ignorance is bliss

For the powers that be, our ignorance is their bliss.  It is easier to hoodwink American citizens if they have no idea what is going on, and if they don't know how to engage in democracy.  I'm not sure who the "powers that be" are, but I'm pretty certain that we can say that it is a group of politicians, corporate interests, and the media.

 
Consider a statement that Hillary Clinton made earlier on the campaign trail.  She essentially said that citizens should hold her accountable to promises that she is making during her campaign.  If they don't see her doing what she has promised, that they are to hold her accountable.

[The crowd cheers.]

Wait a second.  Does anyone actually know how to hold a president accountable for promises made on the campaign trail?  Does anyone actually know how executive accountability works in this country? For that matter, does anyone actually know how the national budget is created? How a bill is passed? How legislation is vetoed? Overturned?

Not really.

The average American citizen doesn't know much about how the government was created, how it functions, and how to engage in the democratic process.  For most people, this ignorance is cultivated early on.  Consider this: in the county that I live in, high school students only need 1/2 of a credit in American Government.  When I was in high school, I was only required to take one nine-week course in American government. (I was fourteen, and my only memory of that class was writing an essay on "The Missing Piece" by Shel Silverstein.) By my own volition, I took advanced classes in American History, Political Science, and American Government. I'm so glad that I did.

The only way to ensure a democracy as intended by the founding fathers is to make sure that people understand the procedures of the government.  When left to the discretion of the individual voter, most citizens will not learn the rights and responsibilities guaranteed by their citizenship.  The less we engage in our democracy, the less control we will have over the processes that dictate our lives.  We must start educating our children, and ourselves.  Knowledge is power, and we must not grow up in institutionalized ignorance.  To combat the brainwashing media, the lying politicians, and the powerful corporations, we must give ourselves and future generations the tools necessary to truly hold the government accountable.    

"People should not fear their government.  The government should fear its people." - V for Vendetta