To clarify any comparisons, we in the U.S. do not live in a democracy. We live in a democratic republic. This does not guarantee protection of the weak, but it gives us means of ameriorating simple majority rule. (As does the civil service. Bureaucracy can be a very good thing.)
It is still democratic. And any democracy has room for improvements. And what some people actually think is very democratic: referendum after referendum after referendum - for each and everything. It won't work. The results of referendum are erratic. To a point it can be damaging beyond repair. Take the Brexit.
Extremist and populistic parties like referendum when they are not in responsibility or they are sure they can manipulate the people and /or the result. Brexit is an example. It didn't fit at all in what UK really needed for continuity. It now blocks the government, completely. Usually what extremist parties need to grow. For the moment how the Brexit (doesn't) work it is bad for UKIP. But what if the May government really fails with the soft Brexit, the hard Brexit will come and it will damage British economy beyond believe. Then the time for UKIP and other extremists is coming.
Or referendum in Hungary. The government made the question in their favour. They still lost the poll, but then they found a lot of arguements why they won and still do the changes to the constitution damaging fundamentals of the Hungarian courts.
Ah right in spring 2015 he did an inofficial referendum. He was sending out 8 Millon questionaires to Hungarian citizen with suggestive question and if you agree make your cross. He used this result as argument for things he wanted to change.
Why does Germany have no referendum on federal level after WW II anymore? It is as simple as that that the extremists after WW I blocked the parliament the executive with these kind of referendum throwing them into discrepancy of what is actually needed. This referedum was one of the reasons Adolf Hitler had success.
Democracy by the grass root is not always good.
I think there are already other ideas out there to strengthen democracy. Or to get more indepent from elections.
One of it to get rid of representatives that want to be re-elected and that loose themselves in dependencies to parties or similar situations.
The suggested solution is that a number of people are drawn by random and not elected. Then they have to orgenize themselves in parliament or executive. This prevents extremistic parties from meddling with elections invluencing voters. etc. ...
I heared somewher in Ireland this procedure is or was tested. Can't exactly remember when and where I read it.
Very good example. Boris Johnson on of the desaster architects / captains of the BREXIT referendum. During the election campaign he was lying and telling the british people that the UK can safe weekly 350 Mio. Euro for the NHS, when having a Brexit. After the poll was successful with the BREXIT as result, a lot of pro BREXIT campaign staff admited these 350 Mio Euro number was a balantant lie.
Now that he sees a chance to replace British Prime Minister May he is back to his lie. It was once successful, he tries it again. He manipulates people to believe in admited alternative facts / FAKE news / LIES. And he uses the same trivia language like Trump now to describe the UK future ... Well if it is true like some people said and Boris Johnson is an alcoholic, then we know where this all comes from.
The british fell for a liar / liars once in a referendum and they would again.