Talk:Criminality within the United States democratic process

A Google search for democracy in the United States is a criminal enterprise provided only three items: the SW article, the SW article "regime change", and a website which posts the most recent Disinfopedia "recent changes".

A Google search for democracy + United States + "criminal enterprise" provided the SW article in the number 2 position.

Even more interesting is the Google search for democracy + "criminal enterprise", which yields the SW article in the number 1 position.

So, the question is this: is SW creating propaganda or reporting on it?

Perhaps the best way to catapult SW articles into the number one search position is to do a title search first, find one that does not yet exist, then apply it to an SW article. Artificial Intelligence 09:11, 3 Apr 2006 (EDT)

i vote to change the title

Thanks for raising this AI. I feel quite strongly that this type of article title is not a good thing for SW. "Democracy in the United States is a criminal enterprise" simply doesn't stand up to scrutiny, as there are plenty of elements in the US democratic process that are not criminal in nature. Using this type of 'eye-catching' article title is always tempting, but I think should be avoided. I'd like to suggest a more low key title, which would still give plenty of scope for the subject matter: Criminality within the United States' democracy. --Neoconned 09:16, 3 Apr 2006 (EDT)

Hi, Neoconned. Since I started the article I've been sporadically considering whether or not it should be "... AS a crim..." which would be a little bit less assertive. To date, the only reason for retaining IS over AS is ... frankly ... assertiveness. There are indeed many components of a democracy, even as it is exercised in the U.S. which are not criminal in nature; but that's not the point. The point is that they (those principles), and it (the presentation of democracy), are exercised by criminals, and often as an organized enterprise. Start with the bi-partisan subjugation (nearly but not totally victorious) of third party roles. Continue by considering what chance anybody other than the super-wealthy have to gain office, or even be influential. Then look at the congressional redistricting, which I'll now add to the article. (with others)

Thanks for your continuting thoughts and contributions.

--Maynard 10:28, 3 Apr 2006 (EDT)

Hi Maynard. It's not assertiveness. It's exaggeration, self-indulgence, and tendentiousness. It's not even an article at the moment, it's just a link dump. This kind of thing is embarassing, amateurish, and undermines SW. I'm changing the title to something sensible. --Neoconned 10:47, 3 Apr 2006 (EDT)

The links are not a "dump". They are reference points for article development. What is "embarassing" is that the so-called Democracy is currently being held in such esteem as to insist that it should be spread around the world, when what is really being spread is open market capitalism, which some mistakenly equate with democracy because .... it has replaced democracy as a form of government. Democracy, as a tool of capitalism and capitalists, is a criminal enterprise.

Hi Maynard, I've done something i've been meaning to get round to for a long time, which is to replace your editorializing in Criminality within the United States democratic process with something whose tone is more appropriate for a SourceWatch article. The paragraph I've removed basically consisted of a personal statement by you, which was perfectly appropriate for your user page, but not an article page.

I hope you can see on reflection that the removed content, containing expressions such as "the painted face upon a corrupt government", simply wasn't appropriate for a SourceWatch article. I've also removed the remnant redirect left over from before I renamed the article a few months ago.

Regards, --Neoconned 13:26, 20 Jun 2006 (EDT)

to obscure the fact

that the criminality is not within the democratic process. It is not just "a few bad apples". It is not just a systemic condition. It controls the government. Democracy in the United States today is the painted face upon a corrupt government, and it is the tool of the criminal enterprise which sustains that government.