The one and only Ian Angus

Immediately, Ian Angus presents his views on American politics and democracy by stating, "I will suggest that this isn't a democracy at all, at least not its most important part". He then goes on to say that in order to function properly as a democratic nation, the government must act out two key ideals. The first being that all citizens of the United States should have open and equal access to information that is harmonious with the truth. Along with this thought, Angus believes that the people should be given the ability to decide what is important and debate and question the law-making or policies of the government. Eventually he comes to the point that many of our minds are influenced by media and biased opinions which, in turn, creates an electorate that forms its' opinions on other persons' opinions, therefore lowering their own standards. How are we expected to know what is going and what needs changed, if we're influenced by the mass media. Angus realizes that in order to form our own opinions and to keep the general publics' best interest in mind, debate is a necessity. Consequently, public space becomes an issue. Public spaces are desired so that the electorate may have somewhere in which to meet and have discussions, or debates, on particular areas of interest. If the general public had a meeting place to discuss what they feel is important, this would take away the advantage that many government officials have today; the media has become the most outstanding way to relay their messages, and to form questions about certain issues. Throwing out questions to the audience about concerns of the nation stops individual thinking, and makes the audience attentive to the problems and concerns of whomever may be relaying their messages at the moment. Angus believes that those who are going to vote should begin to form their own questions, in which the government would have to answer, instead of the other way around. Isn't this how democracy was intended to work? Democracy is supposed to provide an equal voice for all of its' citizens, whether it be in consensus or in debate, which in turn creates a "civic identity" for the whole, not just the government officials and media persons.