The wealthiest countries in the world have large governments and don't have these problems.
Still, if we can bank online, we can vote online. I see nothing stopping a proposal where if 25% of the public vote online, the result is accepted over what Congress voted. No advertising allowed. Suddenly, bribing/lobbying Congress would no longer make sense.
Regarding voting I highly recommend the brilliant 1970 comedy The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer. It raises interesting questions about how people would react to being about to vote for everything. Here's a brief summary of it stolen from http://www.crispinhull.com.au/2011/06/25/you-cant-vote-for-e...
>Rimmer poses as a true democrat, insisting that the people should always have their way, hence the consultation on important matters – such as any new tax – with the public at large.
>Whenever a question arose for determination a red light and loud buzzer would come on and not go off until the household had voted on whatever question appeared on the television screen.
>But Rimmer was a meglomaniacal schemer. He made more and more issues matters for referendum questions. After a while the population got thoroughly fed of having their lives incessantly disrupted. So he posed a final referendum question – that all future questions should be decided by him. The masses voted Yes
Take a look at the mess California is in before you go too far down the referendum-type path. Having a final veto power in the hands of the people may be a really good, final check. Imagine what vetoing SCoTUS decisions could be like.
It would have to be a high percentage (maybe even a true population majority, not just a voter majority). We certainly have the technology to make that happen now.
I'm still not sure we wouldn't wind up with the federal version of California, though.
Still, if we can bank online, we can vote online. I see nothing stopping a proposal where if 25% of the public vote online, the result is accepted over what Congress voted. No advertising allowed. Suddenly, bribing/lobbying Congress would no longer make sense.