Funding the (R)Evolution of Democracy

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By by Kathleen Bushman, Posted by Larry Sakin (about the submitter) Page 2 of 2 page(s)

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Similarly, 69% say the government should guarantee 'every citizen enough to eat and a place to sleep,' up from 63% in 2002 and the highest it has been since 1991. This belief in a hand-up for those in need trumps even fears of deficit spending: 54% of the public believes, 'The government should help more needy people even if it means going deeper in debt,' compared to just 41% who endorsed that statement back in 1994."
An uncomfortably high level, "26%, of Americans say there has been a time in the last 12 months when they have been unable to afford necessary health care for themselves or a family member. : Support for extending health care to all Americans trumps any tax-phobia: 66% of Americans favor "the government guaranteeing health insurance for all citizens, even if it means raising taxes." With some governors and legislatures stepping up to support revenue increases to pay for extending health care to the uninsured, there is clearly a super-majority in support of their actions."

Newman further points out that the cynicism of the American voter has become a serious challenge that must be addressed by progressives in order to be effective. "While the public wants active government for everything from strengthening labor rights to protecting the environment to ending racial discrimination to providing health care for all, they are now deeply cynical about the ability of government to deliver on those needs.

With Bush and his corporate cronies taking a wrecking ball to government and demonstrating massive incompetence, from Iraq to cleaning up after hurricane Katrina, the result has been a significant increase just since 2002 in the percentage of the public that believes things run by government are "inefficient and wasteful." While the public wants what government delivers, 62% worry about the waste and corruption they have too often seen demonstrated.

Similarly, we have seen a decline since 2002, from 55% down to 45%, in the percentage of the public that believes that 'government is really run for the benefit of all the people.'

While sometimes merited, that cynicism by the public is often the largest obstacle to progressive success. It's a good reason for legislators to take the steps-- ethics reforms, public financing of elections, greater disclosure of tax and budget benefits for corporations -- to help overcome the skepticism that many Americans have in our democracy."

I believe that bold progressive leaders could generate enthusiasm in a disillusioned electorate. Too many Americans do not even bother to vote. In America today too many believe that most politicians are corrupt and out of touch with the life and problems of the ordinary American. The faith of the electorate must be restored for the sake of the continued health of our democracy. I think we must force our politicians to earn that trust by refusing to vote for the lesser of two evils. When blocs of progressive Democrats take their votes and their support to a Green or a Socialist Party candidate, those Democrats will not have to make a commitment to the formation of a third party nor to perpetual loyalty to another party. Democratic voters can exercise an option that they have so far ignored. By choosing to make the Democratic Party more accountable, voters can choose to force the Democratic Party to pay greater heed to their constituents. As Greg Palast recently said, "Whichever party is in the majority in Congress, it remains a millionaire's club where Average Americans, plucked of their vote, are soon carved into chewable pieces for the corporate carnivores." No one begrudges them their money but, as long as politicians want to be re-elected, those politicians in the "millionaire's club" need to be reminded that they are accountable to the people.

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