Many Americans feel their vote no longer carries much clout in determining the decisions that most affect their lives -- whether it's about immigration, health care, gay rights, or gun control. The list goes on. The elected representatives they send to Congress as their voice are unable or unwilling to speak.
Out of options, many cheer for the populist who promises a political revolution or to “Make America Great Again,” when the Establishment doesn't seem to care.
In theory, our democracy offers more freedom than ever before. So, why do we feel so powerless?
Some say we have too much democracy. Socrates said, "Tyranny is probably established out of no other regime than democracy." He might lament the rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders as a sign that rule by populist will is breeding extremists and demagogues.
Others say the dark money, gerrymandering, and voter suppression are the root of our powerlessness. Is it that we have too much democracy, or too little?
GUESTS:
- Michael Lind - Co-founder of New America and author of Land of Promise: An Economic History of the United States; he wrote an op-ed in the New York Times, “Is There Too Much Democracy in America, or Too Little?”
- David Daley - Author of Rat**cked: The True Story Behind the Secret Plan to Steal America's Democracy; former editor-in-chief of Salon.com and publisher/CEO of The Connecticut Mirror
- Jonathan Rauch - Contributing editor at The Atlantic and National Journal; senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; author of Political Realism: How Hacks, Machines, Big Money, and Back-Room Deals Can Strengthen American Democracy
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Greg Hill contributed to this show.
