These are raw thoughts, not fully formed, subject to change. Just reflections bouncing about through otherwise unoccupied brain cells.
The question is easy; the answer and the why and the solution, not so much. Are we losing our democracy? I think, in these raw thoughts, the answer is yes.
Walking through some of today’s news bits – the ones on the margins – you’ll see that former Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT) says he doesn’t mind being involuntarily retired from the Senate. He was tired of the game. The game he referred to was constantly being required to turn every day into an opportunity to embarrass Democrats rather than govern. Then there’s Elizabeth Warren addressing the Chamber of Commerce. She told them not to worry about over regulation; that given the wealth and influence of financial institutions she’d be lucky if her consumer protection bureau would be able to make much of a dent at all. The power brokers and money providers would see to cuts in the budget of her agency if she tried, or so she worried.
These are just scraps from the edges of the news, but more fundamental shifts are taking place. The slow boiling off of the middle class, concentrations of power, legislation written by, and for, lobbying interests, blue collar desperation, the insatiable need for money in what passes for electoral politics. Does anyone remember former Senator William Proxmire (D-WI). He once, maybe more than once, ran without raising any money for his campaign. He drove and walked the state meeting with voters. And got elected.
Sure, we still go to the polls and cast ballots. Democracy isn’t completely lost. But, do we vote for courageous principled candidates? Do we even have that choice? Or are we simply reduced to voting for competing lobbying interests represented by two people each of whom has sold out for cash or been intimidated or coerced to sell false populism on the campaign trail only to abide by the dictates of his or her masters once in office.
How is it that we can be told there are special interests that are too big to fail, too important to confront for their misfeasance and malfeasance, too powerful to challenge? If that is true, democracy is on the wane. Democracy, at its best, represents the people. When it bows and curtseys to those who are too big, too important, too powerful, it ceases to be of, by and for the people.
Maybe these raw thoughts will simmer and reduce down with time, but that’s a start. It could be overly pessimistic, but there seems just cause for concern if we continue where we’re headed. Oh, the question of solutions. I haven’t gotten there yet. What scares me is that I’m not sure there are any.
Contributor, aka tidbits. Retired attorney in complex litigation, death penalty defense and constitutional law. Former Nat’l Board Chair: Alzheimer’s Association. Served on multiple political campaigns, including two for U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield (R-OR). Contributing author to three legal books and multiple legal publications.