Democracy

[Xier0]

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."

-Winston Churchill

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I came across this quote the other day, and it really struck me. Growing up in the United States, I had always heard about how lucky so and so was for the right to vote etc.

However, as I mature, I find the concept of American style "Freedom*" to be incompetent, because of basic flaws in human nature.

This quote sums it up nicely- most people are too ignorant to vote for the most competent candidate. The democratic system of winning over votes is almost entirely psychological. Advertising and image of a candidate is 9/10ths of the race. So many well qualified, smart, useful leaders are turned away from office because the guy with the nice smile, firm handshake, and deep voice won over more voters.

There was a study done where people were randomly selected and shown pictures of two candidates from the previous congressional election, and they would click the one they would vote for based only off of the picture, not knowing their party, qualifications, etc.

The results of this study? 70% of the picks were the people who actually got voted into office.

I turned 18 before the last presidential election. I decided to abstain from voting, because neither candidate deserved my vote.

The best candidates for office never get the chance to run, because politics has evolved into a science of bullshitting the voter.

 

[ThugWhaleShoes]

I fail to see how this is a leading arguement topic.

Your analysis is completeley correct. The presidential election is a popularity contest among grown adults.

Of course there are greater candidates to take the chair over the current and past presidents but if your pockets lack capacity and you're not known within a major organization you're not going to win.

Look at the past presidential election. Both candidates had the exact same health restructure. Obama’s so-called health care reform is nearly identical to Mitt Romney’s 2006 Health Care Insurance Reform. Both force an individual mandate on people which amounts to a huge giveaway to the least worthy actors in the whole health care debacle-the insurance companies. Neither address the actual problem of ever increasing costs and waste. If you analyze the two, there's no difference.

This was the main topic of concern within the election and the American people has shown they're not comfortable with change. Obama was selected to serve another term due to his current roll in house. As most of us know who have been in a bad relationship but didn't break up with the person, it's easier to stay with the same person than start new feelings with something else because we're comfortable with that one person.

Unless someone funded a private investigator to depict ever little detail of ever candidate to determine who is the best choice for president, it will always be a popularity contest.

 

[slysteeler]

Democracy is a word used lightly these days. There is not a true democracy in the world, and I believe that there never has been. Countries like the USA and the UK which are "pro-democracy" are actually republics, constitutional monarchies and whatnot.

 

[Xier0]

Let's go with a bump here

 

[da Vinc1]

I agree with what's been said here. The biggest flaw in Democracy is that it values the majority vote over the minority vote. At first it seems like a fair system. But the truth is that out of a mass of people only a few possess a higher talent and intelligence. It's these people who must rule over the rest not the one who can bribe and persuade his way into office. Because generally the competent politician is not the best briber.

 

[meerkatlady]

I live in the UK and I don't like the current or the past prime ministers.

My favourite prime minister was Margret Thatcher just because she was a no nonsense person. She was brutally honest and ruthless with some things so angered some people however I believe she benefitted the UK greatly.

We need somebody like her to come into power however nobody like her will be due to the fact that like you said, people dont vote in the best candidate.

 

[Xier0]

She was brutally honest and ruthless with some things so angered some people however I believe she benefitted the UK greatly.

That is a quality few current politicians have. They don't want to make tough decisions for the good of the nation, because most of those hurt their chances of being reelected. Then the next politician who comes after them makes promises to improve the poor conditions of the budget/tax code/public facilities/crime etc, knowing that when he gets into office, he can't take the necessary steps to do that without blowing his chance to be voted back into office.

 

[meerkatlady]

That is a quality few current politicians have. They don't want to make tough decisions for the good of the nation, because most of those hurt their chances of being reelected. Then the next politician who comes after them makes promises to improve the poor conditions of the budget/tax code/public facilities/crime etc, knowing that when he gets into office, he can't take the necessary steps to do that without blowing his chance to be voted back into office.

That is so true.

Might be a sweeping statement but it seems all MPs are the same. Firstly they can't relate to the average person due to their lifestyle, so often their policies are just wacky.

The Conservatives made many promises before they got into power and now they are breaking a shocking amount.

 

[Joey.Jzi7]

The Case Against Democracy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VSCyiVl7cA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8HjGjosDvQ

 

[Recidivism]

That is so true.

Might be a sweeping statement but it seems all MPs are the same. Firstly they can't relate to the average person due to their lifestyle, so often their policies are just wacky.

The Conservatives made many promises before they got into power and now they are breaking a shocking amount.

Conservatives are not in power.

Cameron is a progressive not a conservative running for a party doesn't make you a member.




If you guys think people break promises you should see the dictator we have in America who fraudulently won the election.

 

[lucspender]

democracy isn't perfect but its the best we have

 

[Recidivism]

democracy isn't perfect but its the best we have

No it isn't Democracy is literally the worst system in existence. There was a reason our founding fathers hated Democracy they were individualist, they felt collectivism was a complete failure and would end up in people just voting for themselves.


Which is why when our country was founded we were a Republic following the constitution (Which explains the rights the government cannot take away regardless if 99% of people wanted it gone).

The problem today is modern liberalism has decided we don't need freedom we can just give up everything and we will be "safer". Can't have guns might shoot self, can't drink soda its bad, cant eat McDonalds its too high in fat, cannot allow religion to stay private they might hurt some ones feelings, cannot allow airlines to make fat people buy 2 plane tickets because it might hurt fat peoples feelings if they have to pay more when they take up 2 seats.

How about we say screw it everyone do whatever the F you want as long as you don't hurt anyone else.