Bush not helping hopes for democracy

[UpInArms]

http://www.dailytrojan.com/article.do?issue=/V150/N53&id=01-bush.53v.html

Just when democracy was finally gaining the momentum it needed, President George W. Bush went and stuck his foot in his mouth once again. In his speech to the National Endowment for Democracy, the president spoke as eloquently as he could of the push for democracy in the Middle East and, in doing so, inadvertently undermined the efforts of any democratic hopeful in the region.

Although a large part of what Bush said in his speech was salient, there was one particular instance in which Bush opened his mouth up a little too wide.

Bush told his audience there were "essential principles" to a good democracy. These principles, he added, include a limited state and military power, safeguarded rule of law, a free civil society, including an independent media, religious liberty, open markets, and political rights for women.

The question begs to be asked: does the United States have a good democratic government? If we go by the President's criteria, then the answer is an unfortunate "no."

...more...

[candy331]

1. We can only hope

that listeners to his speech actually heard the words.