Dysfunctional Democracy

[Sonny Clark]

US Is a World Leader in Dysfunctional Democracy
The United States barely ranks as a "full" democracy.

(1) -- Almost half the world’s 167 countries claim to be democratic, but according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest global Democracy Index that is a mirage because popular discontent with democratic governments is growing worldwide.

(2) -- “Europe is home to the most ‘full democracies,’ but it is here that popular discontent with dempcracy is most evident,” the Economist reported. “Only 12.5 percent of the world’s population live in a full democracy… More than one-third of the world’s population (some 2.6 billion people) still live under authoritarian rule.”

(3) -- The United States is at the bottom of the barrel of “full democracies,” ranking 19 out of the 24 countries, just below the Pacific Island country of Mauritius and South America’s Uraguay. Northern Europe is still tops, led by Norway. Canada is seventh.

(4) -- The Economist didn’t mince words about American democracy, either. “The U.S. remains at the bottom end of the full democracy category,” it said. “U.S. democracy has been adversely affected by a deepening polarization of the political scene, political brinkmanship and paralysis. Popular discontent with the workings of democracy is deep-seated here too.”

(5) -- There is a sobering takeaway from the Economist’s report. As popular discontent with the governing classes is growing around the world, the ruling classes, including in many of the world’s supposedly democratic regimes, aren’t giving the public what they want.

US Is a World Leader in Dysfunctional Democracy Alternet

******* -- Why do we fight wars in the name of Democracy?

 

[B. Kidd]

It's a Kleptocracy........not Democracy.

 

[QuickHitCurepon]

They are exercising the freedom to disagree as much as possible (on everything).

 

[Sonny Clark]

They are exercising the freedom to disagree as much as possible (on everything).

Disagree with what?

 

[gipper]

Whenever the power elite's position is threatened, they push their nations to war...often this done deceitfully to fool the people. Seems we are headed that way.

 

[bripat9643]

US Is a World Leader in Dysfunctional Democracy
The United States barely ranks as a "full" democracy.

(1) -- Almost half the world’s 167 countries claim to be democratic, but according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest global Democracy Index that is a mirage because popular discontent with democratic governments is growing worldwide.

(2) -- “Europe is home to the most ‘full democracies,’ but it is here that popular discontent with dempcracy is most evident,” the Economist reported. “Only 12.5 percent of the world’s population live in a full democracy… More than one-third of the world’s population (some 2.6 billion people) still live under authoritarian rule.”

(3) -- The United States is at the bottom of the barrel of “full democracies,” ranking 19 out of the 24 countries, just below the Pacific Island country of Mauritius and South America’s Uraguay. Northern Europe is still tops, led by Norway. Canada is seventh.

(4) -- The Economist didn’t mince words about American democracy, either. “The U.S. remains at the bottom end of the full democracy category,” it said. “U.S. democracy has been adversely affected by a deepening polarization of the political scene, political brinkmanship and paralysis. Popular discontent with the workings of democracy is deep-seated here too.”

(5) -- There is a sobering takeaway from the Economist’s report. As popular discontent with the governing classes is growing around the world, the ruling classes, including in many of the world’s supposedly democratic regimes, aren’t giving the public what they want.

US Is a World Leader in Dysfunctional Democracy Alternet

******* -- Why do we fight wars in the name of Democracy?

Putting "dysfunctional" in front of democracy is redundant.

 

[bripat9643]

It's a Kleptocracy........not Democracy.

The two are synonyms.

 

[Mr. H.]

I blame Obama.

No, wait. Bush.

Wait...

 

[Mad Scientist]

The US isn't a Democracy, it's a Representative Republic.

 

[QuickHitCurepon]

They are exercising the freedom to disagree as much as possible (on everything).

Disagree with what?

You name it.

 

[gipper]

The US isn't a Democracy, it's a Representative Republic.

True enough, but the representatives represent the power elite, not the people... And they and the buearcracy they have forced on the people, is tyrannical and criminal.

 

[USNavyVet]

Thankfully the US has never been a democracy.