[Preechr]

Well, there is a middle way, young Anakin. Nowhere in the Constitution or the Declaration will you find the word "Democracy." Despite the modern fawning over that ideal, the founders recognized Democracy for what it is: Mob Rule. Did you know there is no Constitutional "Right to Vote" for President, or that originally Senators were elected by the State Legislatures? Some State Constitutions established more Democratic voting rights, and the 17th Amendment made elections of Senators subject to popular vote, but in the beginning, when we still had a Republic, Mob Rule was something to be avoided.

Instead of a "benevolent dictator," wouldn't it be better to have a system where the President is selected by a few individuals from each state, each accountable and known to have brains in their skulls, each taking a nod from the popular opinion polls conducted in their home regions? What if our Legislative Branch was composed of two bodies, the larger the product of popular election where localities all had a voice, and the smaller represented the needs of the state governments themselves? You could probably find fault with that system, but can you at least recognize that form as being oriented against Democracy?

Any political system is subject to corruption. In a monarchy or dictatorship, all it takes is for one person to fall. In the original American system, we had two branches of the government composed of three groups of people that represented three very different "interest groups" that had a valid claim on how our federal government was run. Those three competitive bodies had to agree on the people that would make up the Third Branch, which was supposed to assure that all three points of view would be considered in the decisions of the Courts.

That system was the highest form of checks and balances delineated in the Constitution, and they were destroyed... to be replaced with the infection called "Democracy." At least when you have a dictatorship you run a slim chance of having a benevolent dictator. Under a system of Mob Rule, each citizen has a 100% chance of being imposed upon unfairly by her neighbor. "What is Right" is replaced by "What the People Want" and is quickly transformed in private to "What We can Sell Them."

Back to the original topic, a new set of laws is being passed right now that sets up an investigative body that is supposed to punish "Price Gouging" at the Exxon/Mobil corporate level. Price gouging has never been proven to have ever happened at that level... in fact, state studies show only rare instances at the level of the individual stations... but now "The People" and their irrational fears (based entirely in ignorance) have earned one more buttress against the Free Market System. Thanks to Democracy, we are quickly sliding into the brand of government known as Fascism, or government control of commerce at every level.

In fact, we may already be the most complex, advanced and mature version of Fascist government that can claim the name. I bet Mussolini would've jizzed at the opportunity to have been born a modern American. We have structured a society were "The People" want whatever they are told is best, and or government is subject only to "The Will of the People." So, basically, as long as you can secure a method for entertaining the masses and influencing them in some way, you have power. We are all potentially Caesar if we choose. That's the new American Dream, right?