What happened to democracy?

Question

I guess I'll vote for a major corporation in the next election. They run our country anyway.

Good answer K.K!

Answer 1

Well, first and foremost, the US isn't really a Democracy and never has been. We're a Republic in that we elect officials to represent us rather than representing ourselves. Real Democracy is far too cumbersome to be employed on a large scale basis.

I think the real gist of your question, however, is more "How did the US devolve from a Republic to a Plutocracy?"

To answer that, in large part TV and the Internet have been culprits in getting us to where we are now. Where 70 years ago a Presidential candidate maybe had to sound good on the radio, it was his ideas that were important. In the age of direct media, however, it's far more important that candidates look the part rather than putting out anything other than the party line.

Now look at the fact that Presidential candidates are all fighting for air time on TV. The sheer amount of money required for advertising ensures that a Presidential candidate must be either abominably wealthy or else they must embrace a number of special interest groups for funding. Obviously embracing those special interests is essentially like making deals with the devil.

Unfortunately, there ARE special interest groups out there that are honestly trying to represent a segment of the population and improve life. That just makes it harder to meaningfully limit the impact of special interests on the electoral process.

Answer 2

It is true that politicians are bought and payed for!

We never had a Democracy as a form of government!

What I worry about is how the government is letting all the corps go multi-national, when we have a security interest to not let them do that. At least some of them! If we do get in a war, who is going to make our equipment? Japan?

Andy, that is in my state's Constitution. It is ironic that a government who came to power using those words in the Declaration of Independence, left it out of the constitution, giving the government the right to declare Martial Law and suspend the constitution! That was not well thought out!

Answer 3

We're not a democracy. We're a Republic. The ones who run the country are those in Congress and the President. We elect those people, so the way we can help "run" the country is to participate in elections and rally support for the right people.

Answer 4

Thank you very much for your complacency. Now that my dear is sarcasm. I agree that the country is being run by big business and an oil soaked administration. I agree our President is a puppet and our vice president is a war monger. But I belive there is hope for change. I know your vote didn't count in the last election, and Bush won anyway, but I don't think that will happen again.

Answer 5

Well, no one I have ever considered as a good candidate has ever been able to run anyway, so really why bother. I once read that the majority of our presidents were related to the Monarchy in England. I also read that Colin Powell is one of them. I suppose he would be the best candidate then, but he isn't running. See what I mean? The one candidate I think would be good and he's not even running. I think we are just going to have to pray alot. Or for those of you who claim atheism, just think lots of positive thoughts cause Ouch, ouch, ouch. we be a hurting!

Answer 6

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

WWW.RONPAUL2008.COM

GIVE US BACK OUR DEMOCRACY!!!!!!

WE THE PEOPLE NOT WE THE CORPORATIONS

Answer 7

The Constitution of the United States was crafted to ensure this nation never becomes a Democracy! It guarantees to all the States a Republican form of government to protect us against the perils of democracy!

Answer 8

Democracy exists only in the imagination.

Answer 9

I wish for Democracy. Reps are not doing anything important in my eyes.

Answer 10

Try myverdict.net, an excercise in direct democracy.