The main film features interviews and views from Australians, Canadians, the French, and others, as they explain how their systems work.
See
Here are a few shorts based off the research from Considering Democracy. They are quick bits of information, each running around one minute. The main film fills in the details and gives personal stories, reactions and beauty from around the world. You can also find them on the online video channel links below. If you go to their site, you can email them to others, get the embed code and browse the channels.
Work and Vacation Time - Part 1
Ahhh. Wouldn't it be nice to relax more? As an American do you find yourself working two or three jobs to pay all of your bills? How do the other industrialized democracies do it?
The opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject.
- Marcus Aurelius
Healthcare - Part 2
Just something to think about...
It's pretty handy how people in other countries pay into their Medicare system and get healthcare. Oddly, the majority of people who pay into healthcare in the U.S. don't get coverage. So strange...
If liberty and equality, as is thought by some are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.
- Aristotle
Media - Part 3
Do you ever wonder about our news?
I asked a French person to record an hour of their news because I wanted to see what type of 'sponsorship' or commericals their news had. He looked at me with pity and explained that they don't have commericals because it might taint the nature of the news. Just something to think about... and discuss!
We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of
America
dies with it.
Foreign Policy - Part 4
What do you think of the foreign policy of the United States? We are spending a large portion, actually, a huge portion, of our treasury for foreign policy issues, at the same time that our economy is, um, not doing so well.
Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force… Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.
- George Washington
Think! It's fun
Our nation is somewhat sad, but we’re angry. There’s a certain level of blood lust, but we won’t let it drive our reaction. We’re steady, clear-eyed and patient, but pretty soon we’ll have to start displaying scalps.
- George W. Bush
Intermission
Here's a short that was created for cinemocracy.org that looks at - "What is democracy?" If you have time, check out what other people think and have created. Rate them and add comments.
Foreign Aid - Part 5
Just something to consider... If the economy continues to go in the same direction, perhaps we could look at the process of grant allocation. Instead of giving weaponry funding to other countries, maybe we could fund education in the United States.
Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.
- Edward Everell
Political Finance - Part 6
As we get closer to the elections, do you find it sort of strange, or simply dishonest, when a politician changes his or her point of view after getting into office? It would be one thing if a politician had a sudden conscience that started working, but when a person switches advocating for a universal single payer type healthcare to a universal-corporations will provide health insurance for U.S. healthcare, does it make you wonder what kind of a corporate lobby might be funding the politician? Do you find it interesting that the Democrats who got into Congress based on their opposition to the war, after getting into office, now have a much longer time frame for getting out? Perhaps the weapons lobby... the system... just something to discuss!
Our country is now geared toward an arms economy bred in an artificially induced psychosis of war hysteria in an incessant propaganda of fear.
- General Douglas MacArthur
Lobbying and Legislation - Part 7
Should corporations have more lobbying power and rights than humans? There are reasons as to why the United States is very, very different from the other first world, developed countries that also have representative democracies. It is tough to get information in the United States, but it can happen. I drove through Kansas and listened to AM radio and felt a little bad for the people who only listed to that type of corporate-conservative-fear driven radio. The somewhat isolated, yet good and hardworking people in the typically 'red' states is who needs to get information, because they are being convinced to consistently vote against their interests.
In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act.
- George Orwell
The link below will take you to see lobbyist Stephen Payne ask for money in order to gain access to Dick Cheney and others, for a rather large donation to the proposed Bush Library.
The Revolving Door - Part 8
Who should U.S. legislation ultimately benefit? U.S. policy has become concentrated in the favor of corporate interests and private contractors. Shall we begin dialog on this? Don't be scared. Nice people really don't yell at each other. (Fox News Talk Shows don't set a good example.) Be nice. In turn, you'll most likely have nicer people around you. It is okay to disagree, just start thinking about what you think and why you think that way.
Democracy is not something you believe in or a place to hang your hat, but it's something you do. You participate. If you stop doing it, democracy crumbles.
- Abbie Hoffman
Once at a video host site, you can email videos to others in order to get people thinking and talking about these issues as we get closer to the elections. You can even email them to your politicians! Even better, think of your own questions, create a quick short and extend the discussion.
