Democracy fatigue in America
In a few short years, American legislators have shot their country in the foot so many times that its moral, economic, political and military influence in world affairs is unlikely to recover for decades.
In fact, it may never recover since other major nations are not sitting idle while America weakens from within. A main reason for this growing weakness is the state of US democracy.
Seen from the outside, the American people are stuck in a quagmire of “democracy fatigue�. Polls show that a large majority of Americans oppose many of the Bush government’s policies but are too discouraged to vote in the November 7 elections. The general attitude is “what difference will it make?�
At the same time, a tough minority of Americans sees a chance to take advantage of the overall voter apathy to push through people and ideas that could help it to control political power over the entire nation for a long time. One of its goals is to reinterpret “American values� in its own image and then use the power of State to export those values to other countries.
This minority’s growing influence has plunged Americans in an epic struggle among domestic political factions and forced foreign nations to study ways of countering American evangelism in foreign policy, trade and aid.
Vultures are already gathering in preparation for the time when American democracy will be so riven by factionalism that the nation will not be able to counter the political weight in world affairs of China, Russia and other rising rivals.
The other great nations see opportunities to erode US influence by exploiting the narrow-mindedness and ignorance of American legislators about foreigners and their cultures. Apathetic American voters might complain, “Most of the world hates us anyway. So what does it matter if America switches off the world.�
That is a serious mistake. The world matters more to the daily lives of Americans than they matter to the world. For a long time, American prosperity will continue to stand on a house of cards held together by the dollar debt to China and Asia. American consumers are living well partly because Asians sell them fine quality goods and services at low cost.
Worst of all, the physical security of American voters is hostage to fanatics currently in the Middle East but belonging to a religion, whose tiny minority of violent zealots is spread right across the globe.
In Iraq, factions fight violently to acquire power. The violence is no different in America. Political factions do not use guns, IEDs or suicide bombers. But the political destruction is no less costly to the nation. The process is the same as in Iraq – sacrificing the public good to score immediate political gain.
Looking in from the outside, the November 7 elections are careening towards tremendous wasted opportunities. Here is the world’s richest country with unparalleled access to knowledge and wisdom. Yet, its people are so riven by factional infighting that they are slowly destroying their nation’s power.
Politicians quarrel about ideology; the religious quarrel about belief; and the secular quarrel over how to preserve their way of life. Quarrels are even more divisive over domestic issues, including jobs, medical care, pensions, energy, abortion, gay rights, tax cuts and homeland security.
All of these arguments would simply be the healthy debating process within a fine democracy, were it not for the “I am too fed up to go to the polls,” attitude of so many voters.
Whatever the November 7 outcomes, the business of quarrelling will continue as usual. If the Democrats win Congress and Senate, the witch-hunts of “accountability� will open against the Republicans.
If Republicans hold either house, the Bush administration will see the outcomes as a continued mandate from voters to do “what we think is right� on all matters whether foreign or domestic.
Like the Iraqi people, Americans are sinking into quicksand of their own making. The Iraqis are sinking into self-destructive violence through pig headed obstinacy. Blinded by rhetoric and religion, factions are dismantling the nation to protect the narrow interests of their tribes, clans and warlords. Vengeance trumps rational self-interest.
Similarly, the American people are sinking into demoralization and democracy fatigue. Members of US Congress and Senate sworn to serve the good of ordinary people have done almost nothing in the last 5 years to honor their duty. And many Americans do not seem to care enough to think through the issues or to vote.
Perhaps some hidden forces of destiny have absurdly twinned American votes with those in Iraq. Both could live better each day in the homeland if they were to hold their legislators to sworn duty.
But Iraqi voters are helpless because the gun-toting militias of their politicians have taken them hostage. Americans have made themselves helpless by throwing up their hands with a “These clowns disgust me, and I am powerless anyway.�
How can any good come of that?
17 Responses to “Democracy fatigue in America”
Don’t forget all those moderates who will end up pulling R anyway because they succumb to Republican fear-mongering.
Tax greed is pathological in this country, and all other issues be damned.
Snark The tax myth is BS, our tax rate is lower than most European countries. I laugh every time I hear the High Taxes lie. Canada, the Scandanavian countries and Germany all have higher tax rates. Take away military spending and we would be a Banana Republic or third world poor.
I like Banana Republic. They have nice clothes.
That obvious joke aside, please explain how reducing government spending would ruin us? Silly me, I would that would lead to either reduced taxes, more money for other programs, or both.
Unless of course you believe that all money belongs to the government, except what they decide to let us keep. The money the goverenment spends on defense is money they took out of the economy to begin with via taxes.
our tax rates are miniscule as compared to other countries, but what we get for our taxes is also miniscule
and if people are experiencing fatigue, that is what the repugs goal has always been…make it seem as if there is no dif between parties
horse shite
vote the bastards out…and if the new guy doesnt do a good job, vote him out the next time
AustinRoth,
Given that we already have an ongoing deficit problem if you want even lower taxes then what programs are you going to cut and to what extent?
I was responding to the conjecture that if we eliminated military spending, that somehow that would make us a third world country. It was not a discussion on reducing taxes per se. Read the post above mine.
Jim S,
Given that we already have an ongoing deficit problem if you want even lower taxes then what programs are you going to cut and to what extent?
Oooh ooh I have a suggestion (though I don’t imagine Austin will like it).
How’s about reducing our military spending a little bit?
Does it strike anyone else as a little weird that half our discretionary spending is spent on the military and that we spend about as much as the rest of the world combined?
Now I’m not suggesting we disarm, far from it, but even in a dangerous world it just strikes me as excessive.
The fall of our very own Rome on the Potomac.
If the course continues by mid century the US will become small collections of nation states, and probably be at eachothers throats.
I’m imagining a West coast socalist republic, Rocky Mountain confederation, Upper Midwest Republic, Southern Federal republic, and New England colonies……and Texas. Ohhh the war they will wage for the grain states will be one to watch, with all the nukes hidden out there. Fun for the whole family!
Austin, I believe I misinterpreted your intent as well.
I posted my comment before reading your last post.
Oops
CaliBlogger Neither Repug or Democrap are going to reduce military spending. Remember the old $300 hammer, well today we are working on mind control of sharks and dolphins. We will have satelite linked warfare – FCS – when we can’t handle Iraq. Eisenhower warned us, nobody is listening now.
You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads!
This post reminds me of the Tale of Two Cities. “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” Everyone at some point believes that their pain is the greatest pain, their love the greatest love; their treachery the greatest treachery; today’s problems the worst problems. Yes, the U.S. has issues; it also has great virtues. I don’t think the country is quite yet a water buffalo pulling its body through the desert while the buzzards circle. Is the U.S. worse off now than in the Great Depression? During the Civil War? I’m not advocating blind optimism. I’m simply saying that it isn’t clear America is in collapse.
I think what it will take to get rid of some of the factionalism is either 1) a change from the belief that power lies in holding the biggest faction to uniting disparate people, or 2) some external cause which will make people put their differences aside. If Republicans are victorious on Tuesday, I think we can put 1) aside for two more years. If the Democrats win, it could go either way. They will have a choice – productive bi-partisanship (since even with two houses they will need Presidential signatures) or simple fighting with the hopes of smashing the other faction. I have hopes for genuine Democratic leadership. If that fails me, then we’ll either have to kick them out as well or pray for the external cause.
The voter fatigue is because neither party offers anything positive. Your rant should be directed at the leaders of the two parties, not the voters, who simply have no good options.
Rudi
Total government expenditure accounts for 20% of GDP. That is actally well below the OECD average. I am not saying that the government doesn’t need to cut military spending, but saying that the econmy is based upon military spending is false and misleading.
By your measure, the EU 13 are all Banana Republics, since their government expeditures avereages about 50% of GDP.
Sorry,
meant average not averages
I believe this era in American politics will be notorious for incredible selfishness and greed.
We have borrowed almost $9 trillion from our children with no intention to repay a single dime. We did not borrow to invest in infrastructure, though we should. We did not borrow to give our kids a better chance at a quality education; in fact we reduced their opportunity. We did not borrow to help build a sustainable future for them, nor to address the devastating environmental problems they will face.
No, we borrowed from them with the specific intent of enriching the already rich, then passed new rules that aim to protect rich investors from paying any tax, while penalizing those who work for a living. And with cynical and manipulative talk of a “death tax” we attempted to protect the wealthy and their children from ever paying any tax. The so-called conservatives have attempted to establish a permanent aristocracy in this country. They have stolen from our children to do so, and rigged the rules against the poor shmucks who work for living rather than manage their pools of money. As the government went on a borrow-and-spend binge, so did the public. Our savings rate is now around 0%, while China’s hovers around 40%.
Meanwhile, we sacrificed our manufacturing sector, and relinquished our primacy in every single industry in which we were once great: computers, consumer electronics, shoes, clothes, automobiles, steel, optics, even plastics.
Oh yeah, we probably still produce the best equipment in the world for killing people. Doesn’t that just fill you with pride? (oops, except we still can’t defeat the Taliban, who again control most of Afghanistan.
BTW, CStanley, I have to disagree with your assessment. The Dems have always offered an alternative that is serious about dealing with our environmental mess, serious about fiscal responsibility, education, health care, decent wages for working people, energy security, checks and balances, civil rights and global leadership. I hope we give them a chance to turn this country around.
Voter fatigue? We’re experiencing Presidential race levels of turnout here in GA today and it’s cold and raining. There aren’t even any senators on the ballot this year. No signs of voter fatigue around here, at least.