Grab a drink (entire bottle???) of choice, sit back, and watch:
1 Like
…as the other half of the population remain focused on the important matter of Dr.Seuss & Mr.Potatoe-head.
6 Likes
While it’s not a small minority, the electoral college and the senate rules conspire to give us minority rule.
Most defenitely! California’s population is greater (by 2.4 million) than the 22 smallest states. Hence these states are emboldened with 44 votes in the Senate as compared to 2 Senate votes for California. This is an inherent flaw that has no chance of ever being corrected. Those states will never cede their power. But insuring everyone can vote, and every vote counts is who we are, it is our example to the world. The Carter Foundation spread this model all over Africa and started fair elections in places where there formerly never had been this right. I witnessed this first hand and it was great to see. And now we are seeing laws passed to limit time and early voting times at the polls. Voting must be preserved, we are tanked without this right.
2 Likes
That is the most glaring defect. When combined with filibuster abuse, “the will of the people” becomes an afterthought.
I disagree. I’m seeing lots of stuff that tells me those “dedicated USA patriots” are and were working against Trump. The whole Russia collusion lie was their confection. Of course Russia interferes in US elections (and you might ask what the intelligence services did about it at the time - particularly with the states which control elections) but the suggestion has always been that Trump wanted, aided and abetted that. All his enemies in the “dedicated patriots” could find nothing with unlimited resources to do so.
Putin isn’t pulling the strings in the US, Democrats (and their useful idiots) are. And the “Qanon Shaman” hardly “presided” anywhere as he toured the building (in such fancy dress that guaranteed photo-fame worldwide) ushered in and escorted, it seems, by the security staff. If Putin is doing a victory lap because of that you need to ask yourself some questions.
1 Like
You are right there, but why so sad?
You have a federation of united states. It’s right there in your nation’s name so the hint is unmistakable. I’m in Australia and we are also a federation. States have sovereign rights and that is good, driving as it does competition, innovation the option for people to move to where their personal fortunes might best be achieved. Your founders (and ours) most specifically rejected a powerful central government overruling the states and large states acquiring total dominance over small. I’ve heard many of your commentators stressing the point that USA is NOT a democracy, it’s a republic and noting the perils of a purer democracy. Such distinctions can get lost in argument but there are no pure democracies and republics come in all colours.
The simple point is that the states have rights and in order to preserve that status, the system of federal elections ensures states are equally represented in the senate. You are arguing for the opposite. Beware of the consequences. Why should states stay in a federation run by California?
Again, I agree. But your electoral system is an international laughing stock. I’d never call it “fair” after watching the last one.
2 Likes
Better lay low komrade. The F B I is on your trail.
That would be illegal in Australia (and the USA) … which those flatfoots couldn’t find on a map anyway.
Agreed, the electoral college is an international laughing stock. It is absurd that the overwhelming majority of the population vote for one candidate but “swing states” with relatively small populations determine the President. The flaw of the weighted Senate is a direct paralell. The Senate determines Federal legislation, not States rights. Just like the Presidential Elections: Federal Laws, International Policy, consent to go to war, etc should be determined by the majority. The Federation you mention is upside down. 22 States that combined population is 2.4 million less than California should not determine our nation’s path forward without California having the same power to determine this path. The founders could not have forecasted this situation but the great experiment seemed to be basis the majority rule, and we are loosing this in the USA>
We are not a democracy, we are a representative republic. I shudder to think Chicago, La and NYC rules this nation.
1 Like
Jughead, I dont think I will touch this one. This gets down to the “facts” one believes and attaches too., and can be on (both sides) equally biased or askew. It is like correcting a severe list with ballast before you determine what is causing the list.
OK, but you should be interested in and concerned about “what is causing the list”.
1 Like
I am still taking soundings. Anyway, got a seabag to pack, head back to my ship tomorrow, no internet, so I am out.
1 Like
So sorry to see that you are totally wrong (and no time to debate). Your founders were wise beyond words to predict your flawed way of ruling centuries later and reject it absolutely.
Use your time at sea to study the principle of Chesterton’s Fence.
Exactly right Jughead.
1 Like
If we still had the State houses selecting US Senators, we would be in a far better place. The initial set up of the process was to provide deliberation and thought at the state level before sending the Upper House members to DC for six years. We managed to screw that up, too by opening Senate seats to popular election. Those old dead guys were pretty bright and KNEW there had to be a balance between smaller states and the population centers, hence every State has an equal voice in the upper chamber.
Elections are now an industry, run by lawyers, backed by big business, and the citizens look around the day after and wonder what happened.
If you take away the electoral college, you’ll essentially have 3-4 states governing the rest and the US basically becomes dominated by one party.
2 Likes
If you take away the electoral college you will have millions of voters selecting the president. Voters make the selection, not states.
Dump the electoral college, dump PACs, dump corporate campaign funding, completely revamp campaign financing to the point where only a voter can donate to a candidate for whom he or she can cast a vote. Limit campaign contributions to a few hundred dollars maximum. Remove all barriers to voting.
5 Likes
