>Date:    Fri, 5 Dec 2003 10:57:51 -0800
>From:    Steven Dodson - Epoch Product Design <steven@EPOCHDESIGN.COM>
>Subject: Re: Volkswagen, the dumbest auto company in the world

>I was raised to think that America was the greatest and only free,
>democratic country in the entire world (Orange County, CA). It wasn't
>until I started traveling that I found out that America is not even a
>Democracy and not the Free country it pumps itself up to be. Yes, there
>are worse places, that's for sure! Depends on what you're comparing it
>to. But the only great place? I think not. And certainly we take
>ourselves way too seriously. This country could use some serious
>improvement, like being democratic for starters

Actually, what we need are educated citizens who actually understand that
the United States is NOT a democracy and was never intended to be one. By
definition, and by the provisions put forth by the Constitution, we are a
Constitutional Republic. There is quite a difference, but so many people
casually call us a democracy so many times, that the urban legend has
become accepted as the truth.

Regardless, I would not live anywhere else, but as you infer, we should
not be resting on our laurels, but should be working harder to insure that
things improve, and get back to the original intent of the republic in the
first place. That would cure a lot of the problems we have. We are still
way better off than most countries, on the whole. The media would like us
to think otherwise, but there are still a few good folks living here :-)

John