I really admire the basic dictatorship of China or whatever.

Sometimes I think that the liberals value their views--the only right way--more than democracy.  The interruptions to their rule--due to loosing elections, the rule of law, due process, democracy, parliamentary protocols, question period, accountability, etc... all impede their desire to implement liberal social policy in a dictatorial manner.  The people's right to choose this crap, or not to, is their right.  Even the idea that if we slip it in and it is initially unpopular they will eventually come to accept it given time is no longer necessary with a dictatorship, something you can't do in an election year.