|
Not only do I not agree that America is a true democracy, I think it would be much worse if it were. At least with a representative Republic you have a chance of reducing the evils that a majority often support. Of course it doesn't always work but it does serve as a possibly intelligent buffer.
Your Constitution was written to guard against the tyranny of a majority and/or our politicians. Unfortunately the Constitution is widely disregarded by both the government and the public.
And that's only part of the problem with a 'true democracy.' Another problem with it is WIIFM (What's In It For Me). In a representative system your legislative body tries to look out for everyone. However, in a 'true democracy' people have a much stronger tendency to vote for whatever is the best for themselves and the hell with everyone else.
This problem is coming through strongly with the initiative process in many states. Rather than petition the legislature for changes, initiatives bypass the legislature and put the vote to the people. And while in theory everyone supports that, in practice many of these initiatives cause big problems due to WIIFM. People vote for tax cuts that put money in their pockets without concern for what will happen to public works that money had been slated for (e.g. roads, schools, libraries, public transit, police & fire).
I'm not espousing a liberal viewpoint on social projects or agendas here. I'm not advocating higher taxes. I'm simply pointing out that the way a republic (representative form of government) is set up, especially one with a foundation on the American Constitution, it is more likely to look at the bigger picture than a 'true democracy,' where people are more likely to look for WIIFM.
|
16th February 2002, 18:53
Ronbo
Linear Mode
