The Rise of Public Opinion

I'm glad to see the importance of public opinion has returned to mainstream media and the American government. I thought the majority party governed at its will despite polling. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we have a Constitutional republic not a parliamentarian democracy.

I almost long for the days when the executive administration via national elections had the final say when it came to public opinion. Like when George Bush in 2005 responding to a question about why nobody in his administration had been held accountable for the lies that led to the Iraq War: "We had an accountability moment, and that’s called the 2004 elections."

Or when Dick Cheney blatantly told ABC News that public opinion did not matter when the president deems the policy necessary.

I sure miss those days. I guess things really have changed.

[Editor's note: Now remember, we are not to bring any of the past up because if we do, we only demonstrate our feckless ability to move on. We're just supposed to forget any of it ever happened and start now with recording history for future events and track records. Wheeee!]