Democracy for Granted

Watching a bit of news this morning, with the Queen opening the official and new parliament at Hollyrood, a commentator quipped about people taking democracy for granted. It really struck a chord with me, and I thought about it for a bit, and, I think many people do. The rhetoric that surrounds debates, policies, polls and the like is in surplus, and it is just that, rhetoric. I just wonder what a luxury it would be in The Republic of Congo or Sudan or in Guatalmala or in Palestine if all they had to worry about is how bad is Kerry or Bush going to spin the other guys rhetoric. Of course, inversely, the reason we do wonder so much about the debates and the presidential election is because of what the leader of the most power nation in the world will do to help or guide these nations where political and economic instability are resulting in the deaths of millions. Americans take democracy for granted in a pragmatic way. They are willing to take polls and ultimately vote for very narrow minded and practical means: one's own self--security (financial and personal), religious/moral values, etc. It is quite selfish, and, in my opinion, the antithesis of how democracy should be instituted. Democracy means people choose. It is just such a shame that most people are so uneducated they cannot begin to comprehend the ills of what a poor choice (say, in a presidential vote) could mean to United States and to the world. Yes, Americans take democracy for granted. We desperately want that ever important right to vote ~ We just do it so recklessly that we may as well not have the right to.