American voters are increasingly coming to understand that the ballot is an effective and relatively inexpensive but underused tool for overcoming legislative gridlock. While candidate elections still matter, direct democracy offers one of the most promising avenues for advancing the majority's interests.
BERKELEY – America’s representative democracy has become increasingly fragile at the federal level. With the US Supreme Court captured by a radical conservative majority, and with Congress constrained by deep political divisions, electoral gerrymandering, and arbitrary procedural rules, neither body represents the interests of the majority – especially on issues such as abortion rights, minimum wages, gun control, and voting.
BERKELEY – America’s representative democracy has become increasingly fragile at the federal level. With the US Supreme Court captured by a radical conservative majority, and with Congress constrained by deep political divisions, electoral gerrymandering, and arbitrary procedural rules, neither body represents the interests of the majority – especially on issues such as abortion rights, minimum wages, gun control, and voting.