“We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth.” (Abraham Lincoln)

Our Proposal:

• Take bold steps to reinvigorate and permanently strength our democracy

The Goal:

• Make America the shining example of a successful democracy
• Through the power of our example, turn the tide back in favor of democracy worldwide

Explanation:

Throughout human history, the many have been ruled by the few, the “few” being small but powerful groups of people typically headed by kings, emperors, dictators, warlords, military or religious tyrants, and the like. In many parts of the world this is still the case, such as in North Korea or Syria. Democracy is an on-going, radical, and still relatively new experiment that—in theory anyway—empowers the many, and does away with control by the elite few. “One person, one vote, majority rules” means that the poorest of the poor has—again, in theory—as much say in the country’s direction as the wealthiest tycoon or most powerful military general. Democracy (even less-than-perfectly implemented) and scientific advancement are two fundamental pillars that have allowed humankind to make astounding progress during the last two centuries. This in turn has made it possible for the world to achieve much wider prosperity, better health (as evidenced by much longer life spans), and much higher average levels of education, compared to what existed during the vast majority of human history.

Part 1: Democracy under Assault

With the extraordinary success of democracy in the United States, Europe, Japan, and elsewhere, which arguably reached its peak in the years immediately following the early 1990s, there was widespread belief that it was just a matter of time before it would prevail worldwide. Along with the Soviet Union, the dismal experiment of communism had collapsed except for a few holdouts such as China, Cuba, and Vietnam. The European Union expanded to include former Warsaw Pact countries. Military dictatorships were being challenged and in some cases toppled. The Arab Spring appeared to signal that the days were numbered for royal families, despots, and religious tyrants in that part of the world. The non-democratic countries seemed to be ever fewer, more isolated, increasingly weaker, and destined to end up in history’s graveyard. Democracy’s triumph looked inevitable, since the democracies of the world were much more prosperous, powerful, and free.

Astoundingly, in the last few years the tide has turned. Authoritarian regimes, corruption-spurred disillusionment, and other factors have put democracy on the defensive in many countries. Like a sickly lion that is easy prey for jackals, around the world the weakening democracies have increasingly become vulnerable to attack by foes from both without and within. These foes are attacking it through a variety of means, such as by supporting aspiring autocrats, spurring ultra-nationalist and xenophobic movements, sowing mistrust of local news sources, implementing disinformation campaigns, fomenting and exacerbating internal divisions, and otherwise meddling in (attempting to sabotage) elections.

Why does democracy have enemies? One reason is that is that democracy is a competition of ideas, and some people do not like to compete—especially when their side is consistently not supported by a majority. For these people, having a form of government that eliminates this competition and hardwires into place the their favored policies and politicians is not only appealing, they are determined (perhaps even unconsciously in many cases) to realize it—as has happened in Iran, Venezuela and elsewhere. 

Another reason is that some small-but-influential groups and powerful people are uncomfortable with democracy since the majority has the ability to decisively choose the how their government should function, so they find ways to circumvent the democratic process. In America, we see this playing out by the fact that wealthy individuals and special interests wield outsized influence over our elected officials. They pull this off through tried-and-true methods such as dangling coveted endorsements, funding reelection campaigns, or threatening to back another candidate if their politician-in-a-pocket does not toe the line. Controlling elected officials in this manner weakens our democracy, impedes progress, and ultimately contributes to declining prosperity for the country as a whole, in exchange for the benefit of a relative few.

A simple breakdown of the foreign enemies of democracy could include:

1. Autocrats (Russia, Venezuela), tyrants (North Korea, Syria), and communists (China, Cuba): countries whose rulers believe they have special, exclusive, and non-revokable rights to ruthlessly control the lives of their citizens, and who use all the military and technological means at their disposal to do so (and greatly enrich themselves in the process).
2. Theocracies (Iran, Taliban-led Afghanistan): countries ruled by priests and/or zealots who use their own interpretations of religious text and their so-called moral authority to justify their claim to absolute power—when in fact these “pious” leaders are just as corrupt, greedy, and vicious as any other despot, religious or otherwise.

These people have everything to lose if democracy succeeds, and thus they are determined to eliminate the threat in their own countries and around the world.

While the foreign enemies of democracy have always been a serious challenge, alarmingly the greatest threat to American democracy is not, nor has it ever been, from outside powers—domestic foes are its most lethal adversary. A list of these could probably include, but not be necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Power-addicted politicians: elected officials who use the sacred power of public office to unfairly boost their own reelection chances, and otherwise keep their party in power. Shenanigans such as outright lying, gerrymandering to rig elections, and implementing restrictive voting laws are examples of the means they employ to achieve this; fostering a robust democracy not only has zero priority for them, they endeavor to keep themselves and their party in power whatever it takes.
2. Unprincipled political commentators: media personalities whose business is to get people hooked on divisive, rage-inducing nonsense, and who accomplish this by emotion manipulation and propaganda disguised as political commentary. As the health of our democracy means little to them, they fan the flames of tribal division for financial profit.
3. The disillusioned: “What has democracy done for me?” Those members of society who believe our democracy is hopelessly corrupt and has left them on the outside looking in, with no good options to build a better future for themselves. Such individuals are more apt to find appeal in divisive authoritarian-wannabes who vow to “kick the bums out” and return the country to a fictitiously glorified past, or who falsely promise a better future by overturning the crooked, self-serving establishment. (It should be noted that once in power, without exception the "authoritarian-wannabes" exclusive focus is their own self-interest; they end up putting into place a system that is far worse than the one they replaced).
4. One-issuers: individuals for whom one or two issues matter even more than democracy itself. Such individuals would prefer live under an authoritarian regime that sides with them on their pet issue, rather than in a democratic society that does not.
5. Racists: Those who believe that racially, culturally and/or morally inferior people are taking over, and who are set on reversing that trend at all costs—the eventual goal being to create a nation with their clan in complete control and the undesirables banished, permanently subjugated, or (better yet) eliminated. 

Aside from the five examples above, is important to recognize that America has always had people who—consciously or not—have never been in favor of true democracy. “Of course I believe in democracy, as long as our side wins” is not a new attitude. Throughout our history, there have been efforts by politicians, political parties, and others to disenfranchise certain people and viciously subject them to majority oppression.

Part 2: Why Save Democracy?

It is worthwhile to contemplate: in lieu of democracy, what future do the alternatives, in particular authoritarians/autocrats, offer? The Solution Party believes the answer is simple: they offer a return to an even more brutal version of what has existed throughout human history. Namely, a two-tiered society composed of a small minority of ruling elites, and a subjugated majority. An arrangement by which the ruling party is ever more powerful, ruthless, corrupt, and unaccountable. Where weaker allies can be eliminated at will, along with perceived enemies, in order to further consolidate power. A future in which advancing technology is misused to exclusively benefit the ruling elite and ensure a permanent stranglehold on power—exactly what we see happening right now in China, for example. Exactly what we see in North Korea. And if current trends continue, exactly what we will see in more and more countries. 

Those who consciously or not favor an authoritarian form of government do so because they believe they will be members of the party in power. They believe their allegiance to the party leader will ensure a bright future for themselves and their like-minded friends, and will give them the opportunity to punish and eradicate their hated enemies. 

However, history has shown that the more power despots have, the more paranoid and vicious they become. Anybody perceived as being a threat, or not sufficiently loyal (obsequious), can be brutally gotten rid of—including close allies and supporters who otherwise have fallen out of favor. So even for members of the authoritarian party, living in constant fear of crossing the leader (sound familiar?) or being targeted for voicing an unapproved opinion is hardly the life any American should wish to have. “The autocrat’s cowardly toady” is a label no one should aspire to possess.

Putting our fate, and our faith in the future, into the hands of the many through democracy is our best hope for realizing the free and prosperous country that we all long for. Democracy is not easy, because it is a constant struggle over ideas, visions for the future, government policy, and the like. But a survey of human history should make it evident that fair and healthy competition, be it in the marketplace or the political arena, is clearly the best method for achieving progress and the best outcome over the long term, especially when compared to an unassailable monopoly.  

Perhaps Winston Churchill’s famous quote sums up best why democracy should be saved: “Democracy is the worst form of government…except for all others.”

Part 3: Turning the Tide Back in Favor of Democracy

Democracy will prevail here and around the world when it is widely recognized as being the best form of government for realizing prosperity for all, while ensuring its citizens a free, equitable, and corruption-free society. America can continue to lead the global struggle against anti-democratic forces only if we are an example of a successful, prosperous, and powerful nation built on a robust, ever more perfect democracy. 

The Solution Party proposes a brief set of goals to aim for in our effort to build a reinvigorated democracy in America. Specifically, we propose the following benchmarks for success:

1. Elected officials who are focussed on solving problems and moving the country forward, instead of giving priority to their own reelection and partisan interests
2. An economy that is dynamic, rich with opportunity, and that creates prosperity for all citizens in every part of the country, with a creative, educated, and highly adaptable workforce and unlimited clean energy as its foundation.
3. Social ills such as drug abuse, human trafficking, and gun violence the lowest in the world, and ever diminishing.
4. News organizations and commentators that are principled and trusted sources of information
5. A government that is appropriately sized, ever more efficient, and free of corruption
6. A judiciary that is trusted as being fair and impartial 
7. Voters who are well informed, and who consistently turn out in high numbers 
8. Citizens who are healthy and enjoy the world’s best quality of life

To achieve these goals, bold action is needed immediately, and we have proposed the following:

1. Eliminate reelection to make power-addicted, reelection-obsessed career politicians a thing of the past—let’s make one term the term limit
2. Build an economy based on unlimited clean energy and a creative workforce, and use this limitless energy and human ingenuity to take on transformative projects that will create prosperity across the nation
3. Eliminate the illegal drug business by destroying the economics; focus the resources presently used on the dismal and failed war on drugs to instead end human trafficking
4. Recommit our country to the notion of principle, and certify journalists and news organizations accordingly
5. Put limits on government employment and make government more efficient by going after waste and corruption
6. Strive for judicial diversity and put term limits on judicial appointments
7. Reforming our elections and ending the culture wars
8. Ideas to help Americans live healthier

Other ideas besides those listed above will be forthcoming. 

Part 4: What’s at Stake

If this great experiment in democracy fails now, it will probably never recover. Technologies such as face and voice recognition, location tracking, and communications monitoring, combined with increasingly powerful computers, algorithms, and artificial intelligence, mean the non-democratic forces will have more and more sophisticated methods at their disposal to squelch opposition and ensure a permanent, and ever more consolidated, grip on power.

Fundamental to winning this struggle for the future is recognizing that democracy can only survive if the mindless politics of division and intolerance are rejected. We must adhere to higher standards of behavior than the emotional and irrational savage tribalism that has existed for the vast part of human history. We must reject those who use manipulative lies to divide us. Civility and an open and honest discussion of ideas must be the foundation of how we operate. Failure to do so plays right into the hands of America’s enemies, who want nothing more than to see our democracy die, and to see our country die, as we tear ourselves apart.    

Those within our own borders who seek to divide us in their selfish pursuit of power offer no positive future. The politics of division is a never-ending battle to nowhere. This is because these forces of intolerance are not monolithic; though their internal differences may be overlooked amongst themselves while they are allied to pursue common goals and vanquish common enemies, eventually these differences will become open wounds that give rise to new, viciously competing sub-tribes that turn on each other—just as the communists did and Islamic terrorists continue to do. In the politics of division and intolerance, today’s ally becomes tomorrow’s mortal “fight-to-the-death” enemy.

As a society, and as a species, our future is either to live and prosper together through openness and democracy, or condemn ourselves to an ever worsening and endless downward spiral of division, conflict, and despotic elitism. We will either be like chimpanzees on a plane that maul each other to death and cause the plane to crash in the process, or we’ll learn to solve our challenges together, and soar ever higher. 

Let’s make the right choice, and get to work. 

The strong, healthy lion is the jackals' worst nightmare.