Well at this stage the concept has my support . A name change would seem to be a wise idea since the US isnt a true democracy . I would need to see the frame work and list of countries to be admitted before I commented any further. Such issues as Russia and Israel membership would have to be dealt with. Russian membership would reduce the organisation effectiveness with dealing with Iran.

Concerning foreign policy such an organisation could provide a better outlet and guide of direction then the UN does.

So would this Global Democratic Community become a Global Democratic Union? If McCain is elected we may see the first global economic and defense organization, which could lead to ( Cue Horror film music) a World Government.

Id like to see a list of the countries that could potentially be a member, and the % stake they would have in decisions.

Ie, if the US, France, England had majority stake where those 3 could override the other 97, id be worried.

this stinks. he's looking more and more like the selected one each day.

This is what the United Nations should of been. Union of democracies. I think McCain is on the money here, this is a solid policy.

And, I've always believed the United States and the EU should have a free trade agreement. We could become the largest trading block in the world!

This is the same kind of thing he did in the senate to get things done. He and a group of about 12 others from both parties, would get together to discuss how to get things through the senate, etc etc.

Some folks like it because it gets things done.
Some folks don't like it because it is a shift in power.

I'm all for his 'League of Democracies'. At least at this point I am.
The UN is too corrupt to be of any value to Americans.
Something new and different is needed.

Originally posted by Agit8dChop
Ie, if the US, France, England had majority stake where those 3 could override the other 97, id be worried.

Now there is something we can both agree on. I don't support the use of veto with in the security council and I certainly wouldn't support its use as a part of the frame work for any new body. Historically NZ has opposed the use of veto at the UN so I see no reason why the NZ government would take a differnt stance concerning any new body.

If your an American I wouldn't get to excited or worried about a FTA with the EU. If possible the US should negotiate with those countries in the EU who are less protectionist if there are any. Europe tends to more protectionist then NZ and to a slightly lesser extend Aust.

I would never support putting NZ foreign policy entirely in the hands of an external body . But I do think we would better off if we could get mandates from a creditable organisation when the government chooses to contribute to the international community

Note I am ignoring the of if NZ troops should be deployed overseas without a mandate from the UN or some other body because it is another topic.

[edit on 27-3-2008 by xpert11]

Originally posted by infinite
This is what the United Nations should of been. Union of democracies. I think McCain is on the money here, this is a solid policy.

And, I've always believed the United States and the EU should have a free trade agreement. We could become the largest trading block in the world!

Ive been thinking about this for awhile, primarily for a fictional work in progress. It could have a really great name like: the Trans Atlantic Union. I thought it would even make a great acronym: TAU. The Greek Tau could be its primary symbol, a symbol of life.

So all we need now is for Europeans and Americans to begin a TAU movement and maybe in a decade or less the concept could bear fruit.

I have a question. We are actually glossing over the fact that we (the US) are not a democracy - yes?

I understand the principle's being discussed, and I'm not trying to split hairs or be pedantic but shouldn't the whole point of making it dependent on 'democracy' status be re-examined? In theory at least, it seems democracy could suck big time. Also, who's to say that this 'union' of nations won't be as politically abused and misused as the current incarnation is now?

Would this organization be in addition to the UN or would it supplant it? What kind of response would we see from the ISB and the IMF? They have all their eggs in a different basket, and have been known to be cranky when challenged.

Originally posted by Maxmars
I have a question. We are actually glossing over the fact that we (the US) are not a democracy - yes?

The United States is not a true democracy , it's a republic. a democracy is a system of government where the people decide policy matters themselves through meetings or or by voting ballots. A republic, is a system of government in which the people choose representatives that make policy decisions on their behalf.

Would this organization be in addition to the UN or would it supplant it? What kind of response would we see from the ISB and the IMF? They have all their eggs in a different basket, and have been known to be cranky when challenged.

I'd imagine the idea is to make the UN obsolete, like we tried to do with NATO at the outset of the war in Iraq.



[edit on 3/27/08 by LLoyd45]

"“We have to strengthen our global alliances as the core of a new global compact -- a League of Democracies -- that can harness the vast influence of the more than one hundred democratic nations around the world to advance our values and defend our shared interests,” McCain said, reading from prepared texts."

1. 100 democratic states!!!

By whose standard democratic ?

2. To advance OUR values?!?

If you value a good old Fashion genocide, mass murder, premeditated starvation and exoduses, bypussing UN and international conventions on every step etc, then yes by all meens lets form these autocratic society!

3. Defend our shared interests

Again whose democracy and interests?!? All I see is upheaval all across the globe towards US and UN foreign policy's!
They look at you in the eyes, talk crap, spreading hatred and lies and asking you to follow them to the Abyss no questions asked.
How much longer before People rise up to the challenge finally?

I would hope that the UK would stay out of this proposal. To me it sounds like just another organisation which will be set up to further US interests and policies. Most likely it will be discredited and discarded either when it has served it's purpose or when things don't go the US way in a vote.

I would agree with no country having a veto on decisions if this body were to be set up. I would also be against any weighting of the vote to give any country more of a say than any other. A kind of one man one vote system would be the only way I would have any faith in an organisation of this type.

I've been holding back on McCain - even considering him to be the best democrat running for president. But I applaud this bold proposal. Yes, it is what the UN should have become, sort of a super-NATO.

Others can bash this idea all they want, but clearly there is a brighter world future under the leadership of democratic (or republics, etc for those splitting hairs) nations than any other form of government (communist, islamic theocracy, dictatorship, etc.) that exists in the world today.

Don't believe it? Then which of the above would be allowing us to have this very conversation right now?




[edit on 3/27/2008 by centurion1211]

But... League of Democracies conficts with another well known acronym, the Legion of Darkness!

And we all know that Cyborg Hitler is planning to assassinate Baby Jesus with the Legion of Darkness. 9/11.

so if this League of Democracies is going to go off without a hitch, then it should have a different acronym. I like the TAU Idea.

In all seriousness though, McCain is putting forward that it would best serve our interests and I think what he means is that he feels America's views are best and everyone in the world needs to swallow them. Or else.

Including the genocidal, woman-hating, unabashed racists and bigots of the world.

I've said it before, I'll say it again; you can't make people agree with you, and you will only make them angrier by telling them their whole way of life is rotten and they should be more like you.

If that's what he's saying we should do (Form a coalition to spread american culture and ideals everywhere), I am right out. I'll vote it down.

Originally posted by TheColdDragon
But... League of Democracies conficts with another well known acronym, the Legion of Darkness!

And we all know that Cyborg Hitler is planning to assassinate Baby Jesus with the Legion of Darkness. 9/11.

so if this League of Democracies is going to go off without a hitch, then it should have a different acronym. I like the TAU Idea.

In all seriousness though, McCain is putting forward that it would best serve our interests and I think what he means is that he feels America's views are best and everyone in the world needs to swallow them. Or else.

Ah, you are becoming understandable. I was getting worried.

Including the genocidal, woman-hating, unabashed racists and bigots of the world.

Yes, the communists, islamic thoecracies, and just plain old dictatorships.

I've said it before, I'll say it again; you can't make people agree with you, and you will only make them angrier by telling them their whole way of life is rotten and they should be more like you.

No, while understanding that "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink", you can still attempt to show a better way, to lead by example.

If that's what he's saying we should do (Form a coalition to spread american culture and ideals everywhere), I am right out. I'll vote it down.

Alas, even the naive and/or uneducated will still have votes in a democracy - see horse metaphor above.