Introduction
Democracy is a governance system that necessitates the need to put power over the people. According to this kind of leadership, a government is a social body retrieving its authority from the population and should always promote the will of the masses, especially the majority. However, practical administrative systems often get out of control, especially after falling under the control of influential individuals or cartels, making it hard for the people to exercise their oversight mandate. Accordingly, social and political developments over the years have led to the introduction of different ways through which the masses can regulate the government. Examples of such tactics include propositions, referendums, and recalls. Each of these political approaches has a unique history and works by giving the populace the chance to control the administration. However, propositions, referendums, and recalls often promote elitism and thus are not democratic.
Propositions, Referendums, and Recalls
Propositions form one of the most reliable political tactics utilized by Americans to regulate the actions of elected lawmakers. According to Altman (2018), propositions are characteristically desired pieces of statutes that a percentage of the state inhabitants wish to see validated. Consequently, they (propositions) are customarily a product of an initiative(s), a technique utilized by electorates to suggest new regulations or modify prevailing ones through the petition method (Altman, 2018). California Proposition 21 provides the true nature of propositions in the US. Initiated by the state’s residents, the proposal recommends the state government’s regulation of rent (Proposition 21: Rent control, 2020). The suggestion depends on factual aspects linking Californians’ homelessness plight to rental overprices. However, the proposition fails because most individuals with the right to vote in the state are house owners (Altman, 2018). Therefore, the schemes’ dependence on the few elite groups to pass makes them non-democratic.
A referendum allows voters, via the petition procedure, to refer the parliament’s actions to the opinion poll before they develop into laws. Referendum bills and referendum measures are the two types of plebiscite in the US (Altman, 2018). The latter (referendum measures) are acts freshly conceded by policymakers that are subjected to the ballot due to applications signed by voters. Referendum bills are recommended edicts referred to the electorates by legislators for endorsement or rebuff (Altman, 2018). Most referendums in America do not promote democracy but elite groups’ dominance. For example, California Proposition 25 is a defeated referendum that repeals Senate Bill 10 (SB 10) that aims to deliver criminal justice to minorities (Panetta & Seddiq, 2020). The defeat comes from the American Bail Coalition’s promotion of SB 10’s opposition primarily through the interventions of moneymaking bail bond agents (Panetta & Seddiq, 2020). Accordingly, the referendum on California Proposition 25 blocks democracy by granting the haves the power to oppress the have-nots.
Recalls are essential political devices utilized, typically in the US, at the local and state levels, where electorates can recall a communal official from the bureau before the end of the term. They (recalls) are founded on the code that civil servants are proxies of the common will and must be persistently subject to its regulation (Altman, 2018). Almost all the recalls in the US occur based on interested groups’ wishes, thus not reflecting the people’s will. For instance, Jonathon Berghorst’s recall in 2020 relied on 619 voters, while Broken Bow’s (Nebraska) population exceeded 3,500 people (Broken Bow, Nebraska, 2022). Comparing the two figures shows that the people involved in the mayor’s removal from power are below a quarter of the occupants in the area, proving that recalls are not democratic.
Conclusion
In conclusion, referendums recall, and propositions in the US are not democratic. The political initiatives primarily promote interest groups’ agendas, while the majority’s voice remains unheard. The problem results from multiple issues, including racism, poverty, and people’s lack of trust in the electoral process. Changing such concerns can improve the situation and reconvert the three tactics into democracy. As a nation with a mature democracy, America should serve as an example of an established leadership for other nations to emulate.
References
Altman, D. (2018). Citizenship and contemporary direct democracy. Cambridge University Press.
Broken Bow, Nebraska. (2022). Ballotpedia. Web.
Panetta, G., & Seddiq, O. (2020). Result: California votes to reject Proposition 25 and keep cash bail. Business Insider. Web.
Proposition 21: Rent control. (2020). CalMatters. Web.