A Democracy should 'unify' Equality and Freedom, not 'nickles and dimes'.

A Democracy should have a political system that 'unifies' the values of Equality and Freedom, instead, it unifies an economic system driven by profits. Why? Because, most Individuals are driven by 'money' or a quantified system of acquisitions. 'Money', a 'quantified system' of measurement 'motors' Capitalism and hence, easy to measure. Unfortunately, most Individuals don't value Equality and Freedom, of course, unless it effects the economic returns of their investments; viz., 'profits'. It's easy to determine if one is at the 'Top 1%', or not. It should be just as easy to determine if one is 'Equal" or 'Free'. But, the political value system of a Democracy has become so distorted, that it becomes easier to determine whether one is successful by measuring the 'nickels and dimes' that one owns. How sad! 'money' replaces Equality and Freedom. We should try living in a Nation that does not respect 'human life'. What has lead to this distorted view of the 'values of a Democracy'? Simply and unfortunately; we give 'lip service' to 'Equality and Freedom', but do not in fact practice it. Even the Top 1% provides for a 'proper distribution' of their 'net worth' among his/her heirs. Have you ever heard of someone in the Top 1% leaving their 'money' to the lower 99%? Of course not, and you never will. Why not? Of course, most will say, that's stupid, or silly! But, some of those assets could be used to 'institutionalize' the Bottom more democratically. Lets be clear about this. I don't mean, to leave it to any 'one Individual' in the 99%, I mean to some Institution that can create more Equal and Free opportunities at the Bottom of Government; like health care; just wages; more jobs, the homeless, etc. In other words, lets 'free' that locked in 'medium of exchange', that is meant to 'circulate' and stop 'hoarding' it.

The basic 'tension' between Democratic Government and its People is the Equality and Freedom of the Individual.

The basic 'tension' between the Institution of Democracy and the People is the careful, political, delineation, of the 'social principles' of the Equality and Freedom of the Individual. Equality and Freedom of the Individual must be carefully crafted into a political institution that protects and defends the 'human condition' as a unique 'expression of Life'. The question is always, "does Government 'allow' or 'tolerate' discrimination between different 'Races'; are all races 'politically Equal'?, are all races 'politically Free'?; and does Government allow and defend the 'preferential treatment' of different 'economic levels'; and even between different levels of 'so called education', and between the 'providing of the 'basic necessities' of a 'healthy Life'. Does it have 'homeless' veterans? If government does not, in reality, protect these 'characteristics' in the human condition, then Democracy is failing its people. How can Government say its doing its job, if it doesn't even provide for those who 'fought' and 'died' for its very existence. How easy it is for 'politicians' to 'claim' to fulfill these basic necessities, when in fact the 'sad basis' for seeking political Office is actually some kind of 'self-aggrandizement'. How sad! 'Power' runs amok; and the Office-holders cannot, or, do not, know how to handle it. It immediately takes a form of self-aggrandizement. Democratic Government must defend and protect the basic Equality and Freedom of each and every human being living within its 'territorial and political' boundaries.

One cannot equate 'Equality and Freedom' within a political institution with the 'same' in a human being.

The Equality and Freedom guaranteed by a political Institution is not the same as the Equality and Freedom inherent in the human condition. Obviously, the equality and freedom of the human condition is without limit, because it is 'Life itself', and yet, if the human beings live in a 'condition of togetherness', it must be subject to rules and regulations. That's why the 'condition of togetherness' needs Government. Hence, political Freedom and Equality becomes a political and social institution that governs and regulates, by means of Law, mores, and social structures, the expression of the said Freedom and Equality within the political institution. It does not 'limit' any one individuals freedom and equality but, it governs and limits the expression of 'it' within the 'condition of togetherness'; a condition that human beings must live within. One Individual on an Island does not need Government; the 'condition of togetherness' needs and requires Government. Hence, the duty of a political structure to organize, install, and regulate, the interaction of the human beings within its social and political institutions. Nevertheless, some individuals view laws, institutions, social regulations, as being limitations placed on themselves, 'personally' as 'individuals'. That's a 'mistaken', 'socially unhealthy' view of the 'condition of togetherness' and its 'mandatory structures'. The Individual, as a unique Individual, is not the 'subject of Government; the 'condition of togetherness' is the subject of Government. The 'Obligations' run both ways; Government respects protects, and defends the Rights, of Individuals; and Individuals respect, protects, and helps defend, the Power of Government.

Democracy is a 'political arrangement', but the underlying 'practitioners' are human beings.

Democracy is a 'political arrangement', but the underlying 'practitioners' of that arrangement are human beings, hence, even the best political arrangement will not work, if the 'practitioners' do not know how to handle 'themselves', and then, how to handle 'political power'. How sad; our political problems reduce themselves to personal human problems. The 'human' problematic is that individuals think of themselves with an 'undeserved self-importance'. That's too 'common', and in the political field, it becomes even 'more pronounced'. Why?, simply because of the 'undeserved' allocation of the 'political power' attributed to Public Office. That 'feeling' of 'self-importance' contaminates the exercise of 'political power'. We then call it an 'International Problem' or, in some cases simply 'War'. If we learn how to handle political issues with a degree of objectivity, we would not get our own 'personal inadequacies' into the picture. Politics is not an 'ego trip', and yet it often becomes one. How sad, our 'politics' is dependent on the mental health and sanity of our Leaders. Of course, these facts do not 'exculpate' the 'ordinary citizen'. We, unfortunately, sometimes also need to 'think' and 'feel', 'outside our own environmental box'. Hey, we're all in the same boat. 'Politics' like 'human psychology' is not a 'self-importance trip'. The 'little-picture' needs to be as 'objective', as the 'Big Picture'. We should become 'better human beings' and we should pray that our Leaders become more Objective. 'War' is not an Objective, its a failure of the human condition.

Democracy is the best political organization for Humanity; unfortunately, the human condition needs to become 'more human'.

Democracy is the best way for 'humanity' to arrange themselves politically. The system will work, since the human condition is the 'bottom line' in all political arrangements. If there were no humans, there would be no need for Government. As we've said, one human on an island does not need Government. Hence, if we have the best political arrangement, what is the problem? Obviously, the millions of humans on the planet, need to reconsider their own humanity and the their own reasons for continuing to exist as a political entity. Some Individuals may do that; some don't. All leaders in the political arena are humans that have been 'granted' the 'power of office'. Political power is being 'misused'. How? Simply by not 'really' 'understanding that all humans must live in a 'condition of togetherness'. Instead, politicians- not Statesmen-, 'govern' from the perspective of Power, and from a 'false assumption', that they as 'individuals' wield that power 'personally'. They are the same as all other human beings. Humanity did not 'give' 'more humanity' to any 'one human being' over the Other. Personally, 'leaders', of 'all stripes'are performing a 'job', and cannot claim to have some 'quality of Kingship' or 'human superiority' or 'Divine Wisdom', whatever that may be. Truly, we are all in the same boat. However, it seems that all 'progress' is in the 'direction' of more money, more possessions, and 'bigger legal fictions' like colossal corporations, and that much admired 1%. Progress is 'possible' in the economic sphere, but not in the Democratic political sphere. Democracy is already the the best system available; politically, there is no better, Other. Democracy cannot be 'improved' as a system but, it can sure be improved in its 'practical implementation'. We need to stop talking and start doing. Humanity must reclaim its sense of human values. Humanity is already at where its 'supposed to be'; now, it must act as a human being with 'real political values', and not as an 'economic monster' living in some 'illusory Utopia'. Lord, Please keep us from being 'over-loaded with trivialities'.

"Equality and Freedom" works only when the 'uniqueness' of the 'human condition' is recognized.

Its one thing to say Equality and Freedom works in a Democracy; it's quite another to say, 'each and every human being', at the Bottom of a Democratic structure of government, is 'Equal' to all 'Others' within the same structure, and is 'free' to do as s/he pleases, within the confines of 'legal structures'. If that were truly the case, there would be no 'racial' discrimination, and no classification between 'econo-haves' and 'econo-have-nots', nor 'social-class' distinctions. The Bottom of government would truly be democratic, functional, and Equal, with respect to each and every Individual within the system. Hence, democracy would apply to the Individual-Life, as distinguished from the Governmental structure as a whole. Of course, the Governmental structure would also be implemented democratically, as a whole, but, it would also legislate democratically with respect to 'social institutions' and 'Individual rights', in such a manner, as NOT to 'exclude' anyone, or any so-called 'race', or any so-called 'social class', from the Equality and Freedom that each and every-one in a 'real democracy' would expect. 'Democracy' as a Government system is the opposite of Autocracy and Plutocracy, because the 'power' of the Individual is vested in the human condition in a 'condition of togetherness', and that is at the Bottom of Government, not the Top; Truly, a Government 'of the People', 'by the People' and 'for the People'. The power of Autocracy and Plutocracy is at the Top; the power of democracy is in the 'condition of togetherness', at the Bottom of Government. But, the Bottom must be protected, and respected; and the Legislation must be for the 'benefit of the human Individual'. Hey, wake up!! Governments are Institutions; you and I are real.