Satisfaction With Democracy Hits Record Lows in US and UK

[My Spot]

Accuse liberals of being obsessed with race while always being the first person to mention race.

Classic conservative move.

You’re the one who accuses people of being in favor of torture, not me.

 

[luckyshot]

In 2004 Kerry was within 100,000 votes of winning the electoral college while losing the popular vote by 2M

If that had happened we probably would have had bipartisan support to make at least some tweaks to the Electoral College.

But alas, here we are

Exactly. The minute a Democrat benefits from-- or looks like he will benefit from-- the EC, the GOP will be ready to adjust it. States rights, Founding Fathers, tradition, all that will be out the window.

I'm not surprised it's gone down. People have been voting for populist leaders and feel good rhetoric. Then reality sets in and the rhetoric always falls short of the reality so they feel let down by democracy itself because they won't blame themselves for unrealistic expectations.

I think there have been other factors besides populists not keeping promises. Frankly, I think a lot of the "disillusionment with democracy" has been bought and paid for by proponents of small government and libertarian economics-- at least in the US.

Just look at the Tea Party: a Koch Brothers funded "populist" movement that complains about the ineffectiveness and wastefulness of government, gets elected, gridlocks the government beyond all recognition, then points at the government gridlock as evidence of the government's ineffectiveness and wastefulness.

So, on one side, the disillusionment is a strategy used to attain an end, and the other side sees this strategy working and, of course, becomes legitimately disillusioned.

 

[Stoic1]

Why do you think civics is no longer taught in most schools?

 

[Dirt Road Soldier]

How about the US where we haven't had a "democratically elected" Republican PotUS since 1988, and yet they manage to have a 5-4 majority on the Supreme Court??

He was though, based on the rules everyone agreed to play by. If you have a gripe, take it up with the Gore and Hillary camps for running dogshit campaigns and expect g to ride their predecessors coat tails to the win.

 

[Stoic1]

There's three chambers...the presidency, the Senate and the House. Idiot...

This is all that really needs to be said.

 

[The Diplomat]

Don't be an idiot.

She's clearly referring to the 3 elected offices of federal government: the Senate, the House, and the Presidency.

The fact that people are taking that and saying it means she doesn't know the three branches of government speaks to the shamelessness and bad faith of the right.

It wasn't a very serious post, comrade.

Any reason why you aren't satisfied with the state of democracy in the US?

 

[Teppodama]

Sounds like both nations have an awful lot of people that need a taste of some Chinese style socialism to cleanse their political palates.

 

[TheComebackKid]

and most importantly one should "Earn" the right to vote, it should not be a fucking right that everyone is entitled to. you want to participate or have a say in how the republic works? fucking earn it.

Thats completely insane. What you are suggesting is taxation without representation. Do i get to ignore all the different laws the rest of you establish since I have no say in the matter?

 

[Trotsky]

It wasn't a very serious post, comrade.

Any reason why you aren't satisfied with the state of democracy in the US?

There are very many. Of course, at the surface it's very easy to talk about the fact that one of the major parties is actively opposed to democracy and engaged in rampant voter suppression efforts and is comfortable spreading verifiable lies about voter fraud to achieve their dismantling of representative democracy. Deeper, at the core of the problem, is the fact that capitalism is fundamentally in tension with democracy, and we must actively reduce disparities in wealth, power, and access if we want to even have a valid claim to having a democratic system of government.

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

Thats completely insane. What you are suggesting is taxation without representation. Do i get to ignore all the different laws the rest of you establish since I have no say in the matter?

I respectfully disagree homie.
and welcome back btw!

 

[Shoemaker]

or even when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

July 4th, 1996. Not so much signed, though, as it was shouted from the back of a pickup truck.

 

[Shoemaker]

I respectfully disagree homie.
and welcome back btw!

Well you can't disagree that what you're suggesting is taxation without representation. You're saying that some people should have to live with the laws passed by the government without the ability to make any change in government. That might be your preferred system, but it certainly is taxation without representation for some.

 

[squeezewax]

If our education system teaches kids that everything our countries have ever done has been really bad, that we should be ashamed of our history, Caucasians should hate themselves for being white as they are the source of all evil in the world, and that white males in particular are the worst of the worst, that doesn't help things.
When just about all of our media ram down our throats every day that we suck, that too doesn't help.
The media is almost totally to the Left and the Left preach all those things above to us every day.
The nightly news tells us EVERY FUCKIN' DAY how bad the country and the world is and it's all our faults, if you are Caucasian.
The media, our schools and universities tell our kids that socialism is fine.
The Left of politics in the West are getting more and more to the Left.
When politicians in Britain spent almost 4yrs dishonouring a democratic vote to leave the EU, because they didn't give 'loser's consent.'
When the Democrats are also refusing to give 'loser's consent' when it comes to losing in 2016. Democracy cannot work without 'loser's consent.'
When there are so many politicians these days on the Left going on about how great socialism is.
It's no wonder so many believe democracy is shit.

 

[Rod1]

and most importantly one should "Earn" the right to vote, it should not be a fucking right that everyone is entitled to. you want to participate or have a say in how the republic works? fucking earn it.

And who decides that? how do you remove the incentive to alienate people? also "No taxation without representation".

You want to take people's right to vote? then also remove all taxation from them.

 

[7437]

Democracy isn't the problem. One party subverting democracy is

 

[franklinstower]

This is what happens when the government is largely for the wealthy and donor class and fails to serve the average person.

 

[The XL]

What democracy? Their is probably dissatisfaction with it because it doesn't really exist.

 

[Bald1]

Perhaps these folks would be happy with autocracy? Nah, probably not.

 

[luckyshot]

You’re the one who accuses people of being in favor of torture, not me.

Lol, did you get dropped... or maybe I should ask how often did you get dropped as a child?

What in the blue hell are you talking about son?

If our education system teaches kids that everything our countries have ever done has been really bad, that we should be ashamed of our history, Caucasians should hate themselves for being white as they are the source of all evil in the world, and that white males in particular are the worst of the worst, that doesn't help things.
When just about all of our media ram down our throats every day that we suck, that too doesn't help.
The media is almost totally to the Left and the Left preach all those things above to us every day.
The nightly news tells us EVERY FUCKIN' DAY how bad the country and the world is and it's all our faults, if you are Caucasian.
The media, our schools and universities tell our kids that socialism is fine.
The Left of politics in the West are getting more and more to the Left.
When politicians in Britain spent almost 4yrs dishonouring a democratic vote to leave the EU, because they didn't give 'loser's consent.'
When the Democrats are also refusing to give 'loser's consent' when it comes to losing in 2016. Democracy cannot work without 'loser's consent.'
When there are so many politicians these days on the Left going on about how great socialism is.
It's no wonder so many believe democracy is shit.

But my lawd you can whine.

I’ve managed to recognize the obvious truth that, by and large, Europeans treated indigenous people as subhumans during the so-called age of exploration.

Also, America’s foreign policy has often been an imperialist nightmare.

I manage to see these obvious truths without feeling personally bad about myself, my “whiteness,” or democracy as an abstract ideal.

Do I have a super power?

 

[My Spot]

Lol, did you get dropped... or maybe I should ask how often did you get dropped as a child?

What in the blue hell are you talking about son?

I mean if you're just gonna make up stuff then I guess I'll join in on the fun.