American Public shows government ignorance.
The average American stopped on the street has little to no working knowledge of how the government works in this country… and a recent World Public Opinion poll put that front and center.
In their poll, a response to a statement by VP Dick Cheney where he stated he did not care what the public opinion was, 81% of those polled believe that when making an important decision, government officials should pay more attention to the public opinion. They also rejected the response from White House spokeswoman Dana Perino about Cheney’s comments.
You had your input. The American people have input every four years, and that’s the way the system is set up.
83% of those polled felt that the “will of the people” should have more influence than it does. Here’s a hint… it doesn’t, for a reason.
For those of you nodding your head and siding with the people who feel mob rule should be the game we’re all playing, here’s a little something for you. Mob rule, does not work… never has, never will.
In America, we run our country through elected representatives that are elected by us, to represent their ideals as ours in office, to make laws and policy. They tell us their beliefs and their political views and if we feel they will best represent us, we vote for them. Their job is to use their best judgment to write laws and make policy. Our job is over… we hired them, now it’s their turn… that’s how it works.
Direct Democracy might work at your local PTA meeting, but that’s where it DOES work… and that’s where it should stay. It does not work on a large scale. Being that the “will of the people” can change faster than the cast of a daytime soap opera, and that it’s easily manipulated would you truly want Washington equally as wishy washy as we are? I know I do not.
Rich
25 Mar, 2008
The will of the people is fairly simple premise. The President of the United States can be removed from office by the will of the people the people just have to be motivated to do it.
The people pressure their congressman and their senators, en masse, to achieve their required goal, the congressman and senators do their job because if they don’t, no re-election for you. Simple theory, harder in practice.
It doesn’t work on bread and butter decision making, day to day, but the problem that is being emphasised is that gross misdeeds are being done by the executive branch and they need to be held to account.
That the executive branch is choosing to blatantly ignore that will (get out of iraq, etc) is the problem and the election cycle is no longer suitable for dealing with the problem. You don’t get four years (or two or six) to do as you please.
You seem to be countering your own point with your own writing.
James
25 Mar, 2008
The public can put pressure on anyone in the government as much as we want, but they DON’T have to listen. Immigration is a huge one.
The public all but melted down the phone bank in Washington and they’re still pushing for BS “Comprehensive” reform and blanket amnesty. That didn’t work too well.
This “do this or you’re out” threat concept works, but it’s not a motivating factor most of the time… it’s usually the other way around. The elected official doesn’t want to budge on an issue so they build a nice ball park in your home town to pacify you during the current election cycle. It works as most of the voting public is easily distracted by pretty buildings.
I will agree with you that DC is running amok, but it’s not JUST the executive branch.
The people cannot oust the President, yes we can get loud, but if Congress plugs their ears there’s only so much you can do before a civil uprising.