Europe, Boring Until it's Not

[BjornP]

There is no such thing as a direct democracy concerning most government policies that count. Brexit being the outlier there.

Brexit wasn't an example of direct democracy. It was simply one referendum. A direct democracy would be a democracy that voted in regularly occurring referendums on matters both big and small. Brexit was a major national decision where it made sense, even for a representative democracy, to give the choice to the public.

The only country that comes close to a direct democracy today is Switzerland.

[Martin Hash]

Direct democracy has never been tried. Populism is poison for the plutocrats

I hear that canard all the time: every local election is geographic-based direct democracy.

Oh yes. I always forget about all those local based federal elections.

You mean like for House & Senate seats.

[StCapps]

Direct Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner. Mob rule is hellish and dystopian. One referendum going the way you want it to is not proof Direct Democracy is a good idea.

[TheReal_ND]

There is no such thing as a direct democracy concerning most government policies that count. Brexit being the outlier there.

Brexit wasn't an example of direct democracy. It was simply one referendum. A direct democracy would be a democracy that voted in regularly occurring referendums on matters both big and small. Brexit was a major national decision where it made sense, even for a representative democracy, to give the choice to the public.

The only country that comes close to a direct democracy today is Switzerland.

Yes well direct democracy should have been tried in America when we were still 90% of European extraction.

[StCapps]

There is no such thing as a direct democracy concerning most government policies that count. Brexit being the outlier there.

Brexit wasn't an example of direct democracy. It was simply one referendum. A direct democracy would be a democracy that voted in regularly occurring referendums on matters both big and small. Brexit was a major national decision where it made sense, even for a representative democracy, to give the choice to the public.

The only country that comes close to a direct democracy today is Switzerland.

Yes well direct democracy should have been tried in America when we were still 90% of European extraction.

Direct democracy is bad idea no matter what the racial makeup of America, the founders deliberately put in checks and balances to prevent it, and for good reason.

Rome > Athens
Representative Republic > Direct Democracy

[Martin Hash]

Except for president, all elections are direct democracy. In WA, we have the Initiative process to pass laws through direct democracy, about one every election cycle.

[TheReal_ND]

Even still now a referendum on a wall would be passed. A referendum on increasing legal immigration would fail. A referendum on pretty much anything that protects white America would still pass.

And fwiw weed would be legal in all 50 states.

[TheReal_ND]

I have been to states where I can buy weed at the counter. There is no coming back from that. No reasonable white person of sound mind would forgoe such a civilized thing.

[BjornP]

In a direct democracy you don’t simply vote for who gets to sit on the seats. You would, as a citizen be voting on approving next month or year's government budgets or voting on whether or not to go to war with a foreign country.

Or whether or not to take away each other's rights... it's fickle like that.

[Martin Hash]

I have been to states where I can buy weed at the counter. There is no coming back from that. No reasonable white person of sound mind would forgoe such a civilized thing.

18th Amendment.