Is our political system obselete? And if so, what's the alternative?
- Thread starter nemesis
- Start Date
We were not a democracy, but we have "devolved" into a democracy, mob rule sometimes superseded by the SCOTUS.
Briarcreekguy touched on it - state power vs fed power. We lost that war, and the spiral began.
FWIW, I think Lurker is probably right about the fractioning of our country leaving us vulnerable, and creating border disputes, but I'd sure be willing to give it a try.
The author actually contradicts himself. If you want small state votes to truly not count then do away with the EC. The collective electoral vote of small states actually gives them a stake in the election rather than "their vote doesn't count." Just Google Image county by county election maps from the last 3 elections and see where the votes come from. Without the Electoral College large urban areas would dominate every presidential election and fly over states would be more irrelevant than they are now. The EC helps to ensure that the president represents all the states with their diversity of people and economic bases rather than pandering to the masses. EC helps to maintain federalism and the republican system of government.
A change to consider would be to lift the cap on elected representatives from 435.
My opinion>> our political system is the best in the world!! we are not a democracy,in a democracy you vote on what party you want to represent you and the party appoints everyone else. we get to vote on everything!!! this is good in my opinion. our system isn't broken we just are to lazy to use what we have.
Allow me to be your benevolent leader. Under my wise and compassionate guidance, this country would prosper. We would be respected abroad and content at home...after some of my social engineering programs were put into effect.
A healthy, happy, prosperous citizenry. A wonderful life for those of you willing to participate in making the United States of America the greatest country on earth. Adjustment for those that are not quite with our new program. Relocation for those of you unfit and/or unwilling to adjust.
A magnificent and glorious world awaits...simply install me as your leader and submit to my direction.
A healthy, happy, prosperous citizenry. A wonderful life for those of you willing to participate in making the United States of America the greatest country on earth. Adjustment for those that are not quite with our new program. Relocation for those of you unfit and/or unwilling to adjust.
A magnificent and glorious world awaits...simply install me as your leader and submit to my direction.
"The system" that was setup by our founders was and IS just fine. It only needs to be followed...
In the place of a Dark Lord you would have a King! Not dark but beautiful and terrible as the Morn! Treacherous as the Seas! Stronger than the foundations of the Earth! All shall love me and despair!
My apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien, but this came to mind when I read your post!
Should have stuck with the Articles! Also, things would probably be better in the CSA if our ancestors had fought a little harder for independence, or resisted the occupation more. I think it's time to try again. People always say how the issue of secession has been decided already, but I think a lot has changed since '65. I don't think the current crop of pantywaists in the executive branch have the stones to do what it would take to keep the country together... or that they would prevail even if they tried. The nature of warfare has changed a lot in the past 150 years.
I am always in favor of secession and decentralization of power... right down to it's logical conclusion ultimately, but most folks probably aren't ready for that yet. Anyway, the more jurisdictions there are and the more autonomous they are, the more likely it is that you will be able to find refuge somewhere if you get crosswise with the local Gestapo somewhere else. Also, the smaller and weaker a State is, the less they seem to have grandiose ambitions for everyone's lives. Secession is pretty much always a net plus for liberty IMO.
Short of secession, overthrowing/disbanding the government, etc., some concrete steps that could be taken now to improve the current system would be:
1) Repealing the 16th Amendment
2) Amending State Constitutions/Bills of Rights to provide explicit protection for freedom of association, including freedom from interference in voluntary relationships of all kinds, whether they be economic, contractual, marital, sexual, residential, or anything else... protection of economic freedom in particular would really cut down on the corruption in government, since the government would have much less power to make and break businesses with legislation, regulations. Less governmental power over business = less incentive for big business to try to influence politics with lobbyists and money.
3) Repealing legal tender laws and allowing competing currencies -- this would curtail the government and the Federal Reserve's power to inflate the currency and pass on the cost of government expansion via the inflation tax and the national debt.
4) Ending or greatly cutting back on drug prohibition, which has been the source of countless losses of liberty.
5) Adhering to a strict non-interventionist foreign policy. Ending or greatly reducing the government's meddling in foreign countries would greatly reduce the number of foreigners who are hostile to us, as would building strong commercial ties with all of the world.
6) Explicit recognition of jury nullification in the courts... if everyone knows that the law is on trial as well as the Defendant, I think you would start to see less prosecution for victimless crimes and other anti-liberty BS.
(7) Start instituting separation of education and State... the government educating the populace on how to be good citizens is the fox guarding the henhouse. Plus it prevents desperately-needed competition and innovation in the field of education.
8) And here is one that will be controversial in libertarian circles... as long as there is going to be gov't-run education, States should require a course on basic economics, so less people will fall for economically illiterate political agendas like minimum wage, protectionist tariffs, etc.
9) Widespread use of nullification and interposition by States... even if the feds continue to enforce their laws, this rallies people around the cause and weakens their loyalty to central authority.
10) Repealing all governmental recognition of political parties, including ballot access laws that favor the two main parties, government funded primary elections, etc.
I am always in favor of secession and decentralization of power... right down to it's logical conclusion ultimately, but most folks probably aren't ready for that yet. Anyway, the more jurisdictions there are and the more autonomous they are, the more likely it is that you will be able to find refuge somewhere if you get crosswise with the local Gestapo somewhere else. Also, the smaller and weaker a State is, the less they seem to have grandiose ambitions for everyone's lives. Secession is pretty much always a net plus for liberty IMO.
Short of secession, overthrowing/disbanding the government, etc., some concrete steps that could be taken now to improve the current system would be:
1) Repealing the 16th Amendment
2) Amending State Constitutions/Bills of Rights to provide explicit protection for freedom of association, including freedom from interference in voluntary relationships of all kinds, whether they be economic, contractual, marital, sexual, residential, or anything else... protection of economic freedom in particular would really cut down on the corruption in government, since the government would have much less power to make and break businesses with legislation, regulations. Less governmental power over business = less incentive for big business to try to influence politics with lobbyists and money.
3) Repealing legal tender laws and allowing competing currencies -- this would curtail the government and the Federal Reserve's power to inflate the currency and pass on the cost of government expansion via the inflation tax and the national debt.
4) Ending or greatly cutting back on drug prohibition, which has been the source of countless losses of liberty.
5) Adhering to a strict non-interventionist foreign policy. Ending or greatly reducing the government's meddling in foreign countries would greatly reduce the number of foreigners who are hostile to us, as would building strong commercial ties with all of the world.
6) Explicit recognition of jury nullification in the courts... if everyone knows that the law is on trial as well as the Defendant, I think you would start to see less prosecution for victimless crimes and other anti-liberty BS.
(7) Start instituting separation of education and State... the government educating the populace on how to be good citizens is the fox guarding the henhouse. Plus it prevents desperately-needed competition and innovation in the field of education.
8) And here is one that will be controversial in libertarian circles... as long as there is going to be gov't-run education, States should require a course on basic economics, so less people will fall for economically illiterate political agendas like minimum wage, protectionist tariffs, etc.
9) Widespread use of nullification and interposition by States... even if the feds continue to enforce their laws, this rallies people around the cause and weakens their loyalty to central authority.
10) Repealing all governmental recognition of political parties, including ballot access laws that favor the two main parties, government funded primary elections, etc.
So, would you be Nehemiah Scudder or Adam Selene?
As for myself, I believe I've become a rational anarchist.
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