Why is democracy in this country a big joke? What democracy?

Question

We vote for either corrupt government who have no interest in their electorate or wish to hear their views.

one4god what you don't realise is that very right is being eroded more and more all the time.
When you begin to wake up to it then it will be too late.
Your rights are now under the gaze of unelected officals from foreign states and political ideals that serve not the public ideals of rule but their own.

Answer 1

Our elected officials are interested in _our_ views. If they only listened to _your_ views - it would no longer be a democracy.


Remember that in a democracy you have to accept it when you are out-voted.

Answer 2

I don't think democracy is the joke in this country at all. I think it is the apathetic electorate that is the joke. Generally speaking, people in the U.S. have it good. They have no incentive to vote differently. Those who are in need are too wrapped up in survival to educate themselves and make an informed decision, if they vote at all. That said, this past November's election is proof that the voters can change things. It was not a significant change, but it was a change nonetheless. Unlike most countries in the world, democracy is there for the taking. People just need to get off their laurels and do it.

Answer 3

1. Money - To get enough money to compete in a big election, a candidate must accept huge corporate donations which come with strings attached. The truly honest candidates will refuse this kind of contribution, thus putting him/herself at a huge disadvantage immediately.
2. Election Law - Laws written by corrupt fat cat major party legislators prevent honest, hard working, non-politician types from running for big offices as independent or third party candidates. Take Pennsylvania for example. In 2006, major party candidates Bob Casey and Rick Santorum needed 2000 petition signatures to enter the race for US Senate. Other candidates such as Carl Romanelli (Green) and Russ Diamond (Independent) needed 67,070 petition signatures to enter the race. Neither succeeded.
3. Media - Even when those third party or independent candidates do manage to gain ballot access they are ignored by the media. Every election cycle, we here of this or that third party candidate protesting and perhaps getting arrested after being excluded from a debate. The major newspapers will not consider endorsing a third party candidate and many will not even interview those candidates prior to an election. Often, a voter will only find out that he/she has more than two candidates to choose from after entering the voting booth.
Honest, well-meaning, democracy loving, third-party candidates usually cannot participate in any election bigger than municipal office. In most state and federal elections, the best person for the job has been systematically excluded from the ballot.

Answer 4

It's not that it's a joke. The election process is the joke. People are extremely discouraged by the electoral college. People feel that their votes don't count or won't make difference. Plus the majority of campaign monies are funnelled into the two major parties. So even if the majority of us have Libertarian (or whatever) views, many feel that they would be wasting a vote on a party that isn't going to win. The U.S. has one hell of an armed populus. All it would take is a march on Washington by 100,000 pissed Texans to stage a successful coup.

Answer 5

true, it is a big joke. our government is supposed to be a republic. our founding fathers were against democracy because they knew that in a democracy 51% could rule 49% our founding father fought for a government where everyone could be heard. the fact that for the last 100 years we have been lead to believe otherwise is evidence of corruption on the largest of scales. the media shows us meaningless poll after poll, only to show us that it makes no difference what soever.

Answer 6

Democracy? Nah, this is called an aristocracy. All elected US officials are members of the elite. When was the last time you saw your congressman at the grocery store?

Answer 7

The democracy is here and working, it's just being used by corporations and government service workers at the moment.

Answer 8

When are you going to run and change that. Will you run as a communist, Islamist, socialist, libertarian, liberal, conservative, christian????? Take your pick they are all out there and we have elected every kind already. Good luck. Take your ethical books with you when you are talking to the public and remember to read them over and over again when you get elected!!!!!

Answer 9

Try living without it - you would be saying different(or, you wouldn't be able to say anything openly ever)!