老美看美國：民主正在怎樣殺死美國

文/他爹   翻譯/他娘

 2012年2月9日

這個詞，民主，來自希臘的兩個字 — — Demos，也就是"人民"和 kratein，意為"統治"。"人民統治"首先是由古希臘在2600 年前實施的。作為政府體制，從那時起不斷進化。

 民主國家的人民比其他國家形式的人民更有可能參與公共事務，如此保障了基本自由和平等，同時也符合每個人的需要，以此維護或恢復和平。

民主的首要目標是保護和促進個人的基本權利和尊嚴、 追求社會正義、 創建社區的經濟和社會發展、 加強社會的向心力和建立一個和平的環境。

因此，民主、 發展和人權相互依賴。

 美國一直是人類歷史上最成功的體制。民主已經很好地為之服務了近 200 年。然而，過去 30 年導致我們的民主被分割了、 人民被分裂了。國會中的民選官員鼓勵這種分裂。

雖然每個政黨都說他們是以民主過程為目的，我們的確花了數萬億美元和成千上萬的生命在世界各地保護或建立民主國家 —— 但每個政黨的主要目的就是贏取並獲得他們自己那個黨派的權力。如果其他政黨"就這麼消失了"，另一方一定很開心。

在2012 年這個新的政治競選季節，每一方政黨都花了超過 一億美金，只是為了詆毀對方是無能的、 愚蠢的、腐敗的，說謊的人，最惡毒的莫過於 非美國式和不愛國。共和黨人稱民主黨“社會主義者”，更有甚者，民主黨人稱共和黨“法西斯和精英俱樂部”。

肯塔基州的Mitch McConnell，美國參議院共和黨領導人表示過，如果奧巴馬當選總統，他的主要目標就是保證讓奧巴馬只能做一屆總統（別想連任！）。共和黨控制的國會便用盡一切手段來達到這個目的。

在是否延長債務限額的國會辯論中，共和黨製造了混亂，以致信用評級機構降低了美國的國家信用評級。共和黨把這個國家的人民當做人質，但它事與願違。他們對提高債務上限進行了投票，即使在歷史上它已經成為一個走過場，從來不曾在午夜前的最後一分鐘形成文字。

在參議院要想通過任何法例需要 60 票，共和黨一直很擅長阻礙任何法例，即使是有利於美國的好立法，也要反對。

我們破損的體制是被我們自己制定的規則損壞的。因為雙方沒有任何妥協。它創造了"鎖定"的體制，沒有整體權利的一方 （比如總統和國會的 一個部委） 還是可以讓大部分權利無法發揮。現實就是如此。

所以，我們的兩黨制已經成為破壞這個偉大國家的障礙，以至於我們的競爭對手不不僅趕上了我們，有些甚至已經在某些領域超越我們。

 當任何一方拒絕妥協時，不只是會失敗，而且對另一方的絕對拒絕及不妥協以找到共同點，這個國家就不可能在任何有意義的方向前進一步。

 雙方都看到要獲得權力或者保有權力，唯一能做的就是無視這個國家和三億人民受苦的現實，頑固不化，一意孤行，而不能達成妥協。由於缺乏美國的領導，整個世界蒙受痛苦。卻讓我們在世界各地的對手受益，並使美國失去朋友的尊重，更危險的是，甚至失去敵人的尊重。

 就像開始時注意到的，民主的目的是崇高的。然而，當你把民主交到人的手中，就可能僅僅為了權力的目的而腐敗或被濫用。

因此，雖然成千上萬的美國人為倍受尊敬的民主獻出了生命，無論是在我們這兒還是為外國土地上的其他人民而奮鬥的，我們的政治家們就是用他們現在主導着美國政治環境的行為和行動在向這些民主先驅們光榮長眠的地方吐唾沫。

所以，雖然我是民主及其理想的強烈信仰者，但是我很難過，我憂慮我們的社會和公民已轉為內部論戰，這是一場政治理論家們 之間，只顧及他們的利益而不是人民的利益的論戰。

當我們的政治家只是為了努力貶低另一方時，它只會深化並導致我們民主當前的失敗，並繼續損害我們生活在其中的社會。

我向所有民選官員挑戰，你必須盡力而為努力尋找共同立場，以達成我們的同樣目標，那就是：把我們的年輕男子送到遙遠的地方並為之而犧牲的目標。

原文：

HOW DEMOCRACY

IS KILLING

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 By  Tadie

 The word, democracy, comes from two Greek words – demos, which means “the people”, and kratein, which means “to rule”. The “rule by the people” was first instituted in ancient Greece 2600 years ago. As a system of government it has been evolving ever since.

The involvement of the people in the public affairs of their countries is more likely than any other form of government to ensure basic freedoms and equality as well as meet the needs of everyone and preserve or restore peace.

The primary goal of democracy is to preserve and promote the dignity and fundamental rights of the individual, pursue social justice, create economic and social development of the community, strengthen the togetherness of society and build an environment for peace.

Democracy, development and human rights are therefore dependent on each other.

The United States has been the most successful system in the history of mankind. Democracy has served it well for nearly 200 years. However, the past 30 years has led us to a point where our Democracy is divided, the people are divided and the elected officials in Congress encourage this division.

While each political party says they are for the democratic process, and we have indeed spent trillions of dollars and thousands of lives to protect or build democracies around the world – the main point of each political party is to win and gain power for their own party. Each party would be very happy if the other “just disappeared”.

During this new political campaign season of 2012 each party spends over 100 million dollars to essentially call the other party inept, stupid, corrupt, liars and worst of all – un-American and unpatriotic. Republicans call Democrats socialists or worse, Democrats call Republicans fascist and elites.

The Republican leader of the United States Senate, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said his main goal when President Obama was elected was to be sure that he had only 1 terms as President. And the Republican Congress has done everything in their power to be sure of that.

The Republicans created such disarray in Congress during debate over extending the debt limit of the U.S. that credit ratings agencies lowered the credit rating of the country. The GOP held the people of this country hostage and it backfired on them. They held out voting for the debt limit increase even though over history it had become a matter of routine, never taken to the literal last minute before midnight.

It take 60 votes in the Senate to pass any legislation – and the GOP has been very good at holding up any legislation, even good legislation that is good for America.

Our broken system has been broken by our own rules. There is no compromise. It has created a “locked” system where the side that does not have overall power ( the Presidency and 1 chamber of Congress ) can still hold up the majority of power. This is the case now.

So, our 2 party system has become such a detriment that is damaging this great country to a point where our competitors are not only catching us but some are surpassing us in some areas.

When each party refuses, not just fails, but absolutely refuses to compromise or deal with the other side to find a common ground the country cannot move forward in any meaningful way.

When each party see’s their only way to either gain power or hold onto power by be being stubborn and failing to reach compromise the country and 300 million citizens suffer. The entire world suffers because of the lack of leadership by the USA and it benefits our adversary’s around the world and causes the U.S. to lose respect from its friends, but even more dangerous is to lose the respect of your enemies.

The purpose of Democracy, as noted at the beginning, is noble. However, when left in the hands of men it too can be corrupted and abused for the sole purpose of power.

So, while hundreds of thousands of Americans have given their lives for the democracy we esteem to have here and for others in foreign lands our politicians are literally spitting on their honored resting places with the actions and behavior that now dominates the U.S. political environment.

So, while I am a fervent believer in democracy and its ideals I am saddened and concerned that our society and citizenry has turned inward to fight a war of words between political idealogues that benefits only them – not the people.

When our politicians endeavor to only denigrate the other party it only furthers and ensures that the current failure of our democracy will continue and damage the society we live in.

To all elected officials I challenge you to find the strength to reach out for common ground to achieve the same goals we send our young men to die for in far away lands for other people.