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I am a registered voter and I'm definately no anarchist or anything. There are just so many holes in our Democratic process or things I don't understand.
1. Why isn't popular vote the deciding factor? It seems that the electoral college and zoning does everything in it's power to undercut democracy. In a major city like Atlanta Millions of people can vote and make a vote that counts 1 in the zone while some backwoods county with a population of 50 can have their vote count as equal. To me that isn't democracy that's a ploy that undercuts Democracy.
2. Who chooses the nominees? In most elections I find myself choosing between the lesser of two evils. And why aren't candidates held accountable for the promises they made while campaigning? I believe that a candidate that is elected from one platform and switches once elected should be imprisoned or in some way punished. How can we know exactly what we've gotten ourselves into otherwise?
3. Isn't there a way to allow the common people to vote on policy instead of trusting a congressman serving his/her own agenda? I thought that was the heart of democracy.
4. What good is a ballot in the hands of someone who is ignorant of politics? I believe all too many people vote simply from party affiliation or the red herrings politicians throw out while campaigning to distract people. I mean is Gay marriage, Abortion etc..really important when there is a crisis with the economy and we have military conflict in 3 countries? If a bunch of politically ignorant people are running to the polls the slickest hustler that knows how to say absolutely nothing beautifully will win EVERY TIME!!
I'm partially venting and some of these I forgot the political terms to use but y'all get the jist...Plus I jist joined City-Data and wanted to post something
Democracy can best be described as four wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
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Benjamin Franklin (1706–90)
“Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?”
“A Republic, if you can keep it.” The response is attributed to BENJAMIN FRANKLIN—at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, when queried as he left Independence Hall on the final day of deliberation—in the notes of Dr. James McHenry, one of Maryland’s delegates to the Convention.
McHenry’s notes were first published in The American Historical Review, vol. 11, 1906, and the anecdote on p. 618 reads: “A lady asked Dr. Franklin Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy. A republic replied the Doctor if you can keep it.” When McHenry’s notes were included in The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, ed. Max Farrand, vol. 3, appendix A, p. 85 (1911, reprinted 1934), a footnote stated that the date this anecdote was written is uncertain.
Welcome to the forum Cyrano, I wanted to answer this question
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3. Isn't there a way to allow the common people to vote on policy instead of trusting a congressman serving his/her own agenda? I thought that was the heart of democracy.
This is not a well thought out idea and if common people were setting policy they would destroy the country and themselves. For example take the current issues of cutting SSI,medicare,and medicaid a vast majority of Americans from both parties are against cuts. Instead they are for taxing the upper classes so these programs do not go broke. If the people had their way they would tax the wealthy and whats left of the corporations out of the country. And then what would be left?
The corporations are already leaving the country under their favorable tax breaks. I say let them leave but prevent them from ever selling anything back to this country. I believe corporate cronyism and collusive monopoly costs Americans far more than the government taxation.
1. Why isn't popular vote the deciding factor? It seems that the electoral college and zoning does everything in it's power to undercut democracy. In a major city like Atlanta Millions of people can vote and make a vote that counts 1 in the zone while some backwoods county with a population of 50 can have their vote count as equal. To me that isn't democracy that's a ploy that undercuts Democracy.
We are not a direct democracy. We are a Constitutional Republic, set up to avoid the tyranny of the majority. Trust me, you do not want a direct democracy.
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2. Who chooses the nominees? In most elections I find myself choosing between the lesser of two evils. And why aren't candidates held accountable for the promises they made while campaigning? I believe that a candidate that is elected from one platform and switches once elected should be imprisoned or in some way punished. How can we know exactly what we've gotten ourselves into otherwise?
There is no law that says political candidates are not allowed to lie.
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3. Isn't there a way to allow the common people to vote on policy instead of trusting a congressman serving his/her own agenda? I thought that was the heart of democracy.
It's the heart of a direct democracy. Would you like the idea of 51% of the population voting to take away your civil liberties? Islam and Sharia law for example, could become the official religion of the United States under a direct democracy. Would you be ok with that?
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4. What good is a ballot in the hands of someone who is ignorant of politics? I believe all too many people vote simply from party affiliation or the red herrings politicians throw out while campaigning to distract people. I mean is Gay marriage, Abortion etc..really important when there is a crisis with the economy and we have military conflict in 3 countries? If a bunch of politically ignorant people are running to the polls the slickest hustler that knows how to say absolutely nothing beautifully will win EVERY TIME!!
What good is a majority vote in the hands of lots of ignorant people? Do you really think a 51% majority in this country is actually intelligent enough to use an educated, unbiased approach to improve this country? No - they vote based on emotion - which means gay marriage and abortion would be 2 of the top issues voted on.
You are right we get exactly what we deserve. Year after year the people go to the polls and make the choice of a {R} corporation/bankster shill or they choose the {D} corporation/bankster shill. Guess who wins? They do not call them the duped masses for nothing they have earned every letter of that title. Then they wear their little red/wht/ and blue I voted buttons and pat them selves on the the back for their patriotism The condition of this country is self inflicted why would anyone feel pity.
We aren't just a republic. We're a democratic republic. A republic doesn't guarantee a democratically elected government.
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The condition of this country is self inflicted why would anyone feel pity.
