The future of the system
Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 10:54 am
As someone who taught Political Science at a Research 1 University for 35+ years, I think it's fair to say that our political system is unraveling. Had the current state of affairs been described to me a few decades ago, I could not have imagined the reality of the situation. Deep ideological divisions, a population that is largely ignorant of the underlying Constitutional principles, the predominance of false "facts" and narratives, a plethora of insane conspiracy theories, a willingness on the part of many citizens to demonize anyone who disagrees with them, and (finally) the realization that our system of checks and balances is not sufficient to quell the darker tendencies that are emerging. The causes are many, but amelioration will depend on reforms that are very unlikely in the current environment, such as elimination of the Electoral College, campaign finance reform, strengthening restraints on the Executive Branch, term limits for Congress, and reform of the Supreme Court. I won't live to see any of these, and fear for my children and grandchildren.