America's democracy has been exposed as one of the weakest in the world.

[kentuck]

There was a time, not that long ago, when the United States was considered one of the strongest democracies in the world. That claim can no longer be credibly made.

The Trump presidency has shown our Legislative branch to be weak and passive, without the power to hold a reckless Executive in check. The Judicial Branch has allowed itself to become partisan and politicized.

The truth of the matter is that many of our institutions are teetering on the edge of collapse. Our once-vaunted Justice system no longer works for the law or for justice, but rather for a political Party. Partisanship and special interests are now calling the shots in our once-great democracy.

Many are still under the illusion that nothing has really changed. Once we get rid of Donald Trump and the Republicans and put the Democrats back in power, everything will return to normal. Unfortunately, the weaknesses have been exposed for all the world to see.

It may not be impossible to re-build our democracy, but it is going to be a huge task. There will need to be changes made at the very foundation of our government. Much of the present organization of government will need to be discarded and begun anew.

We are, by no means, out of the woods. Our democracy is under severe threat even as we speak.

[dem4decades]

1. Well at least the historians can do a decent autopsy on democracy's death.

Trump, McConnell and Fox News clogged the veins and it just passed away.

[lpbk2713]

2. Absolutely right.

Trump has no clue of how a democracy should work and he pays no
attention to anyone around him who might offer constructive advice.

[kentuck]

4. But Democrats and Republicans know how it should work..

...and they have failed to protect our democracy, for whatever reason.

[florida08]

15. damn skippy

[Perseus]

22. We need to stop blaiming trump, it goes deeper than that

The republican party got what they wanted, and idiot who can use a pen, it is the republican party and special interests the ones to blame, trump is just an idiot, nothing else, a big mouth narcissistic idiot who cannot shut-up, but the media, special interests and republicans are the ones pulling the strings, trump is just a clown who loves the show. I feel he doesn't understand any of what is going on, he just spews stupidity then he moves on oblivious of everything he said, of all the damage he caused.

Stephen Miller is an example of vile, evil people pulling the strings, so is McConnell. The biggest problem I see is that they have been very successful at making us pay attention to the creature, its all about the creature every day, in the mean time they do their dirty deeds behind the scenes. I have been saying this for years, we are looking at the wrong target.

[sharedvalues]

3. BUT. The problem is the Republicans- taken over by billionaires

Weaker democracies would have succumbed to the Koch Network onslaught a decade ago.

We have survived this long. Our democracy is now at grave risk.

But let’s be clear. The thing that is weakening us is rightwing billionaires— American oligarchs that have taken over GOP politicians, brainwashed the GOP base with propaganda through the media they own, and today choose to keep Trump in office.

Get outraged. But get outraged at Koch and Murdoch and Adelson and Anschutz and Singer andtheir billionaire friends.

[RainCaster]

10. Taken over by millionaires from foreign countries

The GOP can be bought for cheap- they have shown the world this for decades now. Russian oligarchs, Greek millionaires, Pakistani lobbyists- they all have found just how cheaply our country's influence can be bought for. It doesn't take a billionaire any longer. Look at how Moscow Mitch has bowed down to Russia for a paltry few million.

If you really want to get pissed, aim your pisser at the SCOTUS. They told us that any cause could hide behind corporation paperwork and it would be "free speech". Nothing we could do about it. IMO, that's the real problem.

[sharedvalues]

11. American billionaires bought this SCOTUS

Via funding the Federalist Society.

Phil Anschutz was tight with Scalia and now Gorsuch.
Judicial Crisis Network is funded by rightwing billionaires and ran millions of ads to get Kavanaugh confirmed.

[sharedvalues]

12. But yes I am pissed at the SCOTUS too.

Nm

[Maven]

5. Today's GOP is the Confederacy reborn.

Only now, the Confederate insurgents control most branches of the federal government including the most powerful military the world has ever seen.

Unfortunately, the accommodations that our forbears made to sparsely populated states and those with slaves -- e.g., the Electoral College, and the two-Senators-per-state rule -- have created a system of minority rule by radical, anti-democratic extremists.

I agree that the present organization of government will need to be discarded and begun anew. It is not simply a matter of changing out one president for another. The problem is structural.

[zentrum]

6. Corporate money

...has eaten away our democracy.

[groundloop]

9. YES.... that 'money is speech' bullshit was the beginning of the end

And sadly, even after we take back the Senate and White House we won't control them for long enough to fix everything that needs to be fixed. When the tRump recession doesn't end within 6 months of Democrats taking control we'll be taking heat for not moving fast enough, repubs will slither back into power, and we'll continue the slide downhill.

[ffr]

7. K&R

Moscow Mitch and his band of merry Russians, I mean Republicons. Criminals all.

[sandensea]

8. We have big business to thank for that

There isn't a CEO class, anywhere in the world, that's comfortable with democracy.

They believe a feudal autocracy would serve them better, and with fewer compromises and other headaches.

"I want my fair share; and that's everything."

But forget that the kind of regime they think they want, always turns into a snake eating its own tail.

Democracy is there to protect them too, as much as they may deny it.

[Skittles]

13. the Founding Fathers never envisioned an entire political party being corrupt

Last edited Thu Aug 22, 2019, 04:05 AM - Edit history (1)

[kentuck]

14. As I recall, Washington was against political Parties altogether...

He may have foreseen such a situation as we have today. Hyper-partisanship.

[malthaussen]

20. If one reads the Federalist papers...

... he will find that corrupt factions were certainly anticipated, as the whole of Parliamentary history was full of them. What was not envisioned, as it was unprecedented, was that a corrupt faction could become so powerful. Political theory at the time was that self-interest would limit such a possibility. Factions were expected to remain relatively small, and cancel each other out. It's kind of touching, really,to see Madison and Hamilton assuring us (and themselves?) that faction would never come to the point of freezing the whole government. However, they were not totally naive, either: speculating that such a thing could occur, they admitted that in that case, the Government was pretty much screwed anyway.

The emergence of two large parties as the form of political expression in the US is basically unique. Most nations with a parliamentary style of government evolve a number of parties, as the Federalists anticipated. But even so, the large parties in the US have rarely marched in such mindless lockstep as the GOP of today. The sorts of divisions we see in the Democratic party are more the historical norm.

-- Mal

[burrowowl]

23. Yup!

[Whiskeytide]

16. This is what happens to a society when all of the ...

... assholes and all of the stupid people are collected into a group by a few smart people with their own agenda.

[The Liberal Lion]

17. Your post is spot on

However, it's no longer enough to identify the problem. It's time for those of us who understand what exactly is going on, like yourself, to not only propose but implement a solution. America as we have known her, that flawed but wonderful country that had survived up to 1/20/2017, is dead. It exists only as a zombie state currently. A two party state where one party, the Nazis (fka republicans) are bent on concentrating power and resources in the hands of the few, and another party while arising out of the people's will seem incapable or unwilling to carry out the duties it is constitutionally bound to uphold. We are a country in crises and a nation without a functioning government. This government can not be saved, our system is fubar and beyond repair. It's far beyond time that it is laid to rest. Out of it's ashes, however, something new and wonderful can arise. But that solution begins with each of us.

Early on I have urged fellow concerned citizens to work towards both self sufficiency and the implosion of our economic system. While the economy is currently heading off a cliff that is potentially bottomless, it's heading there without our input. The economy must be destroyed on our terms. I have advised the very simple method of refusal to use credit of any kind. Our economic system is built on illusions, and without credit it can neither expand or exist. The economy, or better this fiat currency so many place such faith in is only as valuable as your willingness to engage in the credit charade. Stop using it and the whole thing crumbles to the ground. The mortgage collapse of 2007 showed me that clearly. This is destruction of the economy on our terms. However, self sufficiency is a must, as without it destruction of the economy means destruction of self. Allowing these Nazis to destroy the economy without you being self sufficient will lead to your enslavement. Only through self sufficiency will one be able to remain free once the collapse begins.

But destruction is not the goal, but rather means to an end. The end being the creation of a new system, a humancentric yet not chauvinistic system that is in tune with nature, that recognizes the value of all humans, that is based firmly in freedom, and that does not look for leaders, but rather competent administrators. We need a new system based on resource based economic thought specifically those thoughts of Jacque Fresco. There is a dark period we must first pass through before this type of system could reach it's full potential and currently I believe we are only at the beginning of that dark period. However, we must not lament the passing of America, all good things come to an end, but rather we must bravely move forward in bringing about the next stage of human existence on this planet. My solution is then colonies of self sufficient communities in every country possible. These colonies will lay the foundation for resource based economic societies. Further each colony will serve as virus, if you will, of goodness, in each land where one is to found. I, myself, have already began working on this solution, while my work is only rudimentary at best at this stage. I am sure there are others like me and who are perhaps far more advanced in their work than I. I would urge those who themselves are unable to take up this work to seek out these communities and contribute what they can. And for those who have the resources to become self sufficient and the wherewithal to start a self sufficient community to do so and to do it now.

[kentuck]

18. It sounds as if you have given this a lot of thought...

I don't know if it is impossible to fix? It may be?

I think your idea of self-sufficiency will probably be necessary. The inner cities could have neighborhood gardens to help the food chain. There could be communes started in rural parts of our farm country to grow and harvest on a larger scale.

The entire theory of "work" may be obsolete in the not-so-far future? Robots and AI are taking jobs that people used to feed their families with. What are we going to do with people when there are no jobs for them? We will have no option but to become more "socialistic", in my opinion. The government may need to create jobs, for example, to plant trees and to build roads and trails? There may be the necessity for "guaranteed income", as Andrew Yang has spoken about?

Also, we may have to have a nationwide "Jubilee", as is mentioned in the Scriptures? After seven years, all debts would be forgiven. But the personal debt and the national debt is not something we can survive with, in my opinion. It should not be written in stone that you will get back the money you loaned on credit, plus 18% interest. Those ideas will need to change.

[harumph]

21. Excellent post -

I think there are a lot of people coming around to the idea of self
sufficiency as an inoculation of sorts. But there must be education
as well. A clear and concise description of the problems that beset us -
and a path forward. All education at the primary and secondary
level has an agenda. It can either be the agenda of a death cult -
or an agenda of life and equitably managing scarce resources.
No doubt such a curriculum would be derided as "eco-extremist"
in some quarters - but I'll take that over killing the earth which is
where we're headed. Part of the problem of Democrats, Progressives and
other like minded people is the hesitancy to judge. In a sense, we
bend over backwards to those that would shit where they and we eat.
I do try to look for the best in people - but recently my faculty for that
is strained.

[malthaussen]

19. Nope, I disagree with you about the Legislative.

I submit that the Legislative has never been as powerful as it is now. That it lacks the will to do anything about Mr Trump does not prove it lacks the power. The Senate is able to manage things pretty much as it wills, as when it refused to entertain the nomination of Merrick Garland to the USSC. By abusing the power of scheduling legislation for a vote, by misusing the absurd "filibuster" system, the Majority Leader is able to orchestrate things exactly as he wishes. The impotent Executive signs whatever is shoved in front of his face, and spends the rest of his time golfing, ranting on Twitter, and masturbating in public at his rallies. He is a perfect figurehead for a party that wants only to plunder the US to a greater extent than ever before.

Because of the Legislature's abuse of power, the Judicial branch has been infected, and that is a long-term effect that will continue to exercise disproportionate influence. And unfortunately, there ain't a lot we can do about it.

-- Mal

[NCLefty]

24. Republicans wanted it weak so their guy could pass all their wishlist items.

They will want it strong again the second a Democrat takes power. The real weakness is them.

[DemocraticSocialist8]

25. Great thread. It's one of the reasons I proudly call myself a radical

Anyone who thinks we're going to 'incrementalism' our way out of this shitstorm is lying to themselves and possibly others. Climate change, state-sanctioned violence, and murder of immigrants and Black people, concentration camps, mass shootings, a criminal Presidency...there is no returning back to normal. The genie is out of the bottle and as the OP wrote, the immense weakness of American democracy is clear and obvious.

This is why the Republicans are pushing ahead with full-blown authoritarianism. They know they've pushed the envelope too far and now people will demand major changes that will make it very hard for them to maintain power. This is exactly how democracies die and fascism rises. I also believe a faction of corporate America and the super-rich who buy politicians want a weaker democracy because a weaker democracy is easier for them to control and make more billions.

There's a tremendous amount of blame to go around. Lots of people have dropped the ball and are complicit. I'm talking former Presidents, former and current politicians, judges, elements of the electorate, and definitely the corporate media which has propped up some of these odious characters for years and normalized them. That's why it's so hard to get folks to agree to who's most responsible.

[Eliot Rosewater]

26. I hear ya but it is NOT our Democracy, it is republicans and only republicans who are the

problem.

Republican representatives are now all traitors, or all that dont denounce him are. NO democracy can survive that!

[Mister Ed]

27. The weakness is that our gov't is and has been for sale.

Buyers have long included U S. Corporate interests, but now include Putin, along with other foreign governments and criminal organizations.

[CanonRay]

28. Well said