Earlier quoted context omitted.
> The fact that we keep seeing these votes is simply a proof of the fact that most people don't really care about it. Allow me to introduce you to two voters, A and B. Also two representatives, X and Y. There are two issues in this campaign, D and E. Support matrix: DE Xyn Yny Now, A may care about both D and E, but feel more strongly about D. B may care about both D and E, but feel a bit more strongly about E. So A…
I'm curious how much of the perceived benefit of republic-based democracy is based in logical fallacies and myth. Voters are irrational and on a long-term scale, growth in state power eventually leads to the circumvention of public involvement, counter to the very definition of a republic: "A republic is a form of government in which affairs of state are a 'public matter', not the private concern of the rulers". Cons…
James Madison:
* The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the
only guardian of true liberty.
* Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people
who mean to be their own governors, must arm
themselves with the power knowledge gives.
* Learned institutions ought to be favorite objects with
every free people. They throw that light over the
public mind which is the best security against crafty
and dangerous encroachments on the public liberty.
* Every government degenerates when trusted to the
rulers of the people alone. The people themselves,
therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to
render them safe, their minds must be improved to a
certain degree.
* Above all things I hope the education of the common
people will be attended to ; convinced that on their
good sense we may rely with the most security for the
preservation of a due degree of liberty.
* I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of
the society, but the people themselves: and if we
think them not enlightened enough to exercise their
controul with a wholsome discretion, the remedy is,
not to take it from them, but to inform their
discretion by education. this is the true corrective
of abuses of constitutional power.