This essay is taken from the University of Wyoming’s student newspaper, The Branding Iron. Its author, Charles Vaughters, does not reside in WY. He is involved in finance and resides in a county on the edge of Richmond, VA. He starts with a statement from the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Conduct:
“Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy.”
He’s cynical about the United States voters whom he labels as selfish.
Conversely, if a candidate states that they’re going to burn down a national forest but gives people $10,000 each for doing so, the vote may be pretty split.
He ends the essay with a call for advancing democracy:
Democracy has done fantastic things for the United States and the world at large, and it’s done some horrible things. But it shouldn’t be worshiped like it is currently. By fostering a more open dialogue, we can better understand what serves the people most effectively and consider how democratic ideals might evolve, or devolve, to address future challenges for humanity.