Christine,
Perhaps there is something about what you have to do to get elected--lie, cheat, steal
and raise tons of money very quickly--that corrupts almost as much as power does.
Can you think of an alternative?
No, all the others have faults. Acton's dictum about absolute power corrupting absolutely must be respected. Representative democracy or a republic seems as good as any, considering we must have some sort of central power for international strength. A Swiss style confederacy would never get anything done except at the local level, but maybe that would not be all bad.
I guess what I would like to see is the same game with different players, i.e., term limits or something to encourage elected officials to do what they think is right rather than what will get them re-elected. I'd also like to see a viable third party, since both of our current parties are beholden to their special interests, and there are only marginal differences for the average citizen, no matter which party is in power.
With regard to our political system, I am reminded of the opening sentence of the First Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England, as it separated from the Church of Rome (1549):There was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised,or so sure established, which in continuance of time hath not been corrupted: So it is, I feel with our government.
Jack |
