Truth about delusional democracy

Solly Rakgomo | Wednesday September 28, 2016 16:04

They have been brainwashed to believe what no longer is true. Become convinced that you do not live in a true and terrific democracy, or that your democracy is the best in the world. I stopped believing this myth many years ago. All the objective evidence I saw over many years of paying intense attention both as a  global citizen and someone who has studied the political system showed me that American democracy had steadily declined in quality, integrity and effectiveness. And now in this 2016 presidential race you have powerful and painful evidence that we are saddled with a delusional democracy.Thank Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for opening your mind and eyes to reveal this revolting truth.

Delusional democracy refers to delusional Americans. So this year the key question for you to consider is whether you still choose to keep falsely believing that American democracy is worth being proud of. I just cannot see how Americans can accept these two major party Presidential candidates as reflecting a first rate democracy. They are, in fact, a major embarrassment that should make every American, regardless of their political party loyalty or previous political beliefs, cringe at the ugly reality that these two Presidential candidates are worthy of any respect, loyalty or votes. How could it come to this? Two world class liars. Two of the most widely known untrusted and untrustable unpopular politicians ever produced in the US or anywhere.  Two sick narcissists in it for themselves, not the country. The US political system produced this reality. A two-party duopoly serving the rich and powerful, corporate contributors and many special interests, but not the ordinary, general public is what they have had for a long time. What gave that nation awful economic inequality, destruction of good paying middle class jobs in manufacturing, and horrendous national debt also gave us these two losers. Can you settle into voting for the lesser of two evils, when each of the two evils makes you gag? Evil does not accurately describe these two options. Choose the lesser of two embarrassments, of two calamities, of two democracy destroyers.

Consider this way of thinking about this ugly reality. Once a democracy has become delusional playing the game of being responsible citizen and voting no longer makes sense. It is more like joining a criminal conspiracy to maintain the illusion that Americans have a legitimate democracy. Voting no longer is the path to have a revolution to restore American democracy.That is exactly where we have arrived. When most Americans have little respect and trust for Congress or just about every other institution and most believe they are on the wrong track, then how can you still cling to the belief that voting is what you can and should do? When it comes to Trump and Hillary how can people still keep deluding themselves that they live in a legitimate democracy worth voting in?

An important 2014 study of a huge number of policy actions found that “economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence. In other words, voting by citizens does not shape their nation. Americans do not have an authentic democracy. They have more of an oligarchy that is controlled by rich and powerful elites. Voting is a distraction, something to make people feel good and responsible. Of course, sometimes it looks like the general public gets what it wants. Yet “they fairly often get the policies they favor … only because those policies happen also to be preferred by the economically-elite citizens who wield the actual influence.” The big conclusion: “if policymaking is dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans, then America’s claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened.” This fits my model perfectly: Americans have a delusional democracy.

Here is what I think is the correct action this year. Boycott the Presidential election. Do not vote for anyone for President. What does this accomplish? It would create incredible historic data on very low voter turnout for the Presidential election. It would send a clear message to both major parties, the political establishment, the media, and the whole world that Americans have recognised the truth about their delusional democracy. This could spark true political revolution for the next presidential election. You ask, depending on what you now believe, but how can you live with that awful Trump or that awful Hillary getting elected president. So be it. It is more important to create conditions for major, true political reforms than to worry about an awful person in the White House. People need a good long game. Worry less about how a president may harm our nation and more about the critical need to recognize and fix their delusional democracy by taking back the power that the power elites have had for a long time.

My main point is that you need some imagination and think about the many impacts of reducing turnout to say 30 percent. The whole world would interpret that as the rejection by Americans of their political system. t would be an incredible historic shock having the potential to remove the legitimacy and credibility of the current two-party duopoly. Their corrupt, delusional democracy would have received a bullet. Demand for truly reforming and fixing your political system would take on energy. Remember, the historic data showed this sharp decline in turnout happening once before. It can happen again, with your help. Boycott this presidential election.

Fixing your democracy is far more important than your vote this year. Yes, you may feel bad that the candidate you most hated won your state and maybe the Electoral College, or that you did not show support for a third party candidate. But you can and should feel good that you have non-voted against the status quo, broken political system. Feel great that you want to fix your delusional democracy.

Catch Solly Rakgomo @72850881