American Self-Government Is Miserable, and Correct

Everybody today is miserable about politics, or so it seems. Our system is broken, it’s sick, it’s dysfunctional, etc. I certainly agree that our government has its share of problems (and then some!). But being the contrarian that I am, I think our misery is actually a sign that it is still doing at least a few things right.

Think about the Brexit vote a few years ago. This was an enormous popular plebiscite in the United Kingdom on whether the nation should break away from the European Union. The “Leave” vote eked out a narrow majority that was highly divided along geographical, socioeconomic, and age lines. Since then, the process of leaving the EU . . . has not gone so well, as we all know.

About the Author

Jay Cost

Jay Cost is a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the Center for Faith and Freedom at Grove City College.

Everybody today is miserable about politics, or so it seems. Our system is broken, it’s sick, it’s dysfunctional, etc. I certainly agree that our government has its share of problems (and then some!). But being the contrarian that I am, I think our misery is actually a sign that it is still doing at least a few things right.

Think about the Brexit vote a few years ago. This was an enormous popular plebiscite in the United Kingdom on whether the nation should break away from the European Union. The “Leave” vote eked out a narrow majority that was highly divided along geographical, socioeconomic, and age lines. Since then, the process of leaving the EU . . . has not gone so well, as we all know.