How can we genuinely return the national decision making process in the USA back to our citizens?

Question

The form of government wherein we elect representatives to make decisions for us may have worked fine back in the days when transportation and communications were limited - but that is no longer the case.
I think most people will agree that we can think and communcate quite well for ourselves.
What is a concern for us is that our elected representatives are not truly representing the will of the people. Instead they have too great a tendency to represent the will of the lobyists that are paid for by big business.
Our constitution directs that when tyranny and coruption become too great in our government it is our right and duty to take the country back and turn it back into the kind of nation that is a reflection of our greatest ideals.
And so the question is --- how can we begin the process of returning the true voting power of this nation back to the people. Too many national decisions are made that disregard the greater good of the country in favor of benefits for the rich.

Answer 1

Reform election fund raising and corporate lobbying

Answer 2

With all due respect, there is no "back" to return to. The idea of our constitution is to elect people who will have the freedom to make decisions based on what they feel is best for all the people. We are not, and have never been, a democracy. We are a republic.

While a lot of people may be able to communicate their feelings, numbers do not automatically provide wisdom. In fact, it can be argued that just the opposite is true. If twenty million people say a stupid thing - it is still a stupid thing.

It is true that some of those elected are not doing what is best for the people, and the system provides ways of going after them. But WE elected them, and all too often, the voting public does not pay sufficient attention during elections, and are easily swayed by biased reporting and show business techniques. Vote for this one because she is a woman, because he is a minority, because he is politically correct on this issue - rather than seriously examining what a candidate says and how they have performed in the past.

Don't change the system - use the system to make the necessary changes.

Answer 3

The Declaration of Independence expressly provides instructions to the citizens regarding their rights and duty to abolish the current government and establish a new government, which clearly represents the people. Thus far, very few of our patriotic citizens can find or read that lucid document. The Declaration of Independence is never published or printed on the 4th of July, or any other time. The current U.S. government is bought and controlled by corporate criminals, who lobby (bribery) the congress, and as we have seen, get whatever they want. The ideal government would be government by national plebiscite on all issues of national importance, such as capital punishment,mandatory vaccinations,and what language should be the official language of the U.S. The refusal to enforce immigration statutes by the current administration is a classic example of the complete disregard for the rights of our citizens. Big business corporations want cheap labor, so it became available in the form of millions of illegal aliens (criminals), who pay no taxes, do not contribute to social security, and receive free health care at the expense of the legal, taxpaying citizens and legal immigrants. Corruption is now pervasive throughout our government, and the method to be elected to political office is via collecting huge sums of money. Take a look at the current political race for the oval office, as it is all money, and generally the candidate raising the most dollars will be the winner. There is only one way to take this country back for the people, and that is to resurrect the spirit of 1776, everyone should get a copy of the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE; read it carefully. The choice and decision is in your hands!

Answer 4

Since Joe Public is, generally speaking, an idiot, I'm not at all comfortable relinquishing control over diplomacy and international trade to the masses, whose opinions change as fast as their preferences for idiotic pop music and crappy Hollywood movies.

Career politicians may be the scum of the Earth, but they're a slight step up from "American Idol" worshippers.

Answer 5

Abolish the lobbyists. Abolish campaign contributions from big business. Rely on the popular vote. Make those elected accountable.

Answer 6

Get rid of the electoral college and elect everyone directly, including supreme court judges and all judges, or put a time limit on the judges. No judge or justice should be appointed for life.

Answer 7

I think it's a little late for considering we can be successful here. Stock up on some good canned goods, water, gasoline, bullets, gold and liqour. Learn the bartering system and get ready to loose some sleep.

Answer 8

The US is a bit too big to have everyone have a "say", but one option would be to give more power to state and local governments

Answer 9

Am not really a practicing anarchist or revolutionary, but am becoming convinced I should invite our leaders to a tea party in middle-America.

Answer 10

One way. Shall we ignite the flame?
Democracy by internet. It's coming.

Until then we have the best government in the world.