General Discussion

I'm 76 years old and watched the decline of what used to be a country with some aspirations turn into a shit hole based on highest bidder. The little gains we fought for were an illusion because they can be taken away by a manipulative system. I don't really have an answer. I think when I was young we underestimated the power of the media to shape the public into what they want: obedient consumers who are happy as long as they get their sports and other entertainment. I've watched democracy fail with the "imperial" presidency and legislators who are captured by the big money. The Gilens and Page Study of public opinion versus legislation is depressing enough. It shows very little corelation between public opinion and legislative action, but I urge people to actually look it over and come to their own conclusion. What's really scary to me is the ability of the media to shape public opinion to the liking of the corporate masters. I grew up in the 1960's civil rights and anti war movement and have watched the public apathy as we marched off to war as a political stunt under the Shrub. We need to face the reality that our system is broken and it probably always has been under a system devised by the well off and poweful to keep their wealth and power.
I think one useful thing to do would be to inrease the size of the House of representatives which was set in 1911 when the population was at 92 million. if there 1500 seats it might give some room for a third party and it would be a lot ougher to buy elections and also harder to gerry mander. The other thing that is necessary is to do away with the Supreme Court. Having nine political hacks in charge of everything had to be ultimate bar to a true democracy. But then the founing fathers didn't want a democracy.