Re: RE: Alarming statistics.

["Robert J. Hansen" <rjhansen@xxxxxxxx>]

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> The last time I checked, the way to remind a government that they are in
> power for the people is through the ballot box, not through possession
> of weapons.

Wholeheartedly agreed.

But what if the leader doesn't want to leave, and has enough friends in 
powerful places (commander of the army, etc.) to have enough power to not 
have to step down?

It's not farfetched.  The citizens of the Weimar Republic turned out in 
record numbers for an election, and overwhelmingly elected Hitler as 
Chancellor.

It is tempting to believe that democracy is a cure for the political ills 
of the world.  We like to think that in a democratic government, the 
leaders are at least honorable enough to listen to the will of the people. 
 Unfortunately, this just isn't the case.  In 1812, the world's two 
premier democracies waged war on each other.  In the Balkans, even after 
Milosevic lost in the polls, he still held on to power.

Americans have a spectacularly bloody political history.  We've become 
cynics of the highest order.  Most of the time, our cynicism has proven 
correct.

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