How would you rate the effectiveness of American democracy?

Question

In terms of getting the government to enact policies that actually represent the views and values of the majority of the American people? How would you improve it?

Bret, how about thumbs up or thumbs down on the Iraq war?

Answer 1

When you speak of the majority of America you speak of the middle and lower class. Unfortunately, as ironic as it might seem to you now, it is the minority, the few, the rich and wealthy that are the ones who dominate politics in the United States. Of course we have numbers in our favor but the few and wealthy have something much more persuasive and is exactly what political campaigns yearn for, money. With money comes TV ads, posters, websites, radio show, etc all in which is more then enough to persuade the modern day equivalent of the Roman mob, the American people. Wealthy individuals, corporations can donate thousands to political candidates that are in their favor, they can hire lobbyists, etc. This nation cannot be labeled a democracy it has transformed into a plutocracy. The problem is inherent in both of political system, economic system, and social structure. A complete overhaul of the system must be done in order to fix the problem and restore balance.

I read the latest figures on corporate taxation and I discovered that multimillion dollar corporations in California pay only an annual tax of $800. What President Bush calls tax cuts are not meant for us the lower and middle class, the weight of responsibility to pay for our armed forces and social programs falls on our shoulders. Review the tax cuts yourself don’t take my word for it, maybe next time you will be more suspicious when President Bush calls for more tax cuts.

Try calling your congressmen your senators, try emailing them, what you will get as I received is an automated response thanking me for my concern. But if I had let’s say $3000 I could afford to attend a dinner party, if I had more maybe I could even get some private time to discuss my concerns, but the problem is like many others I don’t have that kind of money to spend.

The only thing we can do is rally, to join, in massive numbers and protest, yell out our concerns. But lately I have been seeing less and less of this kind of protest, even on my campus. All I hear from people on this board once someone mentions a protest is communist, anti-American, etc. What’s Ironic is that the people screaming communist and anti-American are one of us the poor and middle class the people who are oppressed by our current political system. These people are a testament to the validity of imperialistic thought: "keep them poor and undereducated to control them effectively."

Answer 2

The problem lies with the people, as it's the people who give the government it's power.

Unfortunately, despite the excitement you see in the politics section, most American's are complacent when it comes to voting and learning who they're voting for. Sure the '04 and '06 elections were close, heavily heated, and showed long lines at the polls, it's still a small fraction of actual number of those who have the right to vote.

There are even less people voting in the primary elections, which are just as or more important than the general election. So then people get frustrated with politics when they have to choose between a douche bag and a turd, when in fact there was a candidate which was neither running, and they failed to vote.

This where the media and money degrade our system. The election process shouldn't be a popularity contest, but yet it is. I have yet to research all of the candidates, but I'm sure most won't bother. So we have the media parading Hillary, Guilianni, Obama, McCain, Romney, and a couple others who don't have a snowballs chance of getting the nomination. No one takes the time to look over their platfroms, stance on issues, and who knows, they may have been just what this country needed.

But anyway, now there's a president, senators and representatives that promised and then didn't follow through. The votes needed to recall them and show them what up aren't going to happen, because if they're not going to bother voting in the primaries and generals, they're not going to go out of their way for a silly recall.

So many wait out the duration of the elected terms and either conceed that it won't get better, or make an abitrary vote against their politician.

The fix: People need to wake up and realize they're voting to give these people the power to make decisions on our behalf. Research every candidate and throw out this partisan crap and look at the candidates for who they are and listen to what they're saying. Surprising to myself, doing so lead me to vote outside my party on a few occasions.

Answer 3

Good question. I'd like to see some national votes on Federal laws.

For example, thumbs up or down on gay marriage?

Thumbs up or down on Abortion?

Thumbs up or down on Affirmative Action?

I'd like to see some national questions addressed by a simple vote of the majority.

Long Hair: I'd be ok with that, a vote on withdrawl. I wouldn't be for putting wars to begin with up to a vote of the people (usually, read some Walter Lippman), but if, by a 2/3 majority Americans want out NOW, I'd be ok with that vote, and we should do it, immidiately. Might even sat 51%. But it has to be clear, and it has to be for NOW, not a time table. Then, as thousands died in the resulting INCREASED chaos, we would have the collective guilt that that specific action caused. We have caused a situation where immidiate withdrawl would result in exponential deaths, but if everyone understands that and is willing to take the collective responsibility, then ok.

Whatever reasons we went for aren't the reasons were staying, and Americans need to understand that. I'm all for getting out NOW, if no one will die as a result.

There you go.

Answer 4

We need a viable centrist party to represent moderate Americans who have problems with the more liberal and conservative elements of the present two parties.

Right now, the moderate vote nearly splits between these parties causing a deadlock in govt., each side having the votes to block the other. Alternatively, if moderates swing heavily in one direction, that party has unchecked control.

As long as we continue with the Electoral College system, it will be difficult for a third party to gain acceptance. It certainly favors the status quo.

Answer 5

We aren't a democracy!

We are a Representative Republic!

I don't know because this past election, one small group got a hold of the government, the Neocons, and another group, which is a minuscule minority who own 90% of the wealth, dictate the views once someone is elected or before!

We need to write lobbyist and their companies out of politics! They don't pay any taxes anyway, they are largely on corporate government welfare!

Answer 6

USA is an oligarchy. The rich and the super rich have directed the country for centuries. The poor have been bribed and the world has been abused by the dishonest
USA business model.

Eliminate reservations and pay rent to the US Indians.
Offer Europeans a trip back to the European country of their choice. Make very strict and expensive requirements for immigration.