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I think the biggest threat to democracy is apathy. Whenever a government of the people for the people by the people is failing, I look at the people. What have we done or not done? You think a less than 40% voter turn out at the last presidential election encourages our leaders to look out for everyone?
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How many people who dont agree with the current government, are simply going to sit at home and not vote because they believe that "my vote doesnt matter".
People no longer feel that they can make a difference. They see people protesting on T.V. about various issues, and everyone ignores them, and the media shruggs them off as extremeists, or whatever. The point is that nothing seems to change, and that is very damaging to the moral of the voting public.
If people could genuinely see that their opinions mattered, or at least had the potential to matter, then they would be more interested. If once in a while the powers that be would listen to different points of view and actually make it look like the people are being listened to and taken seriously, then things might change.
The problem is twofold. it is the fault of "big government" for not listening and taking the people seriously, but it is just as much, if not more, the fault of the people for giving up hope rather than going out and raising hell about it the way they should.