MEW]

9. we need intelligent mind blowing ideas

I would have to agree with the people that say we need education and that we need to do something about the levels of apathy and ignorance to wards the issues.

I also feel that we need to listen to the people with the revolutionary ideas. We need some people as leaders that we don't have to constantly worry about screwing us over. We leaders that respect the power they have been given.

We need to stop unquestionably trusting people. We need to start making people earn trust.

[stellanoir]

10. We need to suspend all further legislation, appointments

and appropriations bills indefinitely and declare a constitutional crisis. That's what this is.

We need to have unelected, academic, humanitarian, spiritual, cultural, military and some retired leaders hold an independent constitutional convention to review the criminal acts of the past several years and draw up a new plan. Starting with the overhaul of our electoral system and the breakup of corporate control of media giants.

That's all. No big deal.

[ToolTex]

12. Free BEER and Nickel LOVE.

'cause I can drink more often than I can screw.

[SammyBlue]

13. This country needs a complete educational, intellecutal, moral, spirtual

and ideological overhaul.

[CrispyQ]

14. We need to revoke corporate personhood

& reclaim our Commons. The Commons include:

our air;
our water;
transportation routes;
septic systems;
education;
our airwaves (media);
in every developed nation except our own, health care;
& most important, our GOVERNMENT, which includes our electoral process.

Corporations are non-human entities that should serve WE THE PEOPLE, not the other way around!!!


Thom Hartmann's 10 Steps to Restore our Democracy -- very good reading!

http://www.thomhartmann.com/tencommandments.shtml


===

on edit: kicked & recommended -- great discussion material in this thread.

[geniph]

16. Strongly disagree

The last thing this country needs is demagogues. What this country needs is an educated, informed, aware, and active citizenry. You know, like people who actually bother to vote and stuff.

[Tactical Progressive]

17. What this country needs most is Progressive media outlets

We have plenty of leaders and visionaries and they are impugned and ignored wholesale by an establisment journalism that has been fully Republicanized.

We need Progressive news outlets that are as ideologically committed to a Progressive America as our mainstream media is to tax cuts, laissez-faire economics for the rich, power at any cost including accepting the thwarting of democracy right here at home, and on and on and on. Their ownership are rich right-wingers and the reporters are for the most part rich right-of-center elites now and all completely satisfied with the way this country has been moving rightward on lies and corruption.

I honestly believe if we had major Progressive outlets the mainstream audience would flock in droves and leave right-wing banality isolated in their fox-holes on CNN, MSNBC, the Washington Post etc. When even the New York Times assaults moderate Progressives like Bill Clinton non-stop for years on end, while dismissing vast amounts of Republican treachery, we've got a problem not with Progressive message, but with Conservative medium.

I still can't believe after ten years of screeching right-wing assult we still have nothing. I'm starting to think we never will.

[More Than A Feeling]

18. Disagree. We need many, courageous, tireless, devoted PEOPLE

No need for leaders if the people themselves go in the right direction.

Each individual person has to either have or helped to have the resources and interest to take a step back and look at the big picture.

This country needs hope.

This country needs to pull its collective head out of its collective ass and start giving a damn about someone other than our collective selves (I include myself in that category)

This country needs to purge this crime syndicate of an administration, and replace it with more than just chair warmers for the next syndicate.

This country needs to assuage the insecurity that comes with the massive power we have acquired.

[MissMarple]

19. We do need leadership, but not a "savior" type.

Grassroots movements get things rolling, and someone or ones emerge in leadership positions. Sometimes I think Americans just want some "sugardaddy" to appear on the scene and save the day. Sadly, the time for a Zorro is past. I think Pogo's classic comment applies to Americans today..."We have seen the enemy..."

[TahitiNut]

20. Wow.

Maybe this forum should be renamed Authoritarian Underground?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarian_Personality

[Darranar]

21. Definitely not.

I would prefer a corrupt leader adopting policies I support because he fears popular dissapproval than a "courageous, tireless, devouted leader" who adopts policies I oppose.

And ultimately, we are our own leaders, and democracy demands that we do not put our trust in supposedly trustworthy individuals, but rather think for ourselves.

[TahitiNut]

22. OK... let me ask a rhetorical question.

In a democracy, do we want a 'leader' (who sets the direction) or do we want an 'administrator' (who performs a service)??

Under the 'leadership' paradigm, whomever is elected gets to set the direction. (S)He defines policy and priorities, solely by virtue of the "mandate" of a election that's interpreted as a carte blanche for the entire political perspective of that 'leader.'

Under the 'administrator' paradigm, whomever is elected takes direction from the electorate, both initially and continuously, constrained by a duty to not infringe on inalienable human rights - the rights of individuals or minorities.


Now... do we "put our faith" in a Leader? Or do we participate in continuously monitoring and judging his/her performance? Wasn't it Saint Ronald that said "trust but verify"???

When does the Leader become der Führer?? Only in Germany? :eyes: