More Democracy?

 In some ways How Democracies Die is not the book I was expecting.  I thought it was probably a book about special interest politics, centered around issues such as the environment and civil rights --  worthy topics, to be sure.  

However, the book is much deeper than that in terms of American politics.  It is carefully researched, with ample explanations of past Presidential nomination processes  Still early in the book, I will have to read much more before getting to solutions for correctrive action.  But what the book is saying is that the Presidential nominating process -- especially in the Republican Party -- has weakened the influence of the gatekeepers -- those who in the past prevented unworthy (read: inexperienced, aged, or off-the-wall). candidates from even being nominated.  Right away, this helps explain the appearance of someone like Donald Trump, a person with no governmental experience, and who "'[had] little to lose by stirring up mass hatreds or making absurd promises.'"  (p. 51)  

America is in a crisis of democracy, partly because of "more democracy," or at least the wrong kind of democracy.  We must remember that the Founding Fathers feared the mob as much as they feared a monarch.  That is why the democracy was to be a representative democracy -- a government of the people, but run by the cream of the crop of its citizens.

How ,then, to meet the crisis?  Later I will have the input of the rest of the book.  For now, we must be willing to study on an expedited basis (!), then act to ensure the US. does not fall into the status of a Banana Republic with strongmen (rarely women) man-handling the populace essentially for the benefit of himself and the wealthy.  How democracies Die is a most useful, even essential, resource for the battle of now.