When I analyze the US system vs. the rest of the democratic world I end up thinking that the US is one of the most undemocratic democracies anywhere.
You probably think that because you are under the mistaken impression that the United States is a democracy. It has never been such a thing. It has always been a representative republic. (Guess you didn't notice that...uh...bicameral part of government called the CONGRESS.)
1. Elections in most democracies take between 4-16 weeks at the federal level; in the US it's an ongoing perpetual machine with billions of dollars spent and in turn billions of IOU's. There's enough corruption generated by 4-16 week elections so in the US it must be staggering. The US system encourages lobbyists to a higher degree than elsewhere in the world and this in turn narrows the scope of governance.
Freedom isn't cheap. The First Amendment isn't cheap. Television time is very expensive, something about all those limited bandwidths out there. If you want to STOP the lobbyists completely there's only ONE way to do that: Term limits for everyone in Congress. That completely takes away the power of K street.
2. Americans hold dear their 2nd amendment right to bear arms but they forget to put it in context of when and why it was written. Face it folks the British ain't going to show up at your door with flintlocks. Neither will the Russians or Chinese.
The word "flintlocks" never appeared in the Constitution. Just out of curiosity, what OTHER Bill Of Rights limitations on government power would you throw away, just because you don't like it? Would you like to get rid of freedom of speech? Would you like to get arrested because what you post here offends someone in government?
Would you like to get rid due process, arrest warrants, etc? Would you like to get rid of the right to a lawyer, the right to a fair, speedy trial?
Would you like to bring back SLAVERY?
Would you like stop women and certain minorities from voting?
Would you like to give a president unlimited terms in office?
I could go on and on but the first one on above list is the one that needs to be addressed first in my opinion. What's your opinion?
I have alternative answers to your first proposal. I would go by requiring ALL voters in America be required to carry a photo ID national voting card, and that all absentee ballots be in by Election Night or not counted at all. (Except for overseas military absentee voters.)
I would completely get rid of mail-in voting entirely. If a person wants to vote, that person needs to get a registration, complete with verification of an address, and SHOW UP on Election Day with the photo ID in hand.
Truthfully, that's the only thing wrong with our elections today. And THIS Bozo is proof of that.
