Should the Public be engaged in deciding politcal direction?

The reason for starting this thread is to ask a simple question. Should we in democratic countries actually be allowed to have a say and be consulted before making huge decisions?

Its all very well now taking Tony Blair to court and asking whether or not the war in Iraq was legal or not...hundreds of thousands of dead poeple later...! Goverment seems to lack forsight. Given the overwhelming anti war feelings in the UK well before we took a dump on the middle east, most of us (I hope I speak for most people here) think that the war was a bad idea well before it started. And guess what....we were right. And looking back through history. Joe Public has been bang on about many many many things, where as governments seem to be wrong about a lot of things...a lot of the time. Im not talking about day to day things like fixing a road , or how many computers to buy for a school. Im talking about the big life/world changing things.

So Should plans to go to war (For example) be conducted in secret....with a select few making that choice....behind closed doors. Where we , and we probably have more brains that the average politician (Lets face it, most politicians I know are well....would probably working at Tesco if it was not for their job in politics) are kept in the dark. In fact we , yes all of us get lied to probably every hour.

So should we not be able to have a voice? We are meant to. But I don't know of anyone who has ever been asked if going to war was a good idea.

It might be tricky with information coming from inteligence sources, but again, should we not have the right to look at that information?

I think that if, for example, the UK wants a war, or to push another country in a certain direction. Then we the public must have access to the same information as the politicians and we must take part in that debate. It could be something very very simple. Like a government website, where you can download information, review it, then cast your vote so you can engage with the political process.

Yes, we might get the same tripe as before, but the more dicerning amoung us would never take information on its face value. If someone said "Iraq has a bomb that can get here in 20 minutes", I would say "Thats interesting....prove it". If they don't provide the information then I could act on that.

I don't have any faith in these so called "leaders" when most of them have failed in proper jobs and stumbled into politics, or inheritted a political position. In the UK the Head of the NHS over night can become the Head of the Armed Force. And then the Head of Transport becomes Head of education. I have always struggled with this and now I can't trust a choice made by someone without the "Industry Knowledge" or the "Skill" to do a job. Its like me, Being Head of IT suddenly having to Teach the History of Art to 10 year olds.....I would not know where to start! Ergo....I would not be suitable for such a position. Thats a thread I will start later.

I think that in the US and UK many people might think "I wished you asked me before letting my son or daughter get killed in Iraq"....or "I wish you asked me before deciding on Sub Prime lending"

I wish someone asked me. Do you wish someone asked the same.

Um, HELL YEAH! This is not Nazi Germany, or Facist Italy. In America the Government works for us, they are our public servants to do our bidding. Well that's how it SUPPOSED to work, but unfortunately it's just not so anymore.

We the People need to speak up for what we know is right, and stop this oppresive Government. WE NEED TO USE COMMON SENSE.

Before i even read your article, i must say NO !!

Wy ?

Because there is a reason sh*t is upon us all.
People are easily misinformed and even more mislead to choose themselves.

I live in the Netherlands. We here have some clown named Wilders calling. Islam is bad, stop it if we still can .
I personally think Islam is force to be reckoned with and he has a point you know.
All those d*mn sheep here, they act like he's a savior of some kind.
They hear bad muslim they vote Wilders.
Our world isn't just black and white. A lot of people don't even look at what out there behind Wilders or PvdA or whatever.

It's true people act like sheep and you do not want them to make their choice yours.

Well at least i don't think you will anyway

I think in a democratic society it's the failure of the people if their government makes a mistake. The people should promptly correct that mistake during the next national election, if they don't, the people will continue to fail.

All of those demanding that we vote everyone out of their current office because of their policy flaws either don't know how to vote or are in the minority and are angry about being wrong.