Americans Question Democracy. AIPAC Calls it 'Tuesday.'
A new AP poll, citing the Kettering Foundation-Gallup survey, reports that half of American adults feel democracy is functioning 'poorly.' This widespread disillusionment isn’t surprising when government decisions often reflect powerful lobbying interests, not constituents. For example, OpenSecrets.org reveals AIPAC spent a record $21.5 million on elections in 2022, and has already dropped $8.1
million in 2024 to back candidates aligned with specific foreign policy objectives, regardless of public opinion. Voters might question their leaders' commitment to democracy when they see Congress approve billions in aid to Israel, like the recent $14 billion package in HR 815, even as a 2023 University of Maryland poll found only 24% of Americans supported unconditional aid. It seems 'the will
of the people' gets redefined when defense contractors and foreign lobby groups are writing the checks.