It's been downhill since the 1980s. Removal of Fairness Doctrine, trading utilities in Enron, Bailing out banks. Nail in the coffin was Citizens (businesses) United.
A few years ago, my parents made a low four-figure donation to the campaign of a Democrat challenger for a US Congressional seat. He won and called them afterwards. They were proud. I asked, "Ok, so for a few grand, you got a call. What do you think he does for the people who gave him half a mil?"
As long as you sit on your couch complaining on the internet, you will be ruled by kings. Go to protests. Join resistance groups. Boycott. Help people register to vote. Protect vulnerable people from ICE. Stand up for your rights in the real world.
And actually vote in every primary and general election. Too many damn activists I know sit out elections because the candidates aren't "good enough" or their preferred choice didn't win the primary.
As long as we rely on representatives. Direct democracy is the only way to go. Important offices are given to people randomly drawn (depending on the office from a list of qualified applicants).
That was how democracy actually worked when it was invented. Representation was the little tweak to allow for corruption and twisting the will of the electorate.
Actually you'll be ruled by "CEOs" which is worse in my opinion. A king might actually be ruling over a group of people they like, a corp exec only knows "optimize the system."
100% agree! I've been saying for years that we need to establish a government fund for people to run for office. No donations, no paying any of your own money!
As a not-American, I really think allowing ranked voting, more parties, and spending/advertising limits would really make a huge difference. That, and accountability. In a parliamentary system everyone has to be elected in a district and then chosen to lead internally. No system is perfect - but holy shit the Electoral College needs to go.
Keep in mind it’s been a gradual process over the past 50-75 years. Like a frog slowly being boiled, incremental changes are hard to notice if they’re done over generations
Same as voting by color (red/blue) or party. Our founding fathers knew when they built the country that parties (then called factions) were not good for america and specifically had their inclusion left out of the constitution.
No, America was not built with political parties, and the Founders generally feared they would divide the nation. The U.S. Constitution (1787) does not mention parties, which arose shortly after as opposing factions (Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans)
american was built as a 2 party system where 1 person becomes president. They just didn't establish government provided parties. You don't make a winner takes all system and not expect division into parties. You can't even make a representative system and not expect division into parties, tho in that cause there's an offer of more than parties to divide up the base. You show my the founding fathers saying their system wouldn't have parties arise and I'll call them morons.
They never said parties would not arise, They DID whoever say they were antithetical to the ideals of a proper democracy and would instill infighting and problems. They knew parties would form and hated the idea of it because they understood better. They considered it a "necessary evil" that could not be avoided.
But it does. CU & corruption would still be a problem but it gets WAY harder to reach total control w/ each added group that has to be bought out & overwhelmed.
W/ ranked choice (or similar) CU would take a FAR distant backseat to the general misinfo/media capture issue but that too is much harder to pull off/sustain if folks have real choices.
Biggest thing is that the US system is designed from the ground up to function w/o parties & MANY parties is far closer in function to 0 than 2.
This really is the core of so many issues and the simplest change that could make the biggest difference in US politics.
Start at the community level in EVERY COMMUNITY. Show everyone how it works and that there is really no downside. Even with rampant corruption and all the other issues it makes it so much harder for the scum to stay on top.
you are not wrong in what you say but i think you might have missed the point wit rank voting. evne if you removed gery mandering and mader the presidential election based solely on votes. you still only have choices and nothing more progressive will ever enter as any vote outside those 2 main ones will be "useless"
Rank voting gives you the abilty to say "hey i really want that Cat team, but if they dont win i would like the donkey instead) and you votes will not have list power
We discussing Australia? Where is your first choice doesn't win, 2nd choice gets your core, but your vote for first choice isn't garbo, they get more funding next year, so breaks 2 party systems down
This will open up for new teams in the political 2 party system making it into hopefully a many party system so we can get some better representation. maybe we could et one that both support universal healthcare AND free palestina. instead of universeal health and israel support (*if that is what you wanted)
This is why the Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans. They dont work for their voters. They work for their campaign donors.
And you are not ruled by 'Kings'.
You are 'Owned' by the Rich, who try to keep you distracted enough with bread & circus so you dont think about how bad everything is getting and how bad its going to get.
Democrats had full control of the US government 3 times in my life and in none of them, did they actually fix the problem. They just benefited from it, just like the other side does. They are elected by the people, to be bribed by other people. And they defend it in the election cycle, thats why red's in power an blue is not
1993–1995 (103rd Congress): Under President Bill Clinton. 2009–2011 (111th Congress): Under President Barack Obama. 2021–2023 (117th Congress): Under President Joe Biden
That was my point. They dont care. I hope the Democrats win full control of the government again. Just so they can continue to disappoint you an everyone else who they've brainwashed into thinking they give a shit about whatever you care about. Because unless your also bribing them millions of dollars, I can assure you. They 'dont'.
MentalFest
And as long as they keep us from having ranked choice voting
djangojazz
It's been downhill since the 1980s. Removal of Fairness Doctrine, trading utilities in Enron, Bailing out banks. Nail in the coffin was Citizens (businesses) United.
PresldentClef
Wealth has been power since.... ever, and that has never changed. Meanwhile we have had numerous republics and democracies in spite of that.
FiftyShadesOfTiramisu
Puppet kings of the oligarchs and foreign interest groups
StrokeFlavoured
"Wait!? It was always kings" "Always has been"
Oatmealbiscuit
Agreed. Get big money out of public elections
JunkMonk
Didn't kamala have the largest campaign fund ever?
Toqom
Republicans should be banned from running at this point letting trump so anything he wants, even when he isn't president
kurvarVillain
*Saudi Princes and CEOs
RHodeidra
"Corporations are people, my friend"
Osiricus
Yeah, the world is fucked.
TheJuiceLoosener
A few years ago, my parents made a low four-figure donation to the campaign of a Democrat challenger for a US Congressional seat. He won and called them afterwards. They were proud. I asked, "Ok, so for a few grand, you got a call. What do you think he does for the people who gave him half a mil?"
clwnkar01
Politicians are funded by big businesses and those that own them. We are just pawns they manipulate to get elected. Repetition is not truth.
universeHacker
As long as you sit on your couch complaining on the internet, you will be ruled by kings. Go to protests. Join resistance groups. Boycott. Help people register to vote. Protect vulnerable people from ICE. Stand up for your rights in the real world.
ButtscratchMcPherson
And actually vote in every primary and general election. Too many damn activists I know sit out elections because the candidates aren't "good enough" or their preferred choice didn't win the primary.
torokunai
as long as paid political advertising determines the winner, yes
NVGoddesscottage
Wold-PAC.com
Tolocamp
As long as we rely on representatives. Direct democracy is the only way to go. Important offices are given to people randomly drawn (depending on the office from a list of qualified applicants).
That was how democracy actually worked when it was invented. Representation was the little tweak to allow for corruption and twisting the will of the electorate.
Jewdakris
Actually you'll be ruled by "CEOs" which is worse in my opinion. A king might actually be ruling over a group of people they like, a corp exec only knows "optimize the system."
Noahbalboa82
I wish we could outlaw ads but I know freedom of speech is an issue there.
SteveD31415
That's not the fault of the donations, that's the fault of stupid, lazy, gullible voters.
jkbsn
This exact sequence of images have occured here weeks and months ago
missannelk
100% agree! I've been saying for years that we need to establish a government fund for people to run for office. No donations, no paying any of your own money!
nonickname23
As a not-American, I really think allowing ranked voting, more parties, and spending/advertising limits would really make a huge difference. That, and accountability. In a parliamentary system everyone has to be elected in a district and then chosen to lead internally. No system is perfect - but holy shit the Electoral College needs to go.
LespritDeLescalier22
You can thank citizens united for our corporate kleptocratic theocracy
Huor
You can thank apathetic voters for accepting all of it.
LespritDeLescalier22
Keep in mind it’s been a gradual process over the past 50-75 years. Like a frog slowly being boiled, incremental changes are hard to notice if they’re done over generations
ThatGuyFromJustSouthOfTheMiddleOfNowhere
Factor in the growth of social media and online payment systems that allowed politicians to better solicit donations directly from public.
daguq
The problem goes way back before that. What about Reagan?
TheMightyMollusk
To be fair, Reagan isn't responsible for everything. Nixon beat him to some of it.
LespritDeLescalier22
Oh it totally does. Eisenhower warned of the military industrial complex
Chereazi
As long as people vote based on which name they've heard most, and not based on which platform they agree with most, you'll be ruled by kings.
Chattafaukup
Same as voting by color (red/blue) or party. Our founding fathers knew when they built the country that parties (then called factions) were not good for america and specifically had their inclusion left out of the constitution.
MeanMisterClean
REEEEEEEE BLUE NO MATTER WHO
SinStar87
well if you're not going to go shoot up the evil administration, the least you can do is make sure the evil administration isn't voted in.
AShartInTheWind
Who would we vote for if we wanted to oppose the evil administration?
SinStar87
IDK who were your options? IMO any one the dem picks would be better than what trump's doing.
SinStar87
real stupid to design a 2 party system and complain about parties then. Tho I think it was only washington that complained about parties.
Chattafaukup
No, America was not built with political parties, and the Founders generally feared they would divide the nation. The U.S. Constitution (1787) does not mention parties, which arose shortly after as opposing factions (Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans)
SinStar87
american was built as a 2 party system where 1 person becomes president. They just didn't establish government provided parties. You don't make a winner takes all system and not expect division into parties. You can't even make a representative system and not expect division into parties, tho in that cause there's an offer of more than parties to divide up the base. You show my the founding fathers saying their system wouldn't have parties arise and I'll call them morons.
Chattafaukup
They never said parties would not arise, They DID whoever say they were antithetical to the ideals of a proper democracy and would instill infighting and problems. They knew parties would form and hated the idea of it because they understood better. They considered it a "necessary evil" that could not be avoided.
quade
As long as we don't have ranked choice voting, we will be ruled by kings.
Rishingo
https://youtu.be/3Y3jE3B8HsE?si=TLmM8vclSnMO7K31
Subtilico
It's more the fptp and gerrymandering. But ranked choice does have extra perks.
06cpayne
This.
Grinch01
And the winner takes all is somekind of wird too
ThailandExpress
Ranked choice voting doesn’t mean a thing till citizens United is repealed and campaigns are run with public money
frozenlake247
But it does.
CU & corruption would still be a problem but it gets WAY harder to reach total control w/ each added group that has to be bought out & overwhelmed.
W/ ranked choice (or similar) CU would take a FAR distant backseat to the general misinfo/media capture issue but that too is much harder to pull off/sustain if folks have real choices.
Biggest thing is that the US system is designed from the ground up to function w/o parties & MANY parties is far closer in function to 0 than 2.
wejustdontknow
The two party system creates intentional division in the population and is ultimately a facade.
DVSBSTrD
You mean "as long as people don't get a participation trophy for voting shelfishly" we will be ruled by kings.
frozenlake247
This really is the core of so many issues and the simplest change that could make the biggest difference in US politics.
Start at the community level in EVERY COMMUNITY. Show everyone how it works and that there is really no downside. Even with rampant corruption and all the other issues it makes it so much harder for the scum to stay on top.
defaultname2000
there's other voting systems, too, not using winner-takes-all per gerrymandered sector
TripleDane
you are not wrong in what you say but i think you might have missed the point wit rank voting. evne if you removed gery mandering and mader the presidential election based solely on votes. you still only have choices and nothing more progressive will ever enter as any vote outside those 2 main ones will be "useless"
Rank voting gives you the abilty to say "hey i really want that Cat team, but if they dont win i would like the donkey instead) and you votes will not have list power
slyfox001
We discussing Australia? Where is your first choice doesn't win, 2nd choice gets your core, but your vote for first choice isn't garbo, they get more funding next year, so breaks 2 party systems down
TripleDane
yes that is called ranked voting which is what the Original comment was about.
TripleDane
This will open up for new teams in the political 2 party system making it into hopefully a many party system so we can get some better representation. maybe we could et one that both support universal healthcare AND free palestina. instead of universeal health and israel support (*if that is what you wanted)
BeastofKnowledge
This is why the Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans. They dont work for their voters. They work for their campaign donors.
And you are not ruled by 'Kings'.
You are 'Owned' by the Rich, who try to keep you distracted enough with bread & circus so you dont think about how bad everything is getting and how bad its going to get.
BeastofKnowledge
wandermanspacebot
Always disingenuous conservatives pushing "both sides" BS. The reason is because their side is completely indefensible.
BeastofKnowledge
Democrats had full control of the US government 3 times in my life and in none of them, did they actually fix the problem. They just benefited from it, just like the other side does. They are elected by the people, to be bribed by other people. And they defend it in the election cycle, thats why red's in power an blue is not
1993–1995 (103rd Congress): Under President Bill Clinton.
2009–2011 (111th Congress): Under President Barack Obama.
2021–2023 (117th Congress): Under President Joe Biden
wandermanspacebot
Keep voting GOP, little buddy. No one cares.
BeastofKnowledge
That was my point. They dont care. I hope the Democrats win full control of the government again. Just so they can continue to disappoint you an everyone else who they've brainwashed into thinking they give a shit about whatever you care about. Because unless your also bribing them millions of dollars, I can assure you. They 'dont'.
wandermanspacebot
Every conceivable positive thing that's been accomplished in this country has been accomplished by the left. The left being Democrats.