Failing Democracy

ONE OF THE problems with democracy is that it is inefficient and cumbersome. In a democracy, everyone has a voice, an opinion, and opportunities to exercise power, however limited. Political parties, which the founders of America abhored, inevitably emerge, with intrigues against each other, and contests of will, resulting in the democratic process breaking down, and coming to a standstill, sooner or later. Then, autocratic tyranny replaces democracy, supported by a people exhausted, tired of government gridlock and breakdown, ready for decisive action, even if it means giving all power to a dictator. It seems like it happens that way every time; in ancient Greece, ancient Rome, eighteenth century France, post world war one Germany, and the time may be coming when it happens to the United States. The time may already be here. It may be happening now. In ancient Rome, the Roman Senate was divided into warring factions, divided against itself, which weakened it. General Julius Caesar took advantage of this weakness to declare himself emporer for life, with the support of the armies under his command. Napoleon Bonaparte came to power because the attempt at French democracy which followed the abolotion of the French monarchy was weak and impotent. Hitler came to power in Germany by using his executive powers as chancellor to overpower and eliminate the German legislature, which was plagued by constant feuding of several political parties, none of which could ever gain a majority and accomplish anything. Modern European parliamentary systems seem to be stable, because the legislative and executive functions work jointly, and the moment they fail to work together with a majority consensus, new elections, and new executive and legislative officials are chosen. But in America, the representative democracy is less flexible than parliamentary systems, and there is no automatic solution to gridlock and government breadkown, such as calling for elections. For instance, wouldn't now be a great time to have an election for a totally new congress in America, and maybe for president too? Or, maybe, a national referendum on Obamacare, and a national referendum, just a quickie, online, to see how America stands on the government shutdown and raising the debt ceiling. But it'll never happen. Who knows what'll happen in America? Maybe Obama and the democrats in congress will have all republicans in congress arrested and imprisoned for national extortion, or maybe a tea party uprising will bring ultra conservatives to power who will eliminate all social programs, and double the size of the American military. You just never know.