Let's keep our eye on who has too much of the real power in this country. That is the first and most important step toward lifting the siege and bringing democracy back to life. The success any group enjoys in winning presidential intercession has less to do with the justice of its cause than with the place it occupies within the class structure. What is overlooked is that they are likely the ones who created the crisis and should be held accountable for their actions. It is the essence of democracy that we not trust and not have faith in our leaders.
Democracy is a system built on distrust.
At the heart of all procedural democracy is the idea that we must watch leaders closely, question them sharply, demand to see the documents, look for differing explanations, and pursue open debate about policies, before, during, and after elections. Whatever their differences, the two major political parties collude in maintaining their monopoly over electoral politics, and discourage the growth of progressive third parties. All fifty states have laws that are written and enforced by Democratic and Republican officials, regulating and frequently thwarting third-party access to the ballot. Indeed, the First Amendment of the Constitution explicitly forbids governmental establishment of any religion. Yet we have accepted laws that, in effect, make the Democrats and Republicans the official state parties, a rigged two-party monopoly and this at a time when they are less popular than ever.