In a Democracy, both the Top and the Bottom, has a function.

In a democracy, every individual has a job to perform; those who occupy political positions as well as those who occupy the entire Bottom of government. Of course, those who occupy political positions at the Top come from the Bottom. Although the Top has a duty to govern, it must do so pursuant to democratic requirements set forth in the Constitution. These requirements are 'clarified', on a case by case basis, by the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, the Court is not always objective in its interpretations. Often, the courts follow Party ideology, which in most cases, is divisive. Of course, in an Autocracy, the Bottom doesn't have much of a say-so. Such is also the case with Plutocracy. In a government of the 1%, the 1% are the only ones with a say-so. Those are not governments; they are 'rule' by the Top. In democracy, the Bottom determines who occupies Office and who gets elected. Power in a democracy arises from the Bottom. The Top merely has a 'function' to perform. In order to keep a democracy viable, the Bottom must also become active. Whether, its 'active' in politics or active in just staying alert to the changes taking place in government. Unfortunately, that is not always easy to spot. For example, as we get ready for elections, instead of hearing about qualifications, proposed programs, and what they will establish, we hear about run-of-the-mill 'gossip'. Of course, the issues are both political and moral. Nevertheless, I would rather have a strong political leader, although, morally inept, than a strong moral leader, although politically inept. There are some 'big' issues out there; one is 'Global Warming', and another is 'weapons of mass destruction'. Either one could destroy the world as we know it. We cannot ignore the issue of Weapons of Mass Destruction, when we consider the level of 'intelligence' of some campaigners; we cannot ignore Global Warming when we consider the climatic changes, flooding, and destruction, that has recently being brought to our neighborhoods. We already begin to hear 'grumblings' that manifest the 'low-level' of political campaigns. Politics should be the art of 'statesmanship', not the art of advertising.