Average Citizen has no influence (Study)

"...economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence." (Testing Theories of American Politics: Elities, Interest Groups and Average Citizens, Gilens and Page)

While Direct Democracy would not be able to balance the excessive influence of Elites and Lobbies - it would even allow them another avenue to garner support for their policies - it would definitely give the average citizen more say on all matters.

See also Jeremy Grantham's "The Ten Topics that really matter"

No need to believe in election manifestos!

No need to believe in Father Christmas either. If you want to know what you 'buy' with your vote you should support the introduction of Direct Democracy. Only with a referendum will the (qualified) majority make sure that its decision is translated into legislation. So horsetrading should not be a problem.

Davos: Destructive Elites ruling our Lives

Much attention is now focused on grass economic inequality. But while universal suffrage in the 'Western' democracies gives the impression of political equality this does not reflect reality. A narrow and interrelated caste of political, bureaucratic and business functionaries controls the levers of political and economic power under the fig leaf of democratic procedures. The only effective antidote is the introduction of Direct Democracy on all levels of government.
Davos's Destructive Elites (National Review)

10 outrageously pricey tax breaks 'gifted' by Congress (The Fiscal Times)
 Dysfunctional Parliaments in grip of Lobbies, Special Interests

Today's remote and insulated politicians are responsible for the new People's Revolt (Daily Telegraph)
The only way to bring them closer to citizens is Direct Democracy

Cancer of Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy is growing like a cancer in most 'democracies'. Not only is the number of bureaucrats rising inexorably, it is also their pay and the powers they can use without being properly held to account. Laws (if you want to call most of the edicts issued by the Establishment Nomenklatura as such) and 'regulations' become so complicated that proper supervision is near impossible. The attention span of Media, Opposition politicians and the general public is just too short to get their teeth into any problems while the taxpayer-funded bureaucracy is able to sit out any protest in their gilded office palaces while clipping a mostly guaranteed pay coupon.
The only solution that would at least ameliorate - if not solve - this problem is the introduction of Direct Democracy. This would make any law - new or old - including associated 'directives' and 'regulations' subject to scrutiny by all the citizens. In the same vein all salaries of public functionaries should be in the public domain, including the responsibilities of each individual bureaucrat. So any citizen could actually monitor what each official is supposed to be employed for. Just the fact that this information needs to be published would put a stop to the most egregious abuses.

Expensive Politicians

Given the dysfunctional state of democracy all politicans have too much discretion about how to spend (waste) taxpayer's money.
Meet the most expensive woman in Britain's history (Daily Telegraph)

How low can Democracy sink?

Digging up dirt on opposition becomes a business in the 'Land of the Free'.
New Players flood into Opposition Research (Wall Street Journal)

I would have been a better President

Says the defeated 2012 Republican Candidate Mitt Romney. That may or may not have been the case. But this statement demonstrates that to give individuals - may they be called President, Prime Minister of Chancellor - too much discretionary power and for too long a period is contrary to the principle of democracy. Democracy after all means 'Rule of the People' [The term originates from the Greek δημοκρατία (dēmokratía) "rule of the people"]

Turkey - three democratic deficits

1. Changing the Constitution should only be possible after stringent tests
2. Term limits have to be set
3. Power of a single individual must be constrained