Burgers, Fries and Ignorant Politics: Does Democracy Need an Overhaul?

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America has become a confusing place for manymight not know what all of the candidates stand for
people who are trying to decipher through the mess ofand may possibly vote on race issues, locality, and
politics that is inherent in a huge country that toutsappearance instead of actual political ideology. In other
democracy. The Critical Review’s (No. 1 Vol. 19)words, issues of importance are no longer the issues
article Ignorance as a Starting Point: From Modestof politics.
Epistemology to Realistic Political Theory states that aWhen people are faced with making a decision
new elitist political paternalism may be necessary towithout adequate information or with confusing
counter the general ignorance of the population. Ininformation they will choose what they know. If
other words, brighter minds need to make decisionssomeone appears to be honest or they speak in a
for people.tone or manner that makes sense then they will vote
The concept of political elite makes some sense but infor that candidate. In some cases people will simply
reality this is already the case. We have in the U.S. avote for a candidate because they remember their
pseudo-democracy in the sense that all of thename. This means the process is breaking down.
candidates are known but few, except the elite, knowCurrently, the country is run by political elites. This is the
what the candidates stand for. Democracy, in its earlygroup of people who have the highest level of income
American terms, meant that politics was done on aand education. They are the ones that contribute to
local basis. People knew who the runners were, shookcampaigns, read their newspaper on a regular basis,
their hands, asked them questions, etcÂ… This is oneand view politics as a method of maintaining wealth.
of the reasons why many politicians still travel theFor example, the Israeli lobby as the countries largest
country.lobby even though it is a foreign entity. Where are the
At one time in history it meant something to be part ofdomestic issues in relation to this issue?
a party. However, as these parties maturedThus, the article Ignorance as a Starting Point: From
(Democrats & Republicans) the lines of difference inModest Epistemology to Realistic Political Theory
their ideologies have changed. People seem to floatpremises that a paternalistic political elite need to be
near the center and it is almost impossible to determinedeveloped in order to steer people into the right
their party simply based on the way they vote. Somecandidates is already in existence. It isn’t a
are liberal and some are conservative but parties haveformal method or system as outlined in the system but
become only a path to politics; not an ideologicalthat those who control the labor control the country.
difference.The farther you move up the wealthy scale the tighter
The fact that candidates and parties have becomeknit the group.
confusing, the average person has become confused