Raise the Hammer

Ryan. I doubt that any thesis applied to politics can be 100%. Do you think engagement applies to DiIanni? I initially got turned off Bratina after somebody mentioned waffle but the more i think of it, waffle at a time like now, with storm clouds gathering, might be the best thing to do. Who cares what somebody said a few years ago? So engagement probably makes sense for this administration.

Not that i fully endorse engagement - citizens are supposed to be out there creating wealth (for the political class to spend?!) so engagement more often becomes lobbying, or at the best, the use of surplus time of the idle rich.

The internet changes that somewhat but even for the working poor, who usually have some time off, is that time best used watching the boob toob, maintaining relationships or engagement in complex matters that require huge time commitments to understand properly? Failing which, they will support this nice fuzzy wuzzy LRT theory?

No, in representative democracy, we pay reps to drink coffee and figure out this complicated stuff. Except instead of doing that, they spend their time plotting whose pocket they can pick, seen or unseen. Money democracy.

What you seek is direct democracy. I'd like that too, especially with the internet and often pound the table for Athenian Democracy (google Wikipedia), but it all depends on an educated public. Ever since the US Fed stole the keys to the banking system, it is almost impossible for the public to wrap its mind around financial matters like the soon to double/triple interest rates. Therefore, if one really wants direct democracy, one must also support a simpler monetary system which can be understood even if one's name is not Rothschild (or Keynes). It looks like this could happen anyway so you may just get your wish! (Umm, not the LRT wish, just the engagement!!!;-)