HOW democratic is the United States of America? This is a question that almost no person will ask because we were conditioned by the western media to believe that America is the world’s model of democracy. This Americans feel, by some twisted form of logic, gives them the right and moral justification to intervene in other countries to make them “democratic.”

A layman’s view of democracy is simply a citizen’s right to choose who he wants to be governed by through a system of free and fair elections, on the basis of one man one vote and the right to have his vote counted. The layman’s concept of a winner is one who receives the most votes at a free and fair election. The substance of this layman’s understanding of democracy cannot be disputed by any combination of fancy words.
However, this is not exactly how democracy works in the “world’s model democracy”, the “United States of America.”
It would come as a surprise to almost all Guyanese that under the American electoral system, the president (and vice president), who forms the government, can be elected by a minority of “popular votes” and it will be perfectly normal and lawful.It would also come as a surprise to most Guyanese that the right of a voter to demand that his vote is counted is also limited. Both of these scenarios occurred in the 2000 American presidential election, when Mr. George W. Bush (jr) was declared elected President of the United States.
Mr. George W. Bush (jr) received 50,456,002 (47.87%) and Mr. Al Gore received 50,999,897 (48.38%) of popular votes, but George Bush was declared President-elect. Not to mention reported manoeuvres by Republican activists in Florida to prevent supporters of Mr. Al Gore from voting. Manoeuvres that not only prevented voters from reaching polling stations, but were also successful in preventing many thousands from having their votes counted. The American Supreme Court, then dominated by conservatives, ruled against a recount of votes in Florida. A recount which would have resulted in a convincing victory for Mr. Al Gore.
For a more detailed account of the US 2000 presidential election I advise that they read “The stolen Presidential Elections” by Michael Parenti (http://www.michaelparenti.org/stolenelections.html) After reading that article you:
* would understand why the American Ambassador, is insisting on building the capacity of opposition parties in Guyana
* would wonder whether the Americans have been training the PNC/APNU how to rig elections through the ballot box. The Opposition’s actions leading up to and during the 2011 elections seems to be pointing to just that. Some actions of GECOM’s opposition-dominated staff mirrors what the Republicans did in Florida in 2000.
Where else in the world can a president be elected by a minority of over half a million of popular votes? Only in the world’s model democracy, the United States of America.
We all know what has been the result of the appointment of a minority President of the world’s most powerful nation. Many peaceful and prospering nations have been reduced to war zones and living hells for tens of millions of human beings.
Guyana’s president was elected by a majority of popular votes and thus speaks for the majority of Guyanese. The American ambassador must respect this and shelve his controversial project.
The opposition likes to call the PPP/C a minority government, but is that really so?
The AFC received 10.33 % of popular votes. This simply means that 89.67 % of Guyanese considered the AFC unfit to govern Guyana.
The PNC/APNU received 40.83 % of popular votes. This means that 59.17% of Guyanese considered the PNC/APNU unfit to govern Guyana.
The overwhelming majority of Guyanese therefore did not see neither the AFC nor APNU fit to govern Guyana. The current PPP/C government is not a minority one.
If the AFC and APNU want to justify their claim that the government is a minority one by claiming a vote for one is a vote for the other, then the deliberate deception of their supporters prior to the 2011 election will become even clearer.
The PPP has always maintained that a vote for the AFC is a vote for APNU. If the AFC and APNU don’t want to accept this fact, then they are left with the only alternative of accepting that the PPP/C government is not a minority one.

FARUK MOHAMED