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Political Philosophy & Democracy

Political Philosophy & Democracy. Representative Democracy vs. “Pure” Democracy. Democracy? Democratic Republic?. “ Douche and Turd ” (2004). Parody on 2004 presidential election Satire on two party system/election process Libertarian approach to voting

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Political Philosophy & Democracy

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  1. Political Philosophy & Democracy

  2. Representative Democracy vs. “Pure” Democracy Democracy? Democratic Republic?

  3. “Douche and Turd” (2004) • Parody on 2004 presidential election • Satire on two party system/election process • Libertarian approach to voting • Stan represents voting apathy; rejects authority of both candidates

  4. Douche/Turd Cont'd • Commentary on “false choice”: • Presentation of limited alternatives • Choice between two undesirable options • Choice between two extremes when there may be another choice

  5. Carnivalesque? • Representation of '04 election choices • PETA • Response to the “official” discourse on voting and politics • Celebrity punditry • Attack at official way of thinking about voting • Grotesque...Giant Douche, Turd Sandwich, PETA • Is episode liberal or conservative?

  6. Vote or Die • Citizen Change and the “Vote or Die” campaign

  7. PETA • Critique of PETA's somewhat ironic extremist viewpoint • “PETA doesn't care about people” • Really “love” animals

  8. 13, Voting and Democracy • American democracy is built on the moral idea that every vote counts • What is the value of a vote? • Political philosophy: evaluation of political institutions and their construction

  9. American Vote to Privileged Few • 15th Amendment (1870): free slaves the right to vote • 19th Amendment (1920): women the right to vote • 26th Amendment (1971): voting age of 18 • Voting Rights Act of 1965: prohibits voting discrimination, federal enforcement of voting rights • Shelby County v. Holder (2013): Supreme Court decision ruling provisions of 1965 Act unconstitutional

  10. Voting in America • 2004, 55.7% of eligible voters voted • 2008, 57.1% voted • 2012, 57.5% voted • Youth vote

  11. Electoral College • 1787, US Constitution • State votes=# reps in House and Senate • US is ONLY democracy to use this system • Electoral College separates voters from the process of determining the president • Disincentives to vote: • 1) electoral college 2) poll closing time and day of week 3) registration process 4) voter fatigue

  12. John Locke & John Stuart Mill • Locke; people have inalienable rights • Life and liberty • Political authority comes from the consent of the people • Mill; voting connects us and legitimizes political institutions • Gov. should not interfere on individual liberties unless harmless to others • Voting as civic duty or social pressure?

  13. Douche or Turd or... • Green, Libertarian, Constitution, Natural Law • Commission of Presidential Debates (1987) control debates • Set high requirements for third party • Voting as a form of self-expression • Proportional representation system: votes received by a party determines % of seats in legislature. 20% of vote gets 20% of seats • Contrasts to “winner takes all”; extremes of 2 party system and individual alienation

  14. 11, Dissent and Democracy • Parker: “What we say with the show...Is that people screaming on this side and the people screaming on that side are the same people, and it's OK to be someone in the middle, laughing at both of them.” (in Curtis and Erion p. 134) • Extremists have their views on SP, are ridiculed, but given free speech

  15. Karl Popper • Great philosopher of science • Scientific theory cannot be proven, only falsified • Anti-totalitarianism philosophy • Closed Societies: customs/traditions that are rigid and “closed” to critique...tribal • Open Societies: public discussion as social change; the public sphere and exchange of ideas • human rights and civil liberties • cultural and religious freedom

  16. Popper saw... • The extreme right and extreme left as the “enemies of the open society”

  17. Paradox of Tolerance • Popper thought open societies required intolerance for intolerance • Those who prevent free thought/speech should be prevented of the same • South Park criticizes and counters groups that promote intolerance

  18. Jefferson • TJ: Free argument and debate will settle contentious issues • Errors are not dangerous when truth can confront • South Park champions free and offensive investigation and expressions....

  19. “About Last Night” (2008) • 2008 election parody • Satire on dual party extremism of voters • Parody of the Ocean's trilogy • “Change”

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