"Democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others." - Winston Churchill.
This isn't a true democracy. It's a constitutional republic. That is the crux of the problem, especially now.
I don't believe that a "true democracy" would be even remotely workable with 320 million people though. It wouldn't even be workable on most state levels. The US is a constitutional republic, which is a form of democracy. Not every democratic form of government has to have direct citizen votes on every issue. That is just mob rule really.
The term I've been using for what I'd like to see is "consensus democracy". It's a combination of direct voting, ranked ballots, and marginal representation when it comes to the federal government.
Direct voting ensures that the candidate with the greatest margin of support becomes president. Ranked ballots ensure that the candidate who becomes president has at least favored support from a majority of the country. Marginal representation ensures that the candidate who becomes president is balanced by a vice president who represents the minority's interests.
I don't think just doing away with the EC would be the right solution, and I don't think ranked ballots alone would do it either. With 320 million people (and growing every day), the spectrum of opinion is more diverse than it's ever been. The Electoral College pushes those people to the opposite ends of that spectrum in order to bolster support for the two parties that are in power, and that's how it's always been, and it's never not been a problem.
A consensus democracy would ensure that, at the very least, a majority of the country "consents" to the leadership of the winning candidate, even if it's not the candidate they would prefer among all available options.
The United States is too divided ATM for ranked balloting. Assuming candidates for the presidential election were only: Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump. If the ranks were divided as 10, 5, 1, 0. A republican would probably rate the ballot Trump, Johnson, Stein, Clinton. A democrat would probably rate the ballot, Clinton, Johnson/Stein, Trump.
All those 5's would end up creating a libertarian government, or the majority of people's second choice. No one is happy with that type of result, except the handful of libertarian's who voted and ranked Johnson first.
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Keep the electoral college as it is, but get rid of the winner takes all nonsense.
I keep hearing how we need to understand white, rural, working class voters. I understand them perfectly. I grew up AMONG them. Let me tell you something about white rural America. I grew up in a town of 500 people in rural MN. There was no economic anxiety. Not only did nearly EVERY adult have a job, they had a good job, and a job they had basically no chance of ever losing. You couldn't possibly grow up in a more stable financial situation. If the farmers had a bad year of food prices, it didn't matter. The government would subsidize their entire harvest and take it off their hands. Every damn person had enough extra cash lying around to go to the bar (where my mother worked) 4 or 5 nights and week and drop HUNDREDS of dollars on pull-tabs. Everyone had brand new pick-ups and good, nice houses. Not most people, practically EVERYONE. The economic hardship meme is total BS.
Now let me tell you how things were from a social issue aspect. My best friend's dad used the "n" word so often in casual conversation we almost didn't even notice it anymore. Every single kid who's parents owned a farm talked the same way. About black people, about women. The people who own these farms were more than happy to ILLEGALLY used the labor of Mexican migrant workers to pick the rocks out of their fields, and then have the unmitigated gall to complain about illegal immigration. If you listened to anything but country music, you were a "fag". If you wore anything but Wranglers and t-shirts, the same word would be thrown at you. We didn't have a black person in our entire school, K-12, until my younger cousin (who is mixed-race) moved to town. She had to transfer to a different school in a larger nearby city to finish her last 3 years of high school because of how she was treated. There is no curiosity, there is no knowledge of what is going on in the world outside of the local cafe. There is no interest in finding out. These people do not have tough lives. They are not downtrodden. Their children are almost 100% safe, and will want for nothing in regards to their dreams of the future. On a large-scale level, there IS no rampant economic anxiety in these places. What there is is a overwhelming fear and hatred of things they know nothing about.
All I'll say is that rural MN is different from rural TX, just like Chicago is different from LA.
The social issues may be similar in some places, but I grew up in rural Connecticut and the range of affluence to poverty was pretty drastic, and not everybody could afford big houses and brand new pickups.
Let's avoid painting with too broad a brush. Everybody's experience is different, and just because your town had no economic struggles doesn't mean other towns don't.
All I'll say is that rural MN is different from rural TX, just like Chicago is different from LA.
The social issues may be similar in some places, but I grew up in rural Connecticut and the range of affluence to poverty was pretty drastic, and not everybody could afford big houses and brand new pickups.
Let's avoid painting with too broad a brush. Everybody's experience is different, and just because your town had no economic struggles doesn't mean other towns don't.
I guess from my perspective, I've been living with their view of America since I was old enough to recognize what it was. For me, this election was the final straw. I've had enough. I don't have any interest in trying to change their minds, because I'm been futilely trying to do so for two decades. I'm done with it. I'm now only interested in finding enough people of the opposite mind-set to defeat them at the ballot box. A Trump voters is a lost cause for me. I've been tacitly tolerating the views he espoused for most of my life. A go-along to get-along mentality. I can certainly be accused (and found guilty) by taking this current position of being petulant and even a tad vindictive towards them. I admit that openly and honestly. I simply do not care anymore. I reached my breaking point. I'm done with them.
Trump's campaign manager went on TV this morning and issued a warning to Harry Reid about his statement he made after Trump's victory, saying, and I quote, "he needs to careful in the legal sense". Nothing fascistic to see here folks. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Trump's campaign manager went on TV this morning and issued a warning to Harry Reid about his statement he made after Trump's victory, saying, and I quote, "he needs to careful in the legal sense". Nothing fascistic to see here folks. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Trump threatening to sue? He would never do that.
Just like he would never attempt to stall a civil case against him now that he is too busy transitioning to become the next president.
Just like he would never attempt to stall a civil case against him now that he is too busy transitioning to become the next president.
Pretty sure you're being sarcastic but yeah he's always threatening to sue. He threatened to sue the dozen women that came forward to accuse him of sexual assault, he's threatened to sue the NY times for reporting his access hollywood video of his own words, etc
As a longtime Cracked.com reader, I would hesitate to use them as a source. That particular article seemed fine, but elsewhere, I've found the quality of their research to be well beneath the level of a real journalist... to the extent that their sources sometimes have nothing to do with their argument, or even disprove their argument.
I have a feeling in the next weeks and months we're going to hear the phrase "don't take anything he says seriously". Don't take anything his surrogates or Cabinet appointments say seriously. It's not literal. At what point, pray tell, do we get take them at their word?? My guess is when it's far too late to do anything about it.
I have a feeling in the next weeks and months we're going to hear the phrase "don't take anything he says seriously". Don't take anything his surrogates or Cabinet appointments say seriously. It's not literal. At what point, pray tell, do we get take them at their word?? My guess is when it's far too late to do anything about it.
Yeah how hilarious that the right was plotting day one of obama's inauguration to do everything they could possibly do to undermine him, including not passing their own bills, threatening to shut down the government, stealing a supreme court justice nominee from him, and so on.
And now they call for unity and harmony and flowers.
I have a feeling in the next weeks and months we're going to hear the phrase "don't take anything he says seriously". Don't take anything his surrogates or Cabinet appointments say seriously. It's not literal. At what point, pray tell, do we get take them at their word?? My guess is when it's far too late to do anything about it.
Yeah how hilarious that the right was plotting day one of obama's inauguration to do everything they could possibly do to undermine him, including not passing their own bills, threatening to shut down the government, stealing a supreme court justice nominee from him, and so on.
And now they call for unity and harmony and flowers.
Honestly, this whole week has me so worn out emotionally I just feel completely drained. And things are just getting started. The one thing we know for sure is that this is going nowhere good. One thing people are overlooking (and is especially ironic coming from voters who constantly harp about hard work and responsibility) is that Trump is, in all likelihood, TOO LAZY to handle this job as more than a figurehead. He's not interested in it. It's already been reported that he wants to spend a couple days a week in Washington and then the rest of his time in New York and Mara Lago. THIS IS NOT A PART-TIME GIG.
Impeachment is still a thing right? People are acting like this is the end all for the country and nothing can be done about. If the anger and hatred doesn't die down, it shouldn't be too hard for impeachment demands to get some traction, right?
Impeachment is still a thing right? People are acting like this is the end all for the country and nothing can be done about. If the anger and hatred doesn't die down, it shouldn't be too hard for impeachment demands to get some traction, right?
Who's going to impeach him? The GOP house, GOP senate, or GOP Supreme Court? They already decided they could live with the guy despite him being who he is. There are no checks and balances on this guy.
Impeachment would mean Pence, a more standard GOP politician, would take charge. It would give the GOP a more reliable president, but I'm not sure they'd be willing to turn on Trump like that. Impeachment would alienate a lot of Trump supporters, and that's a lot of voters the GOP needs to win future elections.
Impeachment is still a thing right? People are acting like this is the end all for the country and nothing can be done about. If the anger and hatred doesn't die down, it shouldn't be too hard for impeachment demands to get some traction, right?
There is as much a chance of the current GOP congress impeaching Donald Trump as there is of me sprouting wings and flying to the moon. I really don't think people realize just how radicalized the Republican Party has become.
"The questions reflect what Mr. Trump’s advisers described as the president-elect’s coming to grips with the fact that his life is about to change radically. They say that Mr. Trump, who was shocked when he won the election, might spend most of the week in Washington, much like members of Congress, and return to Trump Tower or his golf course in Bedminster, N.J., or his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach on weekends."
Impeachment is still a thing right? People are acting like this is the end all for the country and nothing can be done about. If the anger and hatred doesn't die down, it shouldn't be too hard for impeachment demands to get some traction, right?
Besides the vanishingly low chance of a GOP House impeaching Trump, he would actually have to commit a crime. You can't impeach him because he lays around watching reality TV while Pence runs the government.
Tonight, in his first interview: Trump, on pledge to appoint special prosecutor to investigate Clintons, says "I don't want to hurt them. They're good people".
He's a pathological liar. What's more troubling. His supporters won't care an OUNCE. They will care about what he tells them to care about. The banana republic "lock her up" chants will be flushed down the memory-hole as if they never happened. This is how propaganda works. Has NO ONE read "1984"??
Besides the vanishingly low chance of a GOP House impeaching Trump, he would actually have to commit a crime. You can't impeach him because he lays around watching reality TV while Pence runs the government.
The first spooled up: accusation of fraud, brought to court by number of since closed "Trump University" students. The claim is these persons were tricked to pay 35k USD for a worthless degree that was marketed as a valid degree for property development.
Possibly coming up: sexual harassment. "When you are a star, you can do anything." I hope not.
Okay, so what is anyone going to do about? Everyone is just complaining about how things suck. Go do something about it if this is so important.
People are doing something, protesting. That seems to be the only avenue available to do anything
Volunteering with the local opposition party of your choice would likely be a more effective method of getting something done than protesting. Assuming they aren't actually joining the protests that is.
Tonight, in his first interview: Trump, on pledge to appoint special prosecutor to investigate Clintons, says "I don't want to hurt them. They're good people".
He's a pathological liar. What's more troubling. His supporters won't care an OUNCE. They will care about what he tells them to care about. The banana republic "lock her up" chants will be flushed down the memory-hole as if they never happened. This is how propaganda works. Has NO ONE read "1984"??
You say "pathological liar" like it is a bad thing... At this point, I think they accept that is one of his features and not a bug.
But again his whole persona and shtick is fiction, spin, and alternative reality. He's a bs er. Fact finding says Hillary lied about average for a politician while he lied or made up things 70+% of the time
Comments
All those 5's would end up creating a libertarian government, or the majority of people's second choice. No one is happy with that type of result, except the handful of libertarian's who voted and ranked Johnson first.
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Keep the electoral college as it is, but get rid of the winner takes all nonsense.
Now let me tell you how things were from a social issue aspect. My best friend's dad used the "n" word so often in casual conversation we almost didn't even notice it anymore. Every single kid who's parents owned a farm talked the same way. About black people, about women. The people who own these farms were more than happy to ILLEGALLY used the labor of Mexican migrant workers to pick the rocks out of their fields, and then have the unmitigated gall to complain about illegal immigration. If you listened to anything but country music, you were a "fag". If you wore anything but Wranglers and t-shirts, the same word would be thrown at you. We didn't have a black person in our entire school, K-12, until my younger cousin (who is mixed-race) moved to town. She had to transfer to a different school in a larger nearby city to finish her last 3 years of high school because of how she was treated. There is no curiosity, there is no knowledge of what is going on in the world outside of the local cafe. There is no interest in finding out. These people do not have tough lives. They are not downtrodden. Their children are almost 100% safe, and will want for nothing in regards to their dreams of the future. On a large-scale level, there IS no rampant economic anxiety in these places. What there is is a overwhelming fear and hatred of things they know nothing about.
The social issues may be similar in some places, but I grew up in rural Connecticut and the range of affluence to poverty was pretty drastic, and not everybody could afford big houses and brand new pickups.
Let's avoid painting with too broad a brush. Everybody's experience is different, and just because your town had no economic struggles doesn't mean other towns don't.
Just like he would never attempt to stall a civil case against him now that he is too busy transitioning to become the next president.
And several historical examples here
http://www.cracked.com/blog/10-stories-about-donald-trump-you-wont-believe-are-true/
New York Times author Timothy O'Brien wrote that Trump "only" had 250 million dollars, so Trump sued him for five billion.
When Deutsche Bank asked him to pay back a loan he instead sued them for three billion dollars for "damaging his reputation. "
etc
Yes, it was sarcasm. And here is the story of the civil case.
And now they call for unity and harmony and flowers.
"The questions reflect what Mr. Trump’s advisers described as the president-elect’s coming to grips with the fact that his life is about to change radically. They say that Mr. Trump, who was shocked when he won the election, might spend most of the week in Washington, much like members of Congress, and return to Trump Tower or his golf course in Bedminster, N.J., or his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach on weekends."
He's a pathological liar. What's more troubling. His supporters won't care an OUNCE. They will care about what he tells them to care about. The banana republic "lock her up" chants will be flushed down the memory-hole as if they never happened. This is how propaganda works. Has NO ONE read "1984"??
Possibly coming up: sexual harassment. "When you are a star, you can do anything." I hope not.
But again his whole persona and shtick is fiction, spin, and alternative reality. He's a bs er. Fact finding says Hillary lied about average for a politician while he lied or made up things 70+% of the time