AMERICANS HAVE BEEN GOVERNED WELL. First proposition for discussion: Americans have been successfully governed since World War II. This proposition is in direct contradiction to this posting which contends that “public deliberation takes us further away from the truth.” I claim that American voters do get it right. My evidence in support of the proposition consists of the large and difficult problems dealt with more or less successfully in the last sixty years. America has in dealt reasonably well with:
- Dismantling the official oppression of segregation.
- The Cold War.
- Maintaining (including not interfering with) an historically successful economy.
- Taking on environmental issues.
- Expanding free trade.
- Supporting an integrated and peaceful Europe.
These are very broad statements and there is a long way to go on most of these fronts. But consider the magnitude of these problems in 1945.