Stevenlmeyer
Thanks for your thoughtful response to my comment. Of course most of the issues discussed on these pages are multi-layered so it makes a difficulty to know when one has confused one layer with another as, often seems the case. This is not said to diminish the insightful comments which are often made by many such as yourself.

My comment was made to focus on the issue of whether many people have any real insight into what the parameters and qualities of democracy actually are or should be. Because of this lack of insight a state of confusion exists which causes a failure to understand that much of the criticism aimed at the "other side" also applies to the regimes on "our side". In Australia as an example who amongst our leadership or populace for that matter take the trouble to analyse the archaic and limited scope our constitution, we all continue with our heads buried in the sand. Its no wonder that we get screwed from behind. The constitution as it stands at present provides no restrictions on Governing conventions nor does it give a legal basis for the democratic rights of our citizens. We consent to the idea that we live in a "democracy" without realising that by giving one party or the other a mandate to govern what we are in fact doing is, in reality, supporting a mandate to dictate. If australian truly want democracy they must first address the limitations of our founding document.
Den 71