Because our governmental system is based on representation; when we vote people into office, we are placing our trust in their judgment to follow our wishes and do what is best for our society as a whole.

The election cycle for president is unofficially 4 years. Perpetual campaigning.... can you imagine what would happen if we had to vote on EVERYTHING????

In Switzerland, they do. And some places like California have lots more Propositions on the ballot paper as well as representatives. So the answer is that you can - if your legislators choose to let you. Whether that actually produces better government, I do not know. Switzerland seems well governed - but then it is full of Swiss, which may have something to do with it.

Other countries do it that way, but things are just done differently here in the US. I personally think there is still too many religious people to have it done that way in the US.

This kind of vote exists in various countries. 1) "Switzerland In Switzerland, there are binding referendums at federal, cantonal and municipal level. They are a central feature of Swiss political life. It is not the government's choice whether or when a referendum is held, but it is a legal procedure regulated by the Swiss constitution. There are two types of referendums: - Facultative referendum: Any federal law, certain other federal resolutions, and international treaties that are either perpetual and irredeemable, joinings of an international organization, or that change Swiss law may be subject to a facultative referendum if at least 50,000 people or eight cantons have petitioned to do so within 100 days. In cantons and municipalities, the required number of people is smaller, and there may be additional causes for a facultative referendum, e.g., expenditures that exceed a certain amount of money. The facultative referendum is the most usual type of referendum, and it is mostly carried out by political parties or by interest groups. - Obligatory referendum: There must be a referendum on any amendments to the constitution and on any joining of a multinational community or organization for collective security. In many municipalities, expenditures that exceed a certain amount of money also are subject to the obligatory referendum. Constitutional amendments are either proposed by the parliament or the cantons, or they may be proposed by citizens' initiatives, which—on the federal level—need to collect 100,000 valid signatures within 18 months, and must not contradict international laws or treaties. Often, parliament elaborates a counter-proposal to an initiative, leading to a multiple-choice referendum. Very few such initiatives pass the vote, but more often, the parliamentary counter proposal is approved. The possibility of facultative referendums forces the parliament to search for a compromise between the major interest groups. In many cases, the mere threat of a facultative referendum or of an initiative is enough to make the parliament adjust a law. The referendums are said, by their adversaries, to slow politics down. On the other hand empirical scientists, e.g. Bruno S. Frey among many, show that this and other instruments of citizens' participation, direct democracy, contribute to stability and happiness. The votes on referendums are always held on a Sunday, typically three or four times a year, and in most cases, the votes concern several referendums at the same time, often at different political levels (federal, cantonal, municipal). Elections are as well often combined with referendums. The percentage of voters is around 40 to 50 percent unless there is an election. The decisions made in referendums tend to be conservative. Citizens' initiatives are usually not passed. The federal rule and referendums have been used in Switzerland since 1848." 2) "In the United States, the term "referendum" typically refers to a popular vote to overturn legislation already passed at the state or local levels (mainly in the western United States). By contrast, "initiatives" and "legislative referrals" consist of newly drafted legislation submitted directly to a popular vote as an alternative to adoption by a legislature. Collectively, referendums and initiatives in the United States are commonly referred to as ballot measures, initiatives, or propositions. There is no provision for the holding of referendums at the federal level in the United States; indeed, there is no national electorate of any kind. However, the constitutions of 24 states (principally in the West) and many local and city governments provide for referendums and citizen's initiatives. The most famous U.S. state initiatives are probably California's Proposition 13, and the Massachusetts equivalent from 1980, Proposition 2½, which severely limited income tax increases. They are especially popular in modifying state constitutions." 3) "Although some advocates of direct democracy would have the referendum become the dominant institution of government, in practice and in principle, in almost all cases, the referendum exists solely as a complement to the system of representative democracy, in which most major decisions are made by an elected legislature. An often cited exception is the Swiss canton of Glarus, in which meetings are held on the village lawn to decide on matters of public concern. In most jurisdictions that practice them, referendums are relatively rare occurrences and are restricted to important issues. Advocates of the referendum argue that certain decisions are best taken out of the hands of representatives and determined directly by the people. Some adopt a strict definition of democracy, saying elected parliaments are a necessary expedient to make governance possible in the large, modern nation-state, though direct democracy is nonetheless preferable and the referendum takes precedence over Parliamentary decisions. Other advocates insist that the principle of popular sovereignty demands that certain foundational questions, such as the adoption or amendment of a constitution, the secession of a state or the altering of national boundaries, be determined with the directly expressed consent of the people. Advocates of representative democracy say referendums are used by politicians to avoid making difficult or controversial decisions. Criticism of populist aspect: Critics of the referendum argue that voters in a referendum are more likely driven by transient whims than careful deliberation, or that they are not sufficiently informed to make decisions on complicated or technical issues. Voters might furthermore be swayed by strong personalities, or the adverse influence of propaganda or expensive advertising campaigns. James Madison argued that direct democracy is the "tyranny of the majority." Some opposition to the referendum has arisen from its use by dictators such as Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini who, it is argued, used the plebiscite to disguise oppressive policies in a veneer of populism. Hitler's use of the plebiscite is argued as reason why, since World War II, there has been no provision in Germany for the holding of referendums at the federal level." "Closed questions and the separability problem: Some critics of the referendum attack the use of closed questions. A difficulty which can plague a referendum of two issues or more is called the separability problem. If one issue is in fact, or in perception, related to another on the ballot, the imposed simultaneous voting of first preference on each issue can result in an outcome that is displeasing to most." Source and further information (all quotes): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Referendum

Because if you did that, we would have somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 nationwide elections per year. The cost -- oy. But here's the thing -- who would decide what we vote on and who would write the questions? Don't believe that direct democracy would get rid of the need for somebody to run it. Also, real policy involves choices. Do you want clean water? Sure. Do you want low taxes? Sure. Do you want good schools? Sure. Real government involves thinking of all of those things at the same time. You can't treat them as isolated questions -- each one has implications for the other ones. It's all about balancing competing things and deciding on tradeoffs. You can't do that with referenda on indvidual issues at the ballot box.

We do, they're called propositions, we see them on the ballot almost every year.

About 80% of the people haven't the first clue about politics, are inheritently racist and/or xenophobic and wouldn't know how to manage a budget if they were given 11p and told to buy penny sweets... so they'd do about as good a job as the politicians