WhatFinger


Fixing Democracy

How to fix our democracy



Over the years our democracy has fallen into stagnation due to politicians who make a career out of being in office and bureaucrats that fail to be held responsible for what happens to the money with which they are entrusted by taxpayers. In fact, The Government has become a force unto itself, some omnipresent and omnipotent entity to which the citizens pay homage.

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The truth is that our government has grown too large to be manageable and too much government exists at all levels, making most of it an expensive luxury, like cocaine or cosmetic surgery. What's needed is a plan to revamp government so that it truly represents the interests of the majority of the people, as opposed to being the benefactor to its supporters. And schemes such as Mixed Member Proportional government just don't cut it. Ideally, government should provide a number of essential services only; services such as national defense, roads, an effective educational system and a police force to ensure public safety. One could even make arguments in favor of government providing healthcare, so long as the care provided is timely and efficient and managing a transportation infrastructure that ensures people, goods and services can freely move from one end of the country to the other. Instead, we have leaders who pander to voters and outrageously buy their votes with the voters' own money. In turn voters have expected government to become the panacea to all their personal ills. The result is a society that by all accounts is broken and no longer functions in a manner that makes it all worthwhile. Too many of us take our freedoms for granted, assuming that they will withstand the gradual coercive pressures currently being forced upon society by elected officials and their bureaucrats who hold society's interest furthest from their conscious minds. In the past governmental systems were changed violently and with no small amount of chaos. People were shot, hung, guillotined and disposed of in ways too numerous and too grotesque to mention, affecting the overall health and stability of the body politic. What's needed are two major changes within the current system that would achieve a degree of change on par with any revolution. The first change would be term limits for all politicians. Instead of having a political class or dynasty that exists by sucking from the public jugular, all politicians, no matter how great or modest would be limited to no more than two four year terms in office. Once the second term is finished the politician would no longer qualify for public office of any sort, forcing him or her to return to the real world where he or she would have to survive like all the rest of us. The politicians would be well remunerated during their term in office (in much the same way they already are). Only difference is that their terms in office would be limited to forestall the kind of empire building that's become so prevalent in today's political arena. We have some politicians in both the US and Canada that have held public office for all their adult lives. Senator Robert C. Byrd has been in office since 1959, which is nearly 50 years! Prior to that he was a congressman for seven years. Similarly, Jean Chretien, former Prime Minister of Canada (for 10 years) was a member of parliament for 40 years. The saying that power corrupts is especially applicable in cases where those in power are allowed to remain in power for indeterminate periods of time. While most people in politics likely enter that field with a view toward serving society, in time that goal is lost in the miasma of trying to hang on to power. Better to just spend a few years in service and then return to the private sector forever. The second change would be to make participation in the democratic process mandatory for all citizens of voting age. The government is mandating participation of all citizens in the national census, so why not mandate participation in the electoral process? By forcing voters to participate in elections they can no longer talk about how their vote doesn't really count, particularly if the candidates running for office are only going to be around for a maximum of eight years. Too often citizens complain that elections are rigged by the parties that their votes do not count, that politics is by nature corrupt and that the common individual no longer has a voice. Finally, having a two party system, while not totally ideal, is probably better than anything else that's out there as it gives voters the best shot at majority rule. These three changes would once and for all reverse this trend and return democratic power where it was originally intended to be; in the hands of the people.


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Klaus Rohrich -- Bio and Archives

Klaus Rohrich is senior columnist for Canada Free Press. Klaus also writes topical articles for numerous magazines. He has a regular column on RetirementHomes and is currently working on his first book dealing with the toxicity of liberalism.  His work has been featured on the Drudge Report, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, among others.  He lives and works in a small town outside of Toronto.

Older articles by Klaus Rohrich


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