it's never been a democracy, it's a constitutional federal republic...just cause people call it something doesn't make it so....the biggest thing that makes us not a democracy is the electoral college....which was and always will be a way for those in power to subvert the will of the people. that's the very first thing that has to go. there should be a government run fund for campaigns. all candidates get the same amount of money to use for their campaigns, not one penny more, they're all guaranteed the same amount of press coverage, it's up to them what they do with it. no private contributions, period. no privately paid ads, period. no mudslinging, no negative ads about opponents. talk about yourself, tell us what you plan to do if elected....if you can't convince people from your own state to support you, you suck at politics, get out and find another career