Why democracy is failing America

Natural News ^ | Tuesday, May 10, 2011 | Mike Adams

[Scythian]

Democracy is the worst form of government, Sir Winston Churchill once said... except for every other form of government. In other words, all forms of government are atrociously bad, and democracy may merely be the least bad of the bunch. I certainly wouldn't want to live under a dictatorship, socialism or communism. So I like the idea of democracy, and I wish it would work better for America. But it isn't working. That much is clear. Democracy is failing America, and we can't just blame it on the politicians and the corporations. People actually vote for their own self-destruction by electing professional liars to represent them.

That's where this article begins.

Why democracy isn't working for America

At its core, the democratic process of electing representatives is a popularity contest. The voters inevitably end up supporting whichever lawmakers offer the best handouts right now, regardless of the long-term consequences to the nation. Voting, in other words, is a contest based on short-term rewards rather than long-term vision. Not surprisingly, when the voters go to the polls, they tend to elect the person who promises them the most right now.

Now, it's crucial to recognize this simple economic fact: No government can offer something to one person without first taking it from another. So the more handouts, entitlements and benefits any government offers, the more it must confiscate from others in order to meet its "obligations" to the voters.

This creates a downward spiral of entitlements leading to inescapable debt. Because sooner or later, governments always run out of other people's money.

But that doesn't stop the voting action which still boils down to a popularity contest to decide the leader who tells the best lies. When given a choice between a realistic candidate who says America is deep in debt (Ron Paul) and a fantasy-land candidate who says there's nothing to worry about (almost everybody else), most voters will choose the fantasy candidate... especially if it means more money in their pockets.

The right course of action is too unpopular

What's desperately lacking in all this, of course, is the far more important truth that when a nation is in financial trouble (and environmental trouble, health care trouble, etc.), only tough decisions will ever turn it around. And those tough decisions are, by definition, unpopular decisions.

Huh? We have to consume less? Receive fewer benefits? Pay higher taxes? Make the wealthy corporations pay their fair share? Say it isn't so...

Not surprisingly, in a free and open democracy, tough, unpopular decisions will almost never be supported by the majority of voters. That's because most people are simply selfish. They are far more concerned about their own immediate benefits than the future they might be handing down to their children or grandchildren. So there is zero willingness to make the tough decisions necessary to save the country. The voters, in other words, tend to vote out of their own short-term interests rather than the long-term viability of the nation as a whole.

That's why democracy is failing America. And that's partly why America is headed toward a near-certain collapse in the not-too-distant future. A President who tells the truth and says we have to cut government by 80% to balance the budget is simply not electable. Too many people have their hands in the cookie jar. Too many voters depend on the government to send them checks, and far too many wealthy corporations are entirely dependent on government enforcement of monopolies and subsidies for their own survival. Big Pharma, for example, would shrink by at least 90% if not for the government's support of the industry.

So electing a President who will actually halt the financial bleeding of America will never happen.

Sure, it might happen in a nation with a highly educated population. That's why education is so important to the long-term survival of any nation. But America isn't a highly-educated nation. Probably half of America's high school graduates can't do basic math. So the concept of compounded interest on the national debt is simply beyond their understanding and doesn't seem real to them. They are short-term consumers because that's the way they've been trained. That's the way they think. That's the way they calculate. And that's the way they vote.

Think about it: Your average consumer will spend $4 on a pack of two AA batteries when they could spend $10 and get 8 AA batteries of the exact same brand and capacity. To most consumers, $4 is cheaper than $10, so they just spend the $4 and don't consider the cost per battery. People don't do the math! And when they vote, they don't think it through. They vote based on popularity, not rational thought.

As a result, America today is a cesspool of lawmakers, Presidents and bureaucrats who merely weave elaborate lies to feed the public for as long as they can get away with it. There is hardly a shred of truth left in anything coming out of Washington D.C. these days. We are so far beyond the point of actually fixing the problems and turning this country around that most of the intelligent people are now focused on getting ready to "ride out the reset."

The dictatorship we definitely don't want

At this point, the only real way to save America's future is to force a set of tough decisions upon the people by way of a strong dictatorship -- and I am absolutely opposed to such a thing because it would destroy the few remaining freedoms we still enjoy today.

You could, of course, try to educate the populace about freedom, fiscal responsibility and the value of long-term strategic thinking rather than short-term rewards, but that would require an entire cultural shift spanning at least two generations. Because let's face it, Americans have been trained in the philosophy of "instant gratification" for at least two generations. It's all about having more and having it now. You can't reverse that kind of thinking overnight. You can't reverse instant gratification thinking instantly, in other words.

The end result will be collapse

So what are we left with? There's no way out of this except collapse. Michael Ruppert gets it (www.collapsenet.com). Gerald Celente gets it (www.TrendsResearch.com) . Alex Jones gets it (www.InfoWars.com). But most people don't get it.

In fact, the mainstream short-term thinkers and voters don't get it at all. And the reason they don't get it is because they are the problem from the start! They're the ones who voted without thinking and elected professional liars rather than problem solvers. John F. Kennedy was probably the last President who attempted to actually tell the truth, and they shot him in the head for asking too many questions about the Federal Reserve (and other topics). After that moment in history, it has all been a series of escalating lies to the point where all the presidents in recent memory are now little more than staged public relations fictional characters playing a role in the hit comedy TV series called "America, The Leader of the Free World!"

It's a comedy series, however... not a reality show. And the mainstream media is playing the role of the comedy news source in the comedy TV series. Virtually nothing the media prints about health, the economy or world news has any basis in fact whatsoever. It is merely the regurgitation of crafted spin pieces and official deceptions designed to keep the voters entertained a while longer while the money commanders loot the economy before the coming collapse.

Lessons to be learned from recent history

Why does any of this matter? At one level, it doesn't. The collapse of America has been set in motion, and there's actually very little you or I can do to stop it. Emailing your congressman or signing a petition is futile. Even the act of voting is essentially an exercise in supporting a system of government that's already on life support and nearing its expiration date. It doesn't really make much difference at this point, except for local and state elections, of course.

Because the bigger picture here is that the experiment of Democracy has failed on a grand scale. It's not obvious to everyone yet (because few people are long-term thinkers), but it soon will be. Democracy doesn't work if your voters are mostly short-term thinkers who can't do math and whose selfishness outweighs any sense of leaving something of value for the next generation.

The American democracy experiment will soon crash land, and when we're sorting through the wreckage, all the shocked and bewildered people will be asking, "How could this have happened? Everything was going along just fine..." But it wasn't just fine. Most of it was all a Big Lie, and lies have a way of catching up with you.

America's democracy was a noble concept. And it could have worked if the population had been better educated and the corporations less greedy (and the lawmakers less whore-like, I suppose). But today it has failed, and now it's only a matter of watching it implode and then figuring out a better solution for creating a more sustainable nation for our collective future.

Perhaps it's time we threw away the idea of voters electing "representatives" in its totality and instead created a nation of sovereign citizens who operate from a completely different mindset. Who says we need a federal government at all? Wouldn't most of us be freer, healthier, wealthier and happier if the federal government didn't even exist? Sure, we need a national defense but even that could be coordinated by the states.

Remember, the "United States" means a group of states who are united in their intentions. It does not mean a federal tyrant that overrules the states. The "United States" of America is supposed to be a system of agreement and open trade among fifty sovereign geopolitical entities, not one oppressive system that demands compliance with its corrupt, power-hungry agenda.

These are some of the issues people will no doubt be pondering when the current experiment in democracy implodes.

Don't be surprised when that day comes, of course. It's already past the point of no return. Be ready to take part in the discussions of what I call The Next Society that will inevitably be born out of the coming collapse. And hopefully we can figure out a way to improve on the concept of "democracy" for a brighter (and freer) future.

[mmercier]

Collapse is indeed inevitable, and we all know this. It is amusing, excepting the tragedy and human suffering.

Many retain denial, or a rather interesting mix of various conspiracy theories ground into a finer pulp than those in the 70's and 80's. One almost desires a black helicopter or a contrail or a cattle mutilation.

This collapse is a necessary outcome that visits immoral and unlucky civilizations.

History will document that our demise originated in the District of Columbia.

This country is assuming unplayable debt like a sweet bottom crack whore watching a K for her man in the can. Everyone wants to screw her, and no one will stop her from hitting the shooter... Because they want their thing.. and her thing. Things will not be pretty when daddy gets out.

Base description of situation, but accurate.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”You are exactly right, I'm glad somebody noticed it other than myself. I had hoped this article would be read, and would reach some. But it just goes to the point of my rarely posting here anymore. Even Freepers, who should be the enlightened ones cannot get past their own failings. I realized about a year ago that most Freepers are not unlike the far left, they are stuck, unable to learn, label everything and discount it before it challenges thier worldview. It was dishearting to hear people discount the aticle out of hand because he calls America a democracy, like his using that term means his facts are wrong.”

I liked many of the points that even looked like my writing, but others I disagreed with. As much as I disagree with certain war related policies of the last two presidents, I think the idea of a state coordinated national defense is just 'off the wall' silliness.

Similarly mentioning Ron Paul as the ultimate truth teller is bound to cause friction here. I agree with Paul over a number of things but he takes libertarianism so far it's not like he even lives on this planet sometimes. Plus, he never comes up with real proposals that get implemented. It's all :"Get rid of ...". And he likes going on liberal shows agreeing with them. They love that. Instead he should preach on FNC even if it's contrary to the hosts views. Who will he reach on the Maddow or Schultz show?

[dalebert]

lol “keep the gov. out of my Medicare” is a riot..

[ROCKLOBSTER]

the “takers”

Yes, that's exactly who I was referring to when I said "parasites".

[NFHale]

“...He’s here in this day and age with a few small changes.
Now he has a sign that says “Don’t touch my SS and medicare”. He’s paid in all those years...”

And there’s my good buddy sickolibs pouring vinegar on my rant!!! hahah!

Not all of them are like that, good brother.

But remember something - Social Security was a contract, and whatever its flaws, it must be kept. People HAVE paid into it all of their lives - and yes, I know the money’s been spent and there’s no trust or lock box.

Maybe the real answer is to start hunting down the b*stards who OK’d spending the money in the first place, and who CONTINUE to OK it, and have them arrested and jailed for criminal conspiracy, malfeasance, and whatever other crimes we can charge them with, and we don’t STOP prosecuting their asses until the rest of the clowns get it.

That takes balls. Is the will there for it? Probably not in the oldline GOP. But in some of the newbies - you know, the ones that assclown Trent Lott was so interested in “co-opting” - it just might be there.

I know what you’re saying though, brother.

But its human nature - nobody wants to give up something that has been promised to them - Hell, it’s been TAKEN from them basically at gunpoint for all of their working lives - and that they feel is owed to them.

But there’s plenty of other things that could be cut down. ALphabet Agencies can be cut to the bone (a couple in particular come immediately to mind - ESPECIALLY in light of a rather recent scandal involving Mexico and guns).

I don’t have answers to it. All I know is we’re heading into a hell of a sh*tstorm, and the folks in charge are propelling us at light speed.

[NFHale]

RE “Halerant”

It’s like napalm...smells like “victory”...

Thanks buddy!!!!!!

[Gilbo_3]

But its human nature - nobody wants to give up something that has been promised to them - Hell, it’s been TAKEN from them basically at gunpoint for all of their working lives - and that they feel is owed to them.

therein lies the problem Sir...i too have oft said, just gimme what i paid in and we'll call it even...the only problem with that, is that what i paid in, as you mentioned was robbed from me at gunpoint and its been spent, with no other mechanism to recoup the cash, w/o myself demanding that the pistol be used on our kids for mine...thats simply an immoral proposition to me today, and id just as soon take the hit, rather than pass that violence down to the next kid...

But there’s plenty of other things that could be cut down. ALphabet Agencies can be cut to the bone (a couple in particular come immediately to mind - ESPECIALLY in light of a rather recent scandal involving Mexico and guns).

agreed, but there aint a snowballs prayer of that lobbyist/insider/kickback campaign and good time money supply happenin...and realistically, i would welcome takin a meataxe to the whole damn 'budget', but alas, it prolly would collapse the ponzi scheme under the weight of all the unemployed goubmint workers...which honestly, again, i believe id welcome at this point, just to get it over with...

I know with 99.99999 accuracy that i'll never see a dime of my 'investment'...that is simple math...i just wish the rest of my brethren would accept the fact that the checkin account is empty, and get on board with the pain, rather than wishin it away to never-never land...

but hells bells, theres still a check or two in the book, so we obviously aint broke yet...

I'll fight for my FReedom, and to restore the light upon the hill, but lets just stick the damn fork in the ole roast, cause uncle sam is a lush, and he aint comin home for supper...

[Caipirabob]

Well said! (#34)

[LibLieSlayer]

Right on! I think that the only way that we are going to get this addiction to spending and growing under control is to force the Fed to downsize without a choice. Do not raise the debt ceiling and they will have to make deep cuts or default. Either way is better than the communist/sharia state where we are heading.

LLS

[stephenjohnbanker]

We used to have patriotic members in the House & Senate. Even a few Dims. Now, lobby scum has bought almost all of them

[ExTexasRedhead]

Fraud and corruption thy name is politician.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”therein lies the problem Sir...i too have oft said, just gimme what i paid in and we'll call it even...the only problem with that, is that what i paid in, as you mentioned was robbed from me at gunpoint and its been spent, with no other mechanism to recoup the cash, w/o myself demanding that the pistol be used on our kids for mine...thats simply an immoral proposition to me today, and id just as soon take the hit, rather than pass that violence down to the next kid...”

Dad-gum it. you big gubment socialists are not going to mess with my medicare. Everything the gubment takes over gets ruined so stay away from that. Our founders fought the British over medicare cuts, they threw them out. Ever hear of the Tea Party? That was over medicare cuts.

Medicare is mine I ‘paid in’for it . I marched at the tea party rally with a sign ‘Keep the gubment out of my medicare’. I drove other seniors to vote in November to elect the medicare, err Tea, party candidates. Now they say they want to take it away? You can pry my medicare out of my dead cold hands dag nabit.

Give me medicare or give me death panels was the Tea party cry. .

[Gilbo_3]

you had waaaay too much fun with that one gramps...8^}

[sickoflibs]

RE :”you had waaaay too much fun with that one gramps...8^}”

I cant take this debate too serious. It's just fun to look at and poke fun at the two sides HERE that both are so sure they are right and the others are wrong. I think that is typical here, but because this issue divides Republicans so easily it makes it more interesting to see that attitude.

Back in 2009 I used to make lots of comments about Republican welfare, but they were very unpopular.

[JudgemAll]

The proof of statutory rape by the state and the elites in the knowingly dumbing down of America and taking advantage of it. You do not rape the retards. And liberals are such retards who were demoralized and are now useful idiot fodder for them.

But go figure... it’s how pimphood is designed. Propaganda and dumbing down sheer brutal power. Hence this consent to this government and to Zero is false on its face and a fraud.

Zero is not President, period.

[JudgemAll]

Zero is becoming our new “Tokyo Rose” by the day, day by day. Total waste of our but especially their psy-op budget and effectiveness...

Tic toc tic toc, a matter of time before hopefuly someone with a somewhat sane head amongst these elites start calling for throwing this bunch under the bus.

Even illegal immigrants should start figuring that out... heck, any one of them can play Zero like he is a Nintendo game set himself any time. I’m too old for that, but let the wild youth have at it, so to speak, if they have the energy for it.

Ah ah ah... I prepping the pop corn for this one.

[JudgemAll]

HE cannot use his tools if these tools co opt themselves against him... he is done, his whole team of suckers and RINOs are D O A... DONE ON ARRIVAL... bubye...

[LibLieSlayer]

I want him and his cronies in prison... stripped of their citizenship.

LLS