Democracy

Unfortunately, with the limited experience that Egypt has with democracy, there is a very good chance that we shall see continuing chaos in that nation, spreading throughout the Middle East, a region not noted for listening to the voices of its own people. The results in Iran were devastating, with the initial acceptance of a purported democratic government, destroyed by the accession of Khomeini to power. Fortunately, the religious leaders of Egypt do not have the same following, but with the Muslim Brotherhood a strong factor we may be looking at a theocratic government with no possible conversion to what we consider a democracy.

In his article on Sen. Barbara Mikulski and how her assignment as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee has helped her campaign fundraising, reporter John Fritze wrote that "For Mikulski ... the windfall underscores her transition from a lawmaker who has typically engaged more on local issues to someone who now chairs a committee that wields tremendous power on the national level. Mikulski benefited from a number of first-time donations from political action committees, including an association that represents assisted living facilities, one of the nation's largest energy companies and a leading supplier of cement.

I'm sorry to disagree with Sean Parnell of the Center for Competitive Politics ("Court's campaign finance ruling a free speech victory," July 8), but I cannot see any practical democracy in the Supreme Court's "Citizens United" ruling. Elective offices are now for sale to the highest bidder, which puts the richest Americans firmly and permanently in the driver's seat. As long as this pernicious decision remains unchallenged in the legislature, the United States is and will remain plutocratic, and ordinary citizens' voices are effectively silenced by the shouts of organizations and candidates with limitless budgets for the purchase of air time.

Who says American politics is gridlocked? A tidal wave of politicians from both sides of the aisle who just a few years ago opposed same-sex marriage are now coming around to support it. Elected officials who had been against allowing undocumented immigrants to become American citizens now want to "chart a path" for them. Even those who were staunch gun advocates are now sounding more reasonable about background checks. It's nice to think logic and reason are finally catching up with our elected representatives, but the real explanation for these changes of heart is more prosaic: public opinion.

The article in Friday's Sunpaper ("Petition drive yields big numbers," July 1) was an example of freedom at work. It seems from this article that the people of Maryland have had enough of Maryland politicians who ignore their constituents and kowtow to lobbyists and political correctness. I sincerely hope their next step is to vote every politician who voted for this legislation out of office as I intend to do. Hats off to the Sunpaper for using the correct terminology, "illegal immigrant," rather than the ridiculous terminology from Gov. Martin O'Malley in this article.

Regarding your recent article about the continuing violence in Iraq, it's disturbing that it and many similar pieces all followed President Obama's Dec. 2010 announcement that all American troops would be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of 2011 ("Blasts targeting pilgrims kill 15, injure 52 in Iraq," Jan.10). It's quite obvious that the president's action was nothing more than a political ploy to position himself in a more favorable position for re-election in 2012. Unfortunately, Mr. Obama's announcement also created the chaotic situation the articles describe.

It's really a shame! The Democratic Party led by Gov. Martin O'Malley would make it harder for referendums to make it on a ballot ("A referendum on referendums?" Nov. 13). It's plain to see that Democrats rule this state and they don't want voters getting in the way of that. C.D. Wilmer, Baltimore

I asked the Indonesian diplomat if she thought her country was becoming more democratic.''But we are democratic,'' she rejoined, evidently startled that I didn't know.Well, but, for example, 100 seats in the 500-seat legislature are reserved to the army.Yes, said the diplomat; that is to keep the army out of politics while insuring that its interests are represented. Guided democracy.Suharto, the ex-general who came to power in a blood bath 30 years ago, has been elected to six consecutive presidential terms by an electoral council, most of whose members he appoints.

THE WAR in Iraq revealed a disturbing weakness in our democracy. Regardless of one's views on the war, it's hard to defend how Congress avoided debate about the administration's dramatic shift toward pre-emptive warfare. Lack of democracy at home is a grave threat to our national well-being and future. The data are stark. We rank 139th in the world in average turnout in national elections since 1945. It's been decades since even half of adults voted in congressional elections in a nonpresidential year.

Jakarta, Indonesia -- FIVE YEARS AFTER the collapse of the Berlin Wall signaled the end of the Cold War and ushered in the promise of a new world order, President Clinton has centered his foreign policy on the dual goals of promoting democracy and market economies abroad.From Johannesburg to Jericho, from Moscow to Manila and to Port-au-Prince, American military, diplomatic and economic might is at work advancing the proposition that free minds and free markets offer the best possible hope for long-term peace and prosperity.

I know it's practically blasphemy in Baltimore to criticize The Johns Hopkins University. But in forcing Dr. Ben Carson out as this year's commencement speaker the powers that be were not only wrong but were trashing his right to free speech and our right to hear him. I may not agree with his positions, but in a democracy he is entitled to state his beliefs, and I have a right to hear them. What the school has done is an insult to the principles of a free democracy. Donald W. Strauss Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

The bright young people in student government at the Johns Hopkins University no doubt pride themselves on their openness to a diversity of views and their commitment to the free exchange of ideas. That's why the school's Student Government Association's Judiciary Committee was right to overturn the student Senate's decision to deny official recognition to a student-led anti-abortion group. It's on just such contentious issues as abortion that vigorous public discussion and a healthy respect for the views of others are most needed, and we hope that's the lesson Hopkins' student government will ultimately draw from this imbroglio.

The Justice Department is accusing Standard & Poor's of defrauding investors with optimistic ratings of mortgage-backed securities and derivatives prior to the financial crisis. While investors are entitled to answers about those conflicts, compensation and reforms, Attorney General Eric Holder and President Barack Obama, by singling out S&P instead of other bond raters, appear to be engaging in political vengeance and put freedom of speech at risk. In 2011, S&P, Moody's and Fitch were accused by a Senate committee of giving overly rosy ratings on mortgage-backed securities in the years prior to the financial meltdown of 2008 and then contributing to the severity of the crisis by hastily downgrading hundreds of securities after the housing bubble burst.

Last week, top Maryland Democrats announced their intention to make it more difficult to put statewide policy referenda on the ballot. The move is a clear response to Republicans' success last year in putting to referendum policy questions in the hope of achieving victories the GOP couldn't win in the legislature. The Republicans' ballot plans backfired, most notably the surprising approval by voters of same-sex marriage. But the Democrats, who dominate state politics thanks to large legislative majorities, took notice of the potential threat to their legislative monopoly.

The announcement last week that South Carolina's Jim DeMint is leaving his Senate seat to run the Heritage Foundation caused some in Washington to wishfully think that perhaps the move might usher in a more congenial, if not cooperative, outlook in the U.S. Senate. But while Mr. DeMint set the gold standard for ideological purity (denouncing his own party's candidates from time to time when they failed to measure up to his tea party, ultraconservative viewpoint), there are still plenty in the GOP with the flexibility of a ramrod.

I have to disagree with your statement that Grover Norquist was only a symptom of the GOP's refusal to raise taxes ("Bucking the pledge," Nov. 28). Most, if not all, of the Republicans in Congress have signed his pledge. In doing so they pledged their primary allegiance not to the United States but to Mr. Norquist. And there were real consequences to pay for those who didn't side with him. Have you forgotten that Maryland lost Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrist, a talented, moderate Republican House member from the 1st District, thanks to Mr. Norquist's operatives?

What marks this century as one of unprecedented upheaval is not primarily the emergence of new centers of power like China or India; that has happened before, though not on this global scale. Nor is it the fact that significant states are losing control over all or part of their territory. The unique aspect is that when state power weakens, non-state terrorist groups fill the vacuum for the purpose of threatening the state system itself. The challenge is not simply to re-establish the international system but to prevent vacuums that, like black holes, suck into themselves the nihilistic elements trying to destroy order altogether.

It's really a shame! The Democratic Party led by Gov. Martin O'Malley would make it harder for referendums to make it on a ballot ("A referendum on referendums?" Nov. 13). It's plain to see that Democrats rule this state and they don't want voters getting in the way of that. C.D. Wilmer, Baltimore

So intent was Riccardo Migliori on his mission - observing the U.S. election and asking questions about the voting process in Baltimore - that he missed the statues of saints and the oil painting of Pope Leo XIII. So foreign was the idea that voting might take place in a house of worship that he apparently didn't notice the brass crucifix on the wall above him, either. In fact, it wasn't until he left the polling place in Little Italy and stepped onto chilly Exeter Street on Tuesday morning that Migliori, a senior member of Big Italy's parliament, realized he had just seen Americans voting in the basement of a Roman Catholic church.