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Like the broken down old pickup shown above, many in America feel that the American Democracy is broken. Putting aside for the moment that the country is actually a Democratic Republic, many believe that the officials we have in place are not cut out for the task at hand, and one wonders if that includes their own elected representative.
Washington (CNN) — Nearly six in 10 Americans say they are dissatisfied with the way democracy is working in the United States, according to a new national poll.
Forty percent of people questioned in the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll say they are satisfied with the way democracy is working in this country, with 59 percent saying they are dissatisfied.
“One reason that Americans think the government is broken is that they think the way we choose our elected officials is broken,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
The poll released Thursday also indicates Americans don’t think very highly of government officials. Eight in 10 think that government officials are out of touch, influenced by special interests, and mainly concerned with getting re-elected. [CNN: Poll: Most dissatisfied with how democracy works in the U.S.]
Keep in mind that every two years there are elections for every single U.S. Representative and a handful of Senators.
What could explain this? Well, part of the number is probably made up of people that disagree with the person that their group elected—the Republican that lives in a Democrat district and vice versa.
The other part is a genuine dislike for what they see going on. The games that are being played. The fact that everything is so politicized and there is so much power that is centralized and they don’t seem to see their beliefs upheld.
To me, this is a prescription for less government, and more local decisions. That would increase the public’s satisfaction and would allow for more happiness with elected leaders.
Just don’t hold your breath waiting for it to happen.
