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Great to be in India on America's Independence Day: US Ambassador
Daily News & Analysis ^ | Wednesday, July 4, 2012 | Press Trust of India

Posted on 07/04/2012 11:02:03 AM PDT by Jyotishi

It is great to be at world's largest democracy to celebrate the birthday of world's oldest democracy -- this was how US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell described America's Independence Day celebrations here.

Addressing the gathering at the American centre, she said, "my belief is that we have much in common and India and US are very-very close with people.

"We had shared colonial heritage and we each had struggled for our Independence and for our freedom," she said.

Powell said both the democracies are vibrant and diverse and our relationship is flourishing.

"You, the youth of India and also those in the US, celebrating today have important role in strengthening democracy and civil society to ensure progress and development," the Ambassador said.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: fourth; independence; india; usa
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Happy Independence Day!
1 posted on 07/04/2012 11:02:09 AM PDT by Jyotishi
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To: Jyotishi

USA is NOT the world’s oldest democracy.

That honor lies with England.


2 posted on 07/04/2012 11:06:31 AM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: Jyotishi
What an insult. Does this idiot know that we are NOT a democracy???? We are a Republic!!!

If I was President, I would immediately fire any official calling our Republic a democracy.

Our Founders knew the evil of Democracies -- they knew the end game of democracies is tyranny.

3 posted on 07/04/2012 11:11:09 AM PDT by sand88
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To: Jyotishi
World's oldest democracy?

What country is that?

4 posted on 07/04/2012 11:14:29 AM PDT by YHAOS (you betcha!)
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To: Jyotishi

One thing you have to give India credit for....the Indian people are about the only people on earth who have a positive opinion of the US and her people.


5 posted on 07/04/2012 11:22:04 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Bill Ayers Was *Not* "Just Some Guy In The Neighborhood")
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To: BenLurkin

The US has been called the oldest democracy by previous administrations; it must be a cut-and-paste thing from year to year. This excerpt is from a White House press release from 12 years ago:

The United States, Mr. Prime Minister, joins India as a
partner on this journey. Our two nations share a special
bond. As the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s
largest democracy, we are, in your words, “natural
allies.” Our cultures and customs differ, but we share a
strong commitment to democracy and equality for all. We
are proof that diversity is strength, and that freedom is
power.

Source:

http://groups.google.com/group/gov.us.fed.eop.white-house.announce/msg/1a9f878228ae2bea?dmode=source


6 posted on 07/04/2012 11:23:36 AM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
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To: YHAOS

> World’s oldest democracy?
> What country is that?

Indeed. Both the US and India are republics.


7 posted on 07/04/2012 11:27:02 AM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
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To: BenLurkin
USA is NOT the world’s oldest democracy. That honor lies with England.

Be sure to give us all a ping the next time the subjects of the United Kingdom get to nominate and elect their next head of state!

8 posted on 07/04/2012 11:41:43 AM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus
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To: Jyotishi

Interesting story: a local told me that early on India patterned their economy after the old Soviet Union and China and then later, the US.

He wasn’t clear about when the dumped the Communist system. But it was intended as a compliment and a good choice.

Indians respect the US and what we have done.


9 posted on 07/04/2012 11:42:20 AM PDT by dhs12345
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To: BenLurkin

I wouldn’t say that is strictly true. Britain was more of an elective oligarchy that gradually evolved into a representative democracy thanks to various reform acts in 1832, 1867, 1884, 1918 and 1928, each time gradually expanding the franchise until universal adult suffrage was finally achieved...


10 posted on 07/04/2012 11:42:38 AM PDT by sinsofsolarempirefan
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To: sand88
What an insult. Does this idiot know that we are NOT a democracy???? We are a Republic!!!

Indeed.

Likewise, he made the same mistake with regard to India:


11 posted on 07/04/2012 11:46:51 AM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: Ronaldus Magnus

The Queen may be the head of state, but she does not run the Government. Republics such as Israel, following the Parliamentary system often appoint their presidents rather than elect them, but nobody would suggest that they are not representative democracies...


12 posted on 07/04/2012 11:47:10 AM PDT by sinsofsolarempirefan
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To: Jyotishi

The US was founded as a Constitutional Republic, not a democracy!


13 posted on 07/04/2012 11:47:10 AM PDT by khelus
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To: Gay State Conservative

> One thing you have to give India credit for....the Indian
> people are about the only people on earth who have a
> positive opinion of the US and her people.

Yes, except for the Muslims, communists, Maoists and Marxists in India who hate the U.S. — and there are millions of them!


14 posted on 07/04/2012 12:20:07 PM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
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To: James C. Bennett

> Likewise, he made the same mistake with regard to
> India:...

Yes, India too is a republic. However, an interesting article:

Democracy in Ancient India

by Steve Muhlberger, Associate Professor of History, Nipissing University.

http://www.nipissingu.ca/department/history/muhlberger/histdem/indiadem.htm


15 posted on 07/04/2012 12:29:59 PM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
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To: Jyotishi

While we’re celebrating freedom and democracy, let’s not forget to compare the excellent state of India with the lamentable state of Pakistan.


16 posted on 07/04/2012 12:41:10 PM PDT by Jack Hammer
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To: BenLurkin

How is a monarchy a democracy?


17 posted on 07/04/2012 12:45:48 PM PDT by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
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To: Jyotishi
Yes, except for the Muslims, communists, Maoists and Marxists in India who hate the U.S. — and there are millions of them!

Yes,there are millions...but in a nation of 1.2 billion even 50 million is a drop in the bucket.

18 posted on 07/04/2012 1:05:49 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Bill Ayers Was *Not* "Just Some Guy In The Neighborhood")
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To: Jack Hammer
While we’re celebrating freedom and democracy, let’s not forget to compare the excellent state of India with the lamentable state of Pakistan.

I've been to India and,although I've never been to Pakistan I still strongly suspect that India's "state" can only be described as "excellent" when being compared to a Fourth World cesspool like Pakistan.

19 posted on 07/04/2012 1:09:43 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Bill Ayers Was *Not* "Just Some Guy In The Neighborhood")
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To: Gay State Conservative

I’ve been to both - and, yes, there’s a world of difference.


20 posted on 07/04/2012 1:16:39 PM PDT by Jack Hammer
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