Should government change with progress?

Question

Our system of government was created in a different time and space, before we even had telephones! Local people had to vote "representatives" as they themselves could not travel neither devote time to current affairs. We have internet now, telephones, and voting polls. Why are we still sending "elected representatives" to speak for us? Every American has the ability to speak for themselves and make their voice count in this day and time. We who pay taxes should have the right to vote yes or no on war and other matters within three day time period. Our government system does not move forward with technology nor the progress of mankind. Our taxes pay for antiquated methods of management.

Answer 1

Government of a nation of 300 million people is a messy, time-consuming business. Remember that your elected representatives debate public issues and pass laws through most of the year, sometimes researching and discussing a particular topic for months at a time, if not years. How many hours a day are you willing to discuss the national budget? Defense spending? Oh, and in your spare time, revamp the Endangered Species Act, decide if a law should be passed to further regulate the tobacco industry, decide on the responsibilities and scope of power of the Department of Homeland Security, and while we're at it, vote whether or not to abolish the copper penny. You have three days to come to a concensus -- and you'll have to decide, as one of your first national votes, how many American voters are required before a majority vote can be declared. What if only two registered voters participate in the whole country, and they vote on opposite sides of the fence?

Representative government depends on officials getting elected who most closely match the political stance of the group or region they represent. In this system of government, it is the responsibility of those being represented to inform their congresspeople (persons?) exactly how they feel on issues they care about. Don't really care about the Endangered Species Act? Your representatives and senators will STILL discuss the issue and vote based on the desires of their constituents who DO, even if you say nothing about the matter.

If you were in a system of government truly governed BY THE PEOPLE and wished to make an informed vote, you would have to consider the stance of everybody in the country who had something to say about a particular topic, just like your representatives have to listen to as many of the other 434 people in the house or the other 99 people in the senate go blah blah blah about the topic, trying to sway the opinion of their colleagues. And when you've gotten bored of that, you have to move on to the next issue, one you may not care about, but are legally and morally REQUIRED to listen to regardless. After about eight hours of this, of course, you're probably worn out.. and now it's time for you to go to WORK -- you're not a congressman or senator, so you're not PAID to do this stuff; you're just a concerned citizen who feels your vote should count for something, so you still have to find a way to pay the bills.

Bottom line: it's hard enough to get a working majority of 435 people to agree on anything; try getting a working majority of 200 million registered, voting adults to agree. A 100% democracy is a train wreck waiting to happen; a representative democracy may not be perfect, as you have noted, but it's the best we've been able to come up with and still have personal lives. If you're really concerned about an issue, get involved in it until it reaches some resolution. Become a lobbyist if you must, actively involve yourself in your representative's voting record, make them sigh and roll their eyes every time they hear your name. If you have an idea for improving government or a law you'd like to propose, get your representative to sponsor it in congress and make it happen. A democracy only works if the the people get involved in running it.