The Democratic Sin of Abdication

by A.J. Nino Amato

Democracy rarely disappears overnight. More often, it weakens gradually—through complacency, political fashion, and the quiet surrender of responsibility by those elected to represent the public.

That erosion is now visible not only in our nation’s capital; it is tragically unfolding much closer to home. In our city, 17 of the 20 City Council members have effectively abdicated their elected responsibilities to an increasingly autocratic, power-consolidating mayor. At the county level, we see similar behavior from the Dane County Board of Supervisors, where legislative authority is routinely deferred to the Board Chair and the Chair of the Health and Human Needs Committee.

Herein lies the uncomfortable similarity—and hypocrisy—among many of my fellow liberals and self-described progressives: an embrace of centralized power and political control at the expense of the very people they promised to serve.

This is not what representative government was designed to be.

City councils and county boards exist to serve as the legislative backbone of local democracy—the institutions closest to the people. When Wisconsin’s founders established municipal governance in 1848, they envisioned councils and boards that would reflect the distinct needs of neighborhoods and communities, not bodies that defer reflexively to executive authority, ideological conformity, or special interest pressure.

Elected legislators were meant to deliberate, dissent when necessary, and represent their constituents—not act as conduits for real estate developers, politically fashionable advocacy organizations, or well-funded DEI-focused lobbyists whose influence often exceeds their public accountability. Good intentions do not excuse the absence of rigorous debate, fiscal discipline, or transparency.

Equally troubling is the steady erosion of open government itself.

Not long ago, local issues were debated publicly and frequently in council chambers and committee rooms where residents could attend, testify, and observe democracy in action. Today, meaningful deliberation increasingly occurs through infrequent hybrid meetings, private briefings, walking quorums, and closed-door discussions involving unelected technocrats and lobbyists—while the public is left outside the room.

This is governance by insulation, not participation.

Younger voters rightly demand transparency, environmental responsibility, and inclusion. Older voters understand the foundational importance of open meetings, legislative independence, and checks on executive power. These values are not at odds; they are mutually reinforcing pillars of a healthy democracy.

No mayor, board chair, or committee chair—regardless of ideology or popularity—should govern without robust legislative oversight. And no council member or county supervisor should surrender their duty to ask hard questions, engage in public debate, and put constituents ahead of political convenience.

Now more than ever, residents must insist that both City Council members and Dane County Supervisors fulfill the responsibilities they swore to uphold: to legislate independently, deliberate openly, and govern with humility and accountability.

The most effective way to restore that accountability remains the most democratic one.

The ballot box.

The 2026 spring elections offer an opportunity not for cynicism, but for renewal—an opportunity to reaffirm that local government exists to serve residents, not special interests, political trends, or centralized power.

Democracy survives only when those entrusted with it choose not to abdicate.