[albanread]

If anyone was serious about democracy they would give tax payers the option to select the services they are willing to pay towards. Tick the box to pay towards a new Aircraft Carrier, a new Hospital, Vaccines, Making viruses more deadly etc.

[chii]

Direct democracy is a bit hard to manage - because people are generally too dumb and can't see the forest for the trees.

That aircraft carrier might be the big weight in a trade negotiation or prevention of a regional conflict which could escalate.

Representative democracy should work better, because you (the voter) judge based on the outcome, and vote, rather than try to understand every possible policy (which is going to overwhelm any individual anyway).