In the United States, who does only 38% of the population casts a vote? Have the majority of citizens given up hope and feeling resigned and cynical?
In a close presidential race, with this participation rate the winning candidate is only supported by 19% of the overall population.
"That’s hardly a mandate. It’s more like the tail wagging the dog." writes CELDF in their article stating that the danger to the 1% is really an informed public https://celdf.org/2018/05/dangerous-to-the-1-an-informed-public/
Democracy means more than just voting, however. It means understanding the system which governs us, and course-correcting that system. That may mean organizing to throw people out of office, supporting certain laws and policies, drafting and enacting our own laws, or making more bedrock change like correcting the power imbalance between corporations and our own governments.
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An informed, critical thinking public is a pain in the ass to those in power, because it doesn’t make governing easy. With an uninformed, passive public, the system bends and turns according to the needs and wants of those with wealth and power.
Read more https://celdf.org/2018/05/dangerous-to-the-1-an-informed-public/