Democracy in America

Democracy in America

We lecture third world counties on the power of democracy. We give them moral, military and financial support to achieve democracy. They struggle to overcome dictatorship, military control and corruption. We expect them to sort out this transition in a matter of a couple of decades at most.ur support is both genuine and out of self-interest.

But what kind of model of democracy are we? We struggle with corruption. We vote at notoriously low rates. We protest but don't have time to get involved or educated in our politics. Public officials are bought by wealthy lobbies and donors. Politicians are too often unfairly protected by the laws they themselves make.

How much absolution can come from us just being flawed human beings? From democracy being a human construction?

The unexpected twists and turns of the current presidential election and the accompanying protests and disruptions are the American equivalent of the mass protests in other countries struggling for democracy.

Democracy in America may be facing itself squarely in the mirror.