Democracy, it has been said, is the worst possible political system except all the others that have been tried. But is the problem just that we just need to try a little harder to find a better alternative? That's the crux of the discussion in this latest episode of "At the Bar," sponsored by Live Oak Bank (http://www.liveoakbank.com) in which John Iadarola of TYTUniversity assumes bartending responsibilities and poses this question to "patrons" Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks and Sam Schacher of Pop Trigger. Among the different possibilities they discuss, along with the pros and cons of each, are: - Direct democracy, where instead of electing representatives, eligible citizens would all vote on every issue of governance. - A government run by artificial intelligence, with super-smart computers programmed to take into account the best interests of the populace. - Random representation, where instead of electing representatives, members of the legislature would be drawn at random from the entire citizenry. Along the way the trio also discuss the serious flaws currently eroding our democracy, why so few Americans are actively engaged with the political process and whether "the people" over the long haul will generally make the right decisions. Watch the video and join the conversation below. What do YOU think the best possible form of government would be? Can the American experiment in a democratic republic be saved? Do we even know what we really want from our government and if not, how could we ever know when we get it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section! About Live Oak Bank: Live Oak Bank (http://www.liveoakbank.com) was founded in 2008 with one goal: provide business loans to independent businesspeople in niche industries. Today, Live Oak is one of the largest originators of small business loans with one of the strongest loan portfolios in the country. We have extensive experience lending to selected niche small businesses as a preferred Small Business Association (SBA) lender. Having such a keen industry focus and industry experts on board, enables the bank to offer an exceptional level of service to each customer. Add the finest wines & provisions to your collection at http://www.reddcollection.com. Or go to http://www.reddcollection.com/sku3362.html and use the coupon code YOUNGTURKS to get 20% off the retail price of a delightful 2012 Monte Oton Grenache.

• published: 12 Jun 2014
• views: 52207