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I'll admit that it's an oversimplified scenario, but the question is which is more representative of America.
Scenario 1 is one that would entail the following.
1) There is no president, only a dictator who forced his way into absolute power
2) Although the dictator maintains a secret police force, it's used for dealing with threats to the country rather than crushing opposing thought
3) Congress is elected and still exists, but they have no real power and only act in an advisory manner
4) The Supreme Court's rulings have force of law unless the dictator declares otherwise
5) The dictator is extremely pro-free market and works to eliminate needless regulations and other things that cost America in the world market
6) The dictator believes in slashing federal spending to an absolute minimum and enacts law that will not permit the country to carry debt
7) The dictator's target goals are for the U.S. to regain the position of the strongest currency in the world, the highest GDP, and the lowest unemployment of any developed country
8) On the basis of health care, the dictator believes that the solutions are more doctors, less regulation, less government interference, and a strong attempt to let a truly open market take hold
9) Although the dictator was originally freely elected into Congress, his bullying into absolute power was not the will of the people
Scenario 2 is one that would entail the following.
1) The president is elected via the standard means (electoral college)
2) There is no secret police outside of the standard intelligence agencies (CIA and FBI)
3) Congress still has power to draft and pass legislation
4) Supreme Court rulings are the law of the land
5) Congress and the president are extremely anti-free market and work toward nationalizing of all industry
6) Congress and the president, by virtue of believing in nationalization, care not a bit about debt or spending
7) The primary goals of Congress and the president are to achieve a stranglehold on the economy
8) On the basis of health care, doctors and anyone in the medical field is an employee of the federal government
9) Congress and the president were freely elected, they are all bound by the terms of the Constitution in that regard, and they respect free elections and term limits
per poll: I voted for the benevolent dictarship (friendly monarchy, basically) There is still freedom of movement and for that, I wouldn't mind so much that the dictator/monarch saved money to hoard for himself.
LOL! I can't decide.
I'll take the second. It allows for public uprising that will have a chance at changing or ousting the oppressive government quicker and more peacefully than it could remove a dictator who would certainly turn from benevolent to oppressive over time.
Representative of what America is? Or what it is supposed to be?