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Maybe some of you Yanks could enlighten the remainder of the world. I have always been confused by the statement that democracy is the ultimate expression of American freedom, but only if your policital beliefs are popular.
Many democratic nations have communist parties, and members of such parties that run for office. They exist within the democratic framework of their respective nations. They garner few votes thanks to their extreme position, but they do introduce ideas to the debate.
We in Canada have three levels of government, Federal, Provincial, and Municipal. All members of the various legislatures are elected (unfortunately by first-past-the-post, but that's another debate...) and ALL members of society over the age of 18 are permitted to vote, as long as you hold Canadian citizenship. We have parties that run along the entire spectrum. Suppose we did elect a communist party? Wouldn't that be democracy in action?
I think that post WW2 US culture has been dominated by war. There is the war on poverty, the war on drugs, the war on terrorism, the war on communism, the war on porn, the war on whatever-we-got-today.
When did the US become "free if you think like me..?"
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