How long have democrats and republicans been running this country now? As I see it politics in this country will never change for the better for really any reason short of a public revolt. But our citizens don't care enough so that'll never happen either. I'm turning 30 next month and have voted in every election I've been able to. I've never been more depressed about the state of politics or of this country in general as I am now. I'm genuinely very concerned about our future. I don't think there are nearly enough people who actually care about the people or the wellbeing of this country in politics. Any politician I do like will never have the chance to be president. The media really doesn't help anything either.
Well, here's the dilemma.
The founding fathers set up a democracy.
Democracy with checks and balances. However, and this is a BIG however, it REQUIRED a vigilant, vibrant and vociferously involved citizenry.
REQUIRED.
That wasn't a problem in the early days.
It's a problem now.
Democracy can't work when the people don't want to participate. And, frankly, more than HALF of the people in this country do NOT want to participate. They don't want to vote in local elections. They don't want to vote in state elections. They don't want to vote in federal elections. They don't want to partake in civic functions like jury duty.
These are ESSENTIAL functions that are MANDATORY for our system to function and the people don't want to do it. We don't have a system that we contract out. Our government really and truly was designed to be OF, BY and FOR the people. Homegrown. WE, THE PEOPLE are supposed to BE the g0vernment.
So, what this means is that we have exactly the government we deserve because as a whole people we've not done more to change it. When we wanted more, we got more. We've had movements... Abolitionist Movement, Women's Suffrage, the Civil Rights Movement, etc. When we as a people really and truly WANTED something, man... we got it done. We got our butts off the couch and we made it happen and it didn't matter what the danged paper said or what the Mayor said or the Governor said or even the President of the USofA said.
So, we have to ask ourselves a VERY hard question: do we still want democracy?
That may seem like a slam dunk, but I don't think it is. Democracy is BY FAR the hardest of the methods of governance because it relies on the population to essentially govern themselves and requires a constant reinvestment of time and energy as well as having that check and balance so that power does not swing too quickly and that every citizen can be an equal citizen.
Do we still want democracy?
I dunno.
I'm discouraged by the social behaviors which paint for me an answer that does not engender a resounding, "yes". I'm further discouraged by behaviors which lead me to believe that given even the facade of promises of fairness, masses of Americans would abandon democracy if they could be rid of the responsibilities that come with it.
Discouraged? Yes. I can see that. I am as well. But, the candidates are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problem.
WE are the problem, to speak the plain truth and unless WE fix the problem, our collective situation will only get worse.