More than two hundred years ago, thirteen young nations defeated a tyrant thousands of miles away. The prize for such a victory was self-government. For the first time in human history, a nation has handed over supreme executive power to the masses. Wielding this power has become a hallmark of being American. Even today it is considered one of the most patriotic acts one can undertake. The idea of ​​a nation run by popular vote is a comfortable enough idea, but in the case of the United States, a self-governing population threatens to destroy itself and perhaps the world through wasteful spending, unregulated pursuit of profits, and an obliterated military. budget. The United States of America, more than any other nation on earth, squanders its wealth on extremely unviable enterprises. One example is drug regulation. State and federal institutions spend billions of dollars each year to keep recreational drugs illegal. Such laws, however, have produced mixed results. Perhaps the worst effect of drug prohibition is the black trade of these substances. Much like alcohol prohibition in the 1920s, strict drug laws give criminals access to vast amounts of wealth and power through the sale of illegal substances. I firmly believe that a comprehensive drug legalization bill would greatly reduce the amount and severity of violent crimes committed in the United States. What prevents such a legalization bill? Right-wing fundamentalists who are sure that legalizing drugs would undermine the decency of morels and destroy the productive spirit dear to the Americas. What I find most ridiculous about this position is that there is already an extremely dangerous substance available to any American over the age of 21. Alcoh...... middle of paper ...... gers, the United States continues to spend billions of dollars on military activities. The dogmas of the stormy past will no longer be enough for the peaceful future. As the only nation to ever use nuclear weapons in anger, I believe the United States should be the first nation to reduce its nuclear weapons count to zero. These are just a few of the many problems with the federal government. My faith in the ability of the common man to elect politicians smart enough to address such problems is dead. Democracy may have worked in the days of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, but it won't be enough for today's problems. The United States should be run by intellectuals, not by the lawyer who can shake the most hands and put the most money into his campaign. Government policies should be decided based on their practicality rather than their popularity.