Given the state of politics and civic engagement in America today, the idea of making America a Perfect Democracy may seem, to many Americans, to be hopelessly idealistic. It is idealistic. Our nation was founded on democratic ideals, clearly stated as “self-evident” Truths in our Declaration of Independence. We believe that we are endowed by our “Creator” with equal and unalienable natural rights, including the rights to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”. We believe that the primary purpose of governments is to secure and protect our Rights. And we believe that governments derive their “just powers” from the consent of the governed”.
The idea of making America a Perfect Democracy is not hopeless. The “self-evident” Truths stated in our Declaration of Independence are eternal and nearly all Americans believe in them. And there is one other unalienable Right included in our Declaration of Independence – our right to alter the form of our government whenever we deem it necessary to effect our “Safety and Happiness.”
Democracy in America is far from perfect.
Antidemocratic provisions in the body of our Constitution and flaws in the way we conduct elections have made it possible for corporate interests and billionaires to gain control of our governments at both the state and federal levels. The version of democracy in place in America at present is so deeply flawed as to be more accurately described as an oligarchy, or more specifically as a combination of a corporatocracy and a plutocracy (government by and for the wealthy).
Money has become the dominant factor in our elections and has corrupted politicians at all levels of government and in both of our major political parties. Our vaunted system of checks and balances has resulted in gridlock and made it possible for corporatists and plutocrats to consistently block legislation supported by a majority of Americans. Along with the frustration of not being able to get critically needed legislation enacted, a tsunami of misinformation, disinformation, and outright lies has generated toxic levels of anger, fear, and hatred, and left Americans deeply and bitterly divided.
We’ve been divided (and have divided ourselves) into Democrats and Republicans, as well as members of minor parties, and independents; left wing and right wing, as well as centrists; liberals and conservatives; and progressives and reactionaries. We argue angrily and endlessly about the issues that divide us (abortion, gay rights, gun control, and immigration). The discussion never seems to focus on the issues where we are in broad agreement (access to affordable health care for all, affordable homes, and a federal job guarantee, to name a few). None of the conflicts that divide us are ever resolved. None of the problems we face as a nation are ever truly solved.
We need to exercise our right to alter the form of our government.
Governments around the world, including our own, have failed, and are failing, to respond appropriately to the existential threats posed by global warming, nuclear arms proliferation, and artificial intelligence. Governments, including our own, are therefore failing to protect our most basic right - the right to Life. If we want our government to protect our right to Life, we need to exercise our right to alter the form of our government.
In his 1944 State of the Union Address, President Franklin Roosevelt proposed an Economic Bill of Rights that would provide economic security for all Americans. He called on Congress to enact the legislation needed to implement that Economic Bill of Rights. More than eighty years later, we are still waiting on Congress to act. In his 1964 State of the Union Address, President Lyndon Johnson declared an “unconditional war on poverty”. We made some progress in reducing poverty over the next few years, but since 1980 we have regressed. Millions of Americans remain trapped in poverty. Many Americans are working two or three jobs, just to make ends meet. As Roosevelt said in his address: “Necessitous men are not free men.” If we want our government to secure and protect our rights to “Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”, we need to exercise our right to alter the form of our government.
All these threats and problems have one thing in common – they are largely the result of corporate influence within governments and corporate control of governments. Too many corporations consistently put profits ahead of people. Too many corporations have a singular focus on the “bottom line” – on maximizing profits.
The nature of the threat posed by artificial intelligence is still in the process of taking shape. The threat posed by artificial persons (corporations) is a clear and present danger. Corporations are an extremely powerful form of business organization. Corporations have been given powerful advantages over other forms of business organization, including unlimited life, limited liability, ease of transfer, and the ability to raise unlimited amounts of money. As a result of these significant advantages, corporations have come to dominate the global economy. Greed is a deadly sin. And the unbridled greed of corporations and plutocrats now threatens the very existence of humanity. And the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that corporations have the same rights as the people of the United States. This is the root cause of corporate control of our government.
We need governments, especially our own, to exercise control over corporations. Democratic governments are most likely to do that. We need to shift power from corporations to the people of each community, state, and nation. And we need to do that as soon as possible. Because -
Perfecting Democracy in America
Numerous constitutional amendments will need to be enacted to remove the antidemocratic provisions from the body of our Constitution and address the flaws in the way we conduct elections. The Constitution of the United States is the most difficult constitution in the world to amend. Enacting either one, or both, of two foundational and transformative reforms will alter the form of our governments and make governments in America at both the state and federal levels more democratic by shifting power to the people. That will, in turn, make it easier to enact the rest of the legislation included in The Democracy Agenda, as well as any other legislation that has the support of a majority of Politically Active Citizens.
Personal Representation
Implementing systems of Personal Representation will allow citizens to vote (indirectly) in Congress and state legislatures by assigning proxies authorizing any one member of each legislative body that governs them to cast votes on their behalf and then giving each senator and representative a number of votes equal to the number of proxies they have been assigned (plus one for themselves) on all matters that are voted on in legislative bodies.
Implementing systems of Personal Representation will instantly transform corrupted and dysfunctional legislative bodies into truly democratic institutions.
Perfect Democracy Amendments
Perfect Democracy Amendments will make it easier for citizens to call referendums and use the initiative in the states that already have provisions for those powerful forms of direct democracy in their constitutions and will extend the use of referendums and the initiative to the federal government and to the states that do not yet provide for them.
Minor Changes with Major Benefits
In a survey conducted in 2021, 85% of Americans agreed that we need to completely reform or make major changes to our political system. Of course, many people who say they want change get nervous and hesitant when confronted with specific proposals for changes. We need to help politically active citizens understand that the reforms being proposed are minor changes with major benefits.
Getting Perfect Democracy Amendments enacted will shift power from politicians directly to the people by empowering citizens to propose and enact legislation (including constitutional amendments) without the approval or involvement of legislative bodies (or presidents or governors). Implementing systems of Personal Representation will shift power to the people indirectly by shifting power within representative assemblies to the members who best represent the will of the people.
In altering the form of our government, we will also fundamentally alter the nature of civic engagement. The roles of political parties, political candidates, and money will be deemphasized. We will replace angry, hateful conflicts resulting from a vicious competition for power with communication, using reason and persuasion, and compromise, as needed, to achieve consensus.
To believe in democracy means that you believe major political decisions should be made by the people of a community, state, or nation voting, directly in referendums or indirectly through representative assemblies, with the votes of the majority determining what legislation is enacted.
The campaign to get pro-democracy reforms enacted will heal the deep and bitter divisions among Americans who believe in democracy and realign the “sides” in politics.
Perfecting Democracy in the 21st Century
A seamless combination of direct democracy and representative democracy.
Until the 19th century, direct democracy (with citizens meeting in the same place at the same time) was not a realistic option in large states or nations. The invention of the printing press combined with public education and advances in communications made powerful news forms of direct democracy (referendums and the initiative) possible. In the 21st century, the affairs of states and nations are far too complex to be governed entirely through direct democracy. A seamless combination of direct democracy and representative democracy is necessary to perfect democracy in the 21st century.
Winner-take-all elections, with plurality winners and single-member districts nearly always result in a duopoly (a political system dominated by two major parties). Duopolies have a strong tendency to degenerate into a ruthless, vicious competition for power. Corporate-owned mass media tends to promote a negative political atmosphere by focusing on conflicts because conflicts draws listeners and viewers, which increases ratings, which increases profits. The false friends and true enemies of democracy thrive within a system based on conflict and competition because conflict divides us and makes it easier for corporations and billionaires to maintain control of our government. Their efforts have been very successful. We are deeply and bitterly divided.
In a true democracy, the key to victory in getting legislation enacted is to use reason to persuade people to agree. Seeking consensus unites people. The very act of uniting in support of the reforms needed to make America a Perfect Democracy will help reunite Americans.
Democracy and Technology
Perfecting democracy in 21st century has been made easier as a result of technological advances.
We can (and should) establish Online Accounts for Politically Active Citizens to enable citizens to sign petitions electronically (for ballot proposals, veto referendums, and ballot access for candidates); assign and reassign proxies to facilitate Personal Representation; communicate with their authorized representatives, and have easy access to civic education resources.
We can also utilize the Internet to facilitate a broad, inclusive, respectful, and constructive deliberative process as political decisions are made and promote other positive and constructive forms of civic engagement among Politically Active Citizens. Calm and rational discussions do not draw nearly as many listeners or viewers as angry rants and heated exchanges of opinions. But rational discussions are a vital part of the political process, especially in a direct democracy. We need to encourage politically active citizens to take full advantage of opportunities to participate in and listen to constructive discussions designed to find common ground and build consensus. The Internet is a valuable resource in that regard.
Texting provides a cost-effective way to share information.
The Sides in a Campaign to Make America a Perfect Democracy
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” - Sun Tzu
Which Side Are You On?
Politics is a Team Sport
When we think of “sides” in the context of politics in America, we think of Democrats versus Republicans, left wing versus right wing, liberals versus conservatives, or radicals versus moderates. The sides in a campaign to make America a Perfect Democracy, properly defined and understood, are the True Friends and Champions of Democracy versus the false friends and true enemies of democracy.
The True Friends of Democracy believe that the “just powers” of governments are derived from “the consent of the governed.” And that the consent of the governed is properly obtained by giving every citizen in a community, state, or nation an equal vote, with the votes of the majority determining what powers a government is granted, what laws are enacted, and what policies are put in place. Champions of Democracy take an active role in seeking to make governments truly democratic.
The false friends and true enemies of democracy know that they cannot get what they want from governments if everyone has an equal vote and the majority rules. The true enemies of democracy argue openly against democracy. The false friends of democracy claim to believe in democracy but support anti-democratic provisions in political systems and the conduct of elections.
The terms overlap on either side. Champions of Democracy are true friends of democracy who take a more active role in promoting democracy – especially by advocating strongly for democracy while running for or holding public office. The false friends of democracy are true enemies of democracy, who attempt to hide their opposition and actively seek to convince the people of a community, state, or nation that their government is democratic when it is not.
When the “sides” are defined and understood in this way, the other ways of viewing the “sides” are irrelevant. There are Democrats who believe in democracy and Democrats who don’t. There are Republicans who believe in democracy and Republicans who don’t. There are people on both the left and the right (and centrists) who believe in democracy and who don’t. There are liberals and conservatives who believe in democracy and liberals and conservatives who don’t. There are some people who consider democracy to be a radical idea and some people who understand and appreciate that democracy (and liberty) are very moderate expectations.
There are some synonymous terms on both sides. Lower case “d” democrats believe in democracy. Lower case “r” republicans believe in representative democracy. (Although some republicans believe there is a difference between a “republic” and a representative democracy and believe that a “republic” is the best form of government. The true enemies of democracy include fascists, corporatists, plutocrats, authoritarians, and autocrats.
Politics is a Numbers Game
Regardless of the labels we put on the “sides” in a campaign to make America a Perfect Democracy, it is important to remember the following points:
Our “winner-take-all” political system, with single member districts and plurality winners, focuses most of our attention on individual candidates in head-to-head competitions to win seats in legislatures or executive offices. Candidates routinely talk about issues of concern to voters in a manner that implies that, if they are elected, the legislation voters support will be enacted. And yet regardless of which candidates win, very little, if any, of the legislation supported by most Americans is ever enacted.
That is because politics in America is a numbers game. It takes 218 votes in the House and 51 votes in the Senate to enact legislation. With the filibuster in place in the Senate, 60 votes are necessary to pass legislation in most cases. If the president vetoes a bill, it takes 290 votes in the House and 67 in the Senate to override the veto. It also takes 290 votes in the House and 67 in the Senate to propose an amendment to the Constitution, which must then be ratified by a majority vote in three-fourths of the states (38 states). And there are enough members in both major parties who have been corrupted by the need to continually raise enormous amounts of money to keep any legislation opposed by corporate interests or tax-averse billionaires from being enacted.
Although politics is a numbers game, the game is won one seat at a time. To get pro-democracy reforms enacted, we need to elect Champions of Democracy to a majority of the seats in a super-majority of state legislatures and a super-majority of the seats in Congress.
Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a president and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
United We Win!
To exercise our power as the "ultimate rulers of our democracy" we must be united in support of the reforms that will make America a Perfect Democracy.
The fact that nearly all Americans believe in democracy does not mean that making America a Perfect Democracy will be easy. Throughout history, the false friends and true enemies of democracy have actively and relentlessly sought to undermine democracy by preventing people from developing a shared understanding of democracy or even agree upon a clear definition of democracy. They have, for the most part, been successful. We, the people, have been divided and we have been conquered.
When we unite in support of the reforms needed to make America a Perfect Democracy, we will find that we already have all the power we need to get those reforms enacted.
They have the money. We have the votes.
More and more of the money being raised and spent in our elections is “dark money” funneled through “Super PACs” that are legally prohibited from coordinating with candidates but routinely do so with impunity. Candidates know which Super PACs are spending money on their behalf and which megadonors are contributing the dark money. And those megadonors have considerable influence with most legislators.
The corporatists and plutocrats who currently control nearly all the levers of power in America will not give up without a fight. They will spend tons of money in support of the false friends and true enemies of democracy who hold office or are running for office and who faithfully serve their interests. But we have them outnumbered. Super-PACs may routinely outspend us, but if we unite in support of democracy, we can outvote them. When enough of us unite in support of Champions of Democracy and the democratic ideals upon which our nation was founded, our pro-democracy movement will be "too big to fail".
In politics, nothing is ever won and done.
Making America a Perfect Democracy is a matter of enacting reforms that shift power to the people. The corporatists and plutocrats who have made themselves the rulers of America will not cede power willingly. And when we succeed in getting the reforms that will make America a Perfect Democracy enacted, the efforts of the false friends and true enemies of democracy to subvert democracy will continue unabated. The prospect of democracy “breaking out” may “scare” the current rulers of America. But it won’t make them give up or give in. Ever. They will never stop trying to roll back the reforms we have enacted.
The prospect of making America a Perfect Democracy should excite and motivate us as much as it scares the current rulers of America.
When we, the people, unite in support of our ideals and the reforms needed to live up to those ideals, we will find that we already have all the power we need to get those reforms enacted. When we succeed –
We will do more than make America great again. We will make America greater than it has ever been. We will make history.
About This Website
This website is paid for and published by Perfect Democracy (a non-partisan political action committee) and is intended to serve as an organizational and informational hub for a broad-based and inclusive pro-democracy movement, helping Politically Active Citizens work together to alter the form of our government and make America a Perfect Democracy.
A different kind of political action committee.
The acronym PAC ordinarily stands for "Political Action Committee". Perfect Democracy is developing a different kind of PAC - "Politically Active Citizens". The primary focus of most PACs is raising money and then spending that money in support of candidates who will do the bidding of the corporations and billionaires who provide enormous amounts of mostly “dark” money. Our primary focus is on facilitating communication between Politically Active Citizens and coordinating the efforts of Politically Active Citizens as we work together to perfect democracy in America.
This website presents a detailed plan for shifting power to the people by implementing systems of Personal Representation that will allow citizens to vote (indirectly) by authorizing one member of each legislative body that governs them to cast votes on their behalf, by extending provisions for referendums and the initiative to the federal government and to the states that do not yet have provisions for those powerful forms of direct democracy, and by making it easier for citizens to call referendums and use the initiative in the states that do have provisions for them. Our Action Plan is complete but is open to modification based on input from Politically Active Citizens who choose to get involved in the movement to implement the plan and in response to events as they unfold.
Join the Pro-Democracy Movement
Communication is vital within a broad-based grassroots movement. We are compiling a data base of pro-democracy activists and voters. To join the Pro-Democracy Movement, please provide your email address. Your information will not be sold or shared. You will not receive emails soliciting financial contributions.
The material on this website is adapted from a soon to be published book: Government by the People: Perfecting Democracy in the 21st Century by Winston Apple.
Content is Copyright 2025 Gary Winston Apple, unless otherwise noted..
Permission is granted to share with proper attribution. All Rights are Reserved.
This website is paid for by Perfect Democracy - a 501(c)4 political action committee.