Do you have faith in democracy and the political system? Why?

So many people seem to have faith in the political system, why is that? It seems so transparently corrupt that the only reason I can see for ignoring that is fear-based denial. Is the idea of the system being against us too terrifying to contemplate?

I realise especially on ATS that most people will say they don't have faith in the system but some of the comments suggest otherwise. It's the attitude used to condemn people who comment on aspects of politics that they are unhappy with that astounds me. For example:

"If the English really want to [blahblah] they can vote for people who will do that." this line of logic seems nonsensical to me. What if only one candidate stands who has that policy, must they be voted for even if every other policy of theirs is abhorrent? If I don't vote for that person, have I then forfeited my right to ever wish to [blahblah]?

Another oft-used line is: "well, you voted them in" - what about when I didn't vote them in? What about when I voted for the other party? Some of you talk as if I must for some reason accept responsibility even in this situation, is this because I am a part of 'the people' (see below)? Am I expected to either change the mind of all the other voters until they concur with me or forfeit my right to complain about the government?

Democracy is bull#. Rule of the people? This is exactly why it doesn't work - I am not 'the people' I am 'a person'. 'The people' is an abstract concept, like the average man or the monobrow community. In the simplest version of democracy it is possible for 49% of the people to absolutely deeply despise the policies that their government enacts, but they are unable to do anything about it and are forced to live under those laws and policies. If you are one of that minority, in what way is democracy serving you? Isn't the net outcome the same, for you, as living in a dictatorship? Your opinions and wishes are irrelevant unless you happen to agree with the majority, no matter how slim that majority might be or how many millions of people are alongside you in your minority.

Oo kettle's boiling...or is that steam coming from out the top of my head? At least I posted in the RANTS section (god I hate these emoticons, mocking little #s)

reply to post by morkington


i don't know what a democracy looks like as i live in the united states...

perhaps when we get our constitution back to working for us instead of for wall street and the corporations then maybe democracy does have a chance and can survive this parasitic thing that has latched onto the constitution, politicians twisting it and exploiting where it is silent.

that's just my opinion though...i could be wrong.

P.D. I supported Obama's election, i did not vote for him, (in my state Ca. he easily won, i voted for a third party, just to add to their total. viva independents!) i hope he is a better president than he has been perceived. He is our commander and chief, he has my respect, and loyalty as an American citizen.

i do not approve of many things he left undone thus far. i am not a pro Obama person, though i never bash him.

No and have no use for any political systems.. Outdated , primitive remnants of humanities barbaric past used to oppress, enslave and murder ... But most humans being to stupid and afraid to think for themselves, be responsible for their actions blindly cling to the primitive barbaric ways of the past perpetuating the cycle of oppression, enslavement and mass murder..

reply to post by morkington


It isn't a true democracy when your vote does not count. When the popular vote is the winner and still looses you do not have a democracy. However the problem is not truly with the actual system. The problem is with people.
As long as we are unable to find good decent and trustworthy people willing to run and serve, we will not be free.
every time some new guy comes up with a promise you can pretty much bet he is not being truthful.
the only difference is in the level of deceit. Not telling the truth by omission is the same as commission.
But then how can we expect our leaders to be right, good, and just, if we are not?
We to have our double standard. But it seems now our current government has gone to extremes cramming things down our throats that they know we truly do not want. Lies and deceit. I am thinking that we ourselves are indeed part of the problem. We criticize our politicians for lying, but then will lie to our wives, children, neighbors, and boses. The problem is really one of societal morals. How can we expect them to be something we ourselves are not?

The US is not a Democracy...we're a Representative Republic.

Says so right in our Constitution. Funny thing is though, we DO have the technology to allow for actual Democracy these days...but, to do so, you'd also have to establish quite a bit of time in everyone's day to ensure people were actually knowledgeable about what they were voting for.

Personally, I think a TRUE Democracy would be an absolute disaster. (You'd likely end up with Kim Kardashian as President)...

However, the current Representative Republic system is completely corrupted (and to be honest, was kind of designed that way, but the powerful men of the time...). However, the people tasked with fixing it, just happen to also be the people that are benefiting from it...so of course, without throwing all the incumbents out...it will never be fixed...as long as we hold to the illusion that the only people we can vote for, are either Democrats, or Republicans...

I'd like to have faith in a political system...really I would. But I don't have faith in us a race to do the right thing, or care, or to show an iota of dignity, so no. You wont find any faith here.

It's really the blind voting the blind who is making the blind blinder.

Did that make sense?

I used to believe that we were at least maintaining a level of "normalacy" within our country, but no longer.