To be
viable, a representative democracy needs a virtuous and educated citizenry.
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams agreed on this point in their exchange of
letters in retirement. Their assumption was that an electorate would be able to
apply judgment informed by virtue and a broad knowledge to not only matters of
public policy, but also the candidates and incumbent office-holders themselves.
To the extent that the people in power use it to present a false image, the
judgment by the popular sovereign is unavoidably marred. The democratic system
itself falters even if it is being portrayed as strong by those at its helm. I
contend that the extent of political theater being orchestrated by U.S.
office-holders compromises the democratic legitimacy of public power at the
federal level.
The full essay is at “Political
Theater”
