Bush Said A Constitutional Monarchy Can Be A Democracy.....

[DemocratSinceBirth]

How so?

Yeah, Spain and the U K are constitutional monarchies but the royalty there doesn't get involved in the day to day machinations of government.... They serve as symbols of national unity, kind of like a living flag... They also give gossip writers and the tabloids something to follow....

Bush seems to think Morrocco and Jordan are examples of constitutional monarchies that are democracies....

That's just plain silly....

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

1. When Bush Sr. said "Democracy has been restored in Kuwait" he meant

that he reinstalled the King and the majority of Kuwaitis can't vote. That's what the Bushs mean by "Democracy".

If the Bushs were around in 1776, they would have been on England's side.

[Emboldened Chimp]

Democracy is...

when a country, no matter how dictatorial, is favorable to U.S. economic interests.

[Cat Atomic]

13. Yep.

You need look no further than South America for proof.

[Brian Sweat]

3. Did he really say that?

Either I missed it or I wasn't paying attention.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

6. Yes Bush Sr. did right after GWI

That was quite a learning experience for me personally, I remember it *very* well.

[Brian Sweat]

2. I have a hard time judging this statement out of context.

Certainly, the UK is technically a Constitutional monarchy, but for all intents and purposes it is not. The monarchy in the UK has on power. If this is what Bush is refuring to, then he is correct. If he thinks that the Jordan and Saudi Arabia are examples of constitutional monarchies that are also democracies, then he is wrong.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. He Said Democracy Can Take Many Forms

Parliamentary Systems....


Federal Republics...


Makes sense....

Then he said constitutional monarchies.....


When democracy and constitutional monarchy coexist it is because the monarchy has been neutered....

[robsul82]

4. I think George just...

...wants a shiny crown for Christmas. OPEN YOUR HEARTS, PEOPLE!

Later.

RJS

[reachout]

5. Morocco

Morocco is a faux-democracy with the king still holding the power to keep whomever he doesn't approve of (or who his allies such as the U.S. don't approve of) out of the political process. Polls show that the Moroccan people don't particularly like or trust their goverment, but they have little power to change it.

[wysimdnwyg]

7. What he REALLY means...

is that he wants to be annointed "King". What a *&*#%.

[haele]

8. Me'thinks he's floating a trial balloon...

"See, they're obviously democracies just like us; they just have a king instead of a president. So, if the US, say, becomes constitutional monarchy, there's no reason to assume that would be against the wishes of the Founding Fathers - we only upgraded the Constitution to match the needs of our times, just as they would have wanted us to do.

It's not like we abolished the Constitution, or anything like that; after all - it's a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy we're talkin' about here, right?

(/sarcasm)

Haele

[Brian Sweat]

10. I am pretty sure you are right, but I think it has to do with Iraq.

They know that they cannot install a democracy in Iraq, because they would not end up with the people they want in control. They would like very much to install an "operationally tough", but "politically moderate" dictator. In otherwords, a strong man who will be friendly towards the U.S.

[walkon]

11. From other things I've read

I believe that the plan is to install a Constitutional Monarchy in Iraq - under Hashemite rule: Chalabi family is a road paver for Hashemites.

[Brian Sweat]

15. I don't think they have the guts to do this.

What they will do is setup a "democracy." Then after a few years, they will foment a coup d'etat and install the leader of their choice.

[Jose Diablo]

12. If the Bush family had been around in 1776

They would have been hung.

[tom_paine]

14. They were around in 1776, but they weren't in reach for hanging...

http://www.morningsun.net/stories/121700/fea_1217000009.shtml

No surprise which side the Bush Family was on at that time, and still is at this time.

Bushes have never liked the vulgar American Experiment, with it's pretentious upstarts, so they are taking it back.

[DinahMoeHum]

16. Gee, George, just like the Shah of Iran once had ???

NOT !!!

The Iranians still hated him and overthrew him because he was the product of the CIA-sponsored overthrow of a democratically-elected president, Mossadegh. (1953)

:evilfrown:

[w4rma]

17. Just like "King" George wants here. (n/t)

[loudnclear]

18. A communist state can also be a democracy...

The state can own everything and elect its leaders through democratic voting. Almost any form of government can be a democracy...what they can't all be is a capitalist or monopolist society.