Direct Democracy and Representative Government

[John Dibble]

Pretty much a correct quote, though direct democracy could accomplish a little bit(though a lot of bad, too). People can't take the time and effort to vote on every issue, plus you get the tyranny of the majority. Still also I'd like you to imagine having a Florida recount for everything everyone votes on.

[John Dibble]

"You don't ask lawyers to try to fix your plumbing.  Don't ask plumbers to try to write your laws."
  --angus

Don't ask lawyers to write your laws either.

[John Dibble]

People are not intelligent enough to govern themselves - it is as simple as that.

They're generally not intelligent, or at least informed, enough to vote on every aspect of goverment. They are however intelligent enough to run the aspects of their own day to day lives. I'm hoping this is what you meant by this.

[John Dibble]

Direct democracy is the only way the Libertarian Party can get anything done. They should put initiatives on the ballot to legalize drugs, prostitution, etc., repeal as many taxes as possible, implement a flat payroll tax, etc.

LOL.

[John Dibble]

Direct democracy is the only way the Libertarian Party can get anything done. They should put initiatives on the ballot to legalize drugs, prostitution, etc., repeal as many taxes as possible, implement a flat payroll tax, etc.

LOL.

A Libertarian initiative in Massachusetts won 45% of the vote. If it had passed, it would have repealed all Massachusetts state taxes on personal income: wages, passive income (interest and dividends) and capital gains.

I don't doubt it. Still, direct democracy is dangerous if you get too much of it. Imagine if anti-gun people were the majority and they wanted to ban guns - direct democracy would make it possible.

[John Dibble]

Which is why there need to be restrictions. For example, the Bill of Rights should not be amendable by initiative. I also support amending the states' constitutions to require two-thirds majorities to amend each respective Bill of Rights, ratified by no less than 60% of the voters.

Also, no government spending initiative should be allowed (see California for direct democracy gone terribly wrong).

Indeed. I'm not totally against it in all cases, but the question was mainly about which was a better system for a large scale government in my view.