In a democracy ‘the people’ get to “deliberate on, and decide legislation”. I don’t think there is any such country anywhere in the world.
In a ‘Representative Democracy’ the people elect someone to make decisions for them.
Communist or Capitalist, it’s about the same – ‘big money’ dictates who gets elected, and the winners serve themselves.
Exactly who ‘the people’ are and how authority is shared among or delegated by the people has changed over time and at different rates in different countries,
but over time more and more of a democratic country’s inhabitants have generally been included.
Supposedly, democracy ensures freedom of assembly and association, property rights, freedom of religion and speech, inclusiveness and equality, citizenship, consent of the governed, voting rights, freedom from unwarranted governmental deprivation of the right to life and liberty, and minority rights.
But ‘democracy’ has changed over time.
Originally, the Greeks, tried a direct democracy, everyone voting on everything – but obviously that didn’t work out too well.
Rarely does any issue receive universal support, so slowly, as in America now, ‘the people’ divide into warring factions behind their charismatic leader, who increasingly does their thinking for them.
This leads to extremism, and, ultimately dictatorship.
The elected president demands ‘blind loyalty’ from, not only the population, but also from other elected leaders and government employees, either of whom gets fired if they have an opinion different from the leader.
Eventually, it gets worse. In Florida right now the governor is attacking a private business, not because they did anything illegal or immoral, but for the simple reason that their spokesperson, expressed an opinion in opposition to that of the governor.
Was the ‘free press’ outraged by this abuse of power?
A very different response from an executive telling their employees what to think and what NOT to say.
Did our elected republican representatives speak up for ‘Freedom of Speech’ or ‘Abuse of Power’?
Of course not.
Why?
For the simple reason that our leaders are inevitably evolving into dictators.
“Oppose me and you’re out!”
It’s been said that “No president, regardless of party, should be able to exploit weaknesses in our political system for their personal gain.”
Nice ‘Polly-Anna’ thinking, But, in the real world, this gradual loss of freedom is inevitable.
Pure ’democracy’ doesn’t work, because we can’t agree on anything.
‘Representative Democracy’ doesn’t work because, we cease to think for our selves.
Another complication is the ‘blank check’ we donate to our elected officials.
As it is, a candidate can state publicly, on the record, that, for example, they are against ‘Abortion Rights’ and for strict ‘Border Controls’.
Then, when in office, they can, and do, vote as they please, regardless of their promises.
How should we vote when we believe in a ‘woman’s-right-to-choose’, and the control of unarmed invaders who are pouring into this country every day?
As I see it, we ‘The People’ do have the right to vote (on these issues).
That freedom is being denied us by our elected leaders.
The very people who volunteered to serve and protect us.
‘til next time. . . .
