“The system he (President Hosni Mubarak) is recommending would make it virtually impossible for truly independent parties to participate. Sham democracy should be exposed for what it truly is.” ShouldPresidentPartyDemocracyImpossibleIndependentExposedImpossibilityMubarak Author:Madeleine Albright
“The conception that government should be guided by majority opinion makes sense only if that opinion is independent of government. The ideal of democracy rests on the belief that the view which will direct government emerges from an independent and spontaneous process. It requires, therefore, the existence of a large sphere independent of majority control in which the opinions of the individuals are formed.” IfsShouldGovernmentIndividualBeliefProcessViewsExistenceOpinionDemocracyIdealsDirectIndependentMajorityMake SenseConceptionSpheresSpontaneousMajority Opinion Author:Friedrich August von Hayek
“Because we don't have a Fairness Doctrine, and because we have further media consolidation, and because we have a craptastic corporate media, WE DON'T HAVE NEWS! We don't have an informed populous and we don't have a democracy... Everyone in the world knows that America, (in its current state, because of right-wingers) that the right wing arm of this country (that speaks for this country unfortunately) has no credibility when it comes to human rights or independent media.” KnowsWorldHumansCountryStatesAmericaSpeakDemocracyRightsMediaArmsNewsIndependentWingsHuman RightsCurrentsDoctrineCorporateFairnessCredibilityRight WingConsolidationIndependent Media Author:Janeane Garofalo
“We all know that election reform takes time. That's because those who have benefited from the system are the ones who fight hardest to preserve it. So if we're going to succeed, we need an independent coalition of citizens who believe in reform, who believe that our election laws should treat every voter equally, who believe that low levels of competition and participation are not healthy for democracy. The Independence Party is helping to build that coalition and I am happy to join you in doing so.” IfsKnowsNeedsShouldBelieveHelpingLawFightingLevelsPartyDemocracyCitizensHealthySucceedLowsTreatsIndependentElectionIndependenceCompetitionHardestReformPreservesVotersTake TimeParticipationCoalitionsLow Level Author:Michael Bloomberg
“An independent and free media is essential to ensure democracy.” DemocracyMediaEssentialsIndependent Author:Warren Christopher
“There is no more important struggle for American democracy than ensuring a diverse, independent and free media. Free Press is at the heart of that struggle.” HeartImportantStruggleDemocracyMediaIndependentPressesDiverseFree PressAmerican Democracy Author:Bill Moyers
“We say that if America has entered the war to make the world safe for democracy, she must first make democracy safe in America. How else is the world to take America seriously, when democracy at home is daily being outraged, free speech suppressed, peaceable assemblies broken up by overbearing and brutal gangsters in uniform; when free press is curtailed and every independent opinion gagged? Verily, poor as we are in democracy, how can we give of it to the world?” IfsWorldGivingFirstsWarHomeAmericaPoorOpinionDemocracyBrokenSafeSpeechIndependentPressesFree SpeechBrutalUniformsAssemblyGangstersOutragedBroken UpFree PressOverbearing Author:Emma Goldman
“The crisis of modern democracy is a profound one. Free elections, a free press and an independent judiciary mean little when the free market has reduced them to commodities available on sale to the highest bidder.” MeanLittlesDemocracyModernHighestIndependentElectionCrisisPressesProfoundAvailableCommodityFree MarketJudiciaryFree PressFree ElectionsIndependent Judiciary Author:Arundhati Roy
“We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country, or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia.” CountrySpiritDemocracyCapitalismIndependentJournalismExcessNurtureInertia Author:Bill Moyers
“The bedrock of our democracy is the rule of law and that means we have to have an independent judiciary, judges who can make decisions independent of the political winds that are blowing.” MeanLawPoliticalDecisionDemocracyJudgingWindIndependentRule Of LawJudiciaryBedrockIndependent Judiciary Author:Caroline Kennedy
“The most important thing the giant philanthropies could do - Gates, Rockefeller, Ford, Open Society Institute, and new ones emerging - would be to create a $2-to-$3 billion Trust for Independent Journalism. They wouldn't miss the money, and democracy would still have a fighting chance because of their investment.” StillsImportantWould BeFightingChanceDemocracyMissingIndependentImportant ThingsInvestmentBillionsJournalismGiantsGatesPhilanthropyEmergingInstitute Author:Bill Moyers