Sean Braisted, after listening to a presentation given by Congressman Jim Cooper, notes the correlation between our system of government and our economic problems:

Perhaps this is a problem inherent within a democratic republic. Politicians are making decisions based on the 'feelings' of their constituents rather than hard-headed statistical data. As an example, China wouldn't dare think about mothballing a multi-billion dollar project like Yucca Mountain because a few local residents had irrational fears...yet in our system of government if enough people have irrational fears, they are then justified by political leaders who put re-election above the good of our nation as a whole.