What’s stupid is making excuses for 40 years straight and then asserting to me, when all evidence points to the contrary, that voting Democrat accomplishes anything.
I totally understand the frustration with the two party system in the United States; it’s stupid, slow, and cumbersome to work with. As a result, I understand it’s tempting to just vote for a third party because of how poorly the two parties represent their constituents.
If the United States system of government were a parliamentary democracy or even just assigned representatives more proportionally, I think voting for a third party might be a feasible option to enact real change. The Liberal Democrats in the UK are an example of a third party successfully challenging Labour and the Tories.
But unfortunately, the United States has a totally different system; we have a Presidential executive branch with a bicameral legislature that runs on a first-past-the-post, winner-takes-all system (with very few exceptions). All it takes is 50.01% of the vote for one party to take 100% of their district or state or have 100% their way. This is further compounded by the issue of the Senate and the Electoral College giving low-population, rural states outsized influence over high-population states. Under this system, a vote for a third party candidate is basically a vote that empowers the more evil candidate and will result in a negative outcome.
Basically, what I am getting at is the US System is stupid. It needs reform. We should be able to vote for a third party candidate and expect a positive outcome. But right now, there is only one party that actually has reform on their platform and could feasibly do it, and that’s the democrats. They’ve tested ranked-choice voting, invested in our crumbling infrastructure, passed legislation to address climate change, pushed for single-payer healthcare for years, advocated for police reform, and even campaign finance reform & repeal the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling. Now, they’re also advocating to reform the Supreme Court and make it so the POTUS is not above the law. But the only way this can happen is if the Democrats get 50.01% of the vote in enough districts to make Republican obstructionism a non-viable tactic.
The Republicans are the ones that must be stopped in November and only the Democrats have the power and resources to feasibly accomplish this within the constraints of our current system.
The democrats do not have the power to pass this amendment without republican support. It has been nearly half a century since they’ve had the required majorities (two-thirds in both chambers), and since then they’ve been fighting tooth-and-nail against Republicans like Reagan, Bush Sr., W Bush, and Trump (who is far worse than the first three).
Even under Clinton and Obama, they did not have the majorities to unilaterally amend the constitution; the republicans had enough to stop them.
In order to get this amendment passed, we all need to put a little faith into the democrats because they are the only ones who can feasibly do it.
Democrats can do everything 100% perfectly and it’ll still go nowhere because they only have 50 seats in the senate and a minority in the house.
Thinking that they have some magical ability to pass legislation their opposition doesn’t want under those conditions is just s sign that you don’t know much about civics.
What did I say that’s incorrect here? I’m not misrepresenting your position in any way.
You’re content to give Democrats credit for their words. I am not. I need to see more than broken promises. I need to see actual work toward making these changes a reality, not another pie-in-the-sky speech before they take off for another two months of vacation.
Further, it is possible to make things happen if they actually use the power they have. Biden, as president, has the power to keep Congress in session until they do what he wants. The House has the ability to hold up military funding until they get what they want. The Senate can make people actually have to stand and filibuster instead of caving at the threat of it.
Democrats do none of these things. They take no for an answer and then pretend they did their job by simply giving a speech.
Ruling is hard, but that it’s hard is no excuse for doing nothing.
“I am hinging my vote for a Democrat on a chain of events that democrats have no control over”
Passing this requires republican votes in congress.
This Congress.
Vote Democrat, and it’ll be the very next Congress.
I fully agree. But it’s a stupid thing to base your vote this November upon, like the top comment says.
No.
What’s stupid is making excuses for 40 years straight and then asserting to me, when all evidence points to the contrary, that voting Democrat accomplishes anything.
Show an example of where voting another way accomplishes anything good. Not holding my breath.
Votes for obstructionists. Gets mad when they obstruct.
Nope.
I’m a Green Party voter. Clearly, I’m mad that our president and the other Democrats do nothing except talk.
I totally understand the frustration with the two party system in the United States; it’s stupid, slow, and cumbersome to work with. As a result, I understand it’s tempting to just vote for a third party because of how poorly the two parties represent their constituents.
If the United States system of government were a parliamentary democracy or even just assigned representatives more proportionally, I think voting for a third party might be a feasible option to enact real change. The Liberal Democrats in the UK are an example of a third party successfully challenging Labour and the Tories.
But unfortunately, the United States has a totally different system; we have a Presidential executive branch with a bicameral legislature that runs on a first-past-the-post, winner-takes-all system (with very few exceptions). All it takes is 50.01% of the vote for one party to take 100% of their district or state or have 100% their way. This is further compounded by the issue of the Senate and the Electoral College giving low-population, rural states outsized influence over high-population states. Under this system, a vote for a third party candidate is basically a vote that empowers the more evil candidate and will result in a negative outcome.
Basically, what I am getting at is the US System is stupid. It needs reform. We should be able to vote for a third party candidate and expect a positive outcome. But right now, there is only one party that actually has reform on their platform and could feasibly do it, and that’s the democrats. They’ve tested ranked-choice voting, invested in our crumbling infrastructure, passed legislation to address climate change, pushed for single-payer healthcare for years, advocated for police reform, and even campaign finance reform & repeal the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling. Now, they’re also advocating to reform the Supreme Court and make it so the POTUS is not above the law. But the only way this can happen is if the Democrats get 50.01% of the vote in enough districts to make Republican obstructionism a non-viable tactic.
The Republicans are the ones that must be stopped in November and only the Democrats have the power and resources to feasibly accomplish this within the constraints of our current system.
Edit: grammar, clarity
This is what they say every four years.
Hence why I made my comment. I want to see Democrats do something meaningful now.
The democrats do not have the power to pass this amendment without republican support. It has been nearly half a century since they’ve had the required majorities (two-thirds in both chambers), and since then they’ve been fighting tooth-and-nail against Republicans like Reagan, Bush Sr., W Bush, and Trump (who is far worse than the first three).
Even under Clinton and Obama, they did not have the majorities to unilaterally amend the constitution; the republicans had enough to stop them.
In order to get this amendment passed, we all need to put a little faith into the democrats because they are the only ones who can feasibly do it.
I love that it’s just a proposal and you’re already making excuses.
But sure, Democrats should just… make excuses, because it’s hard to do the actual work.
Awesome stance you got there.
Democrats can do everything 100% perfectly and it’ll still go nowhere because they only have 50 seats in the senate and a minority in the house.
Thinking that they have some magical ability to pass legislation their opposition doesn’t want under those conditions is just s sign that you don’t know much about civics.
That’s exactly what I said.
They should do nothing. Because it’s hard.
I’m agreeing with you.
You clearly have no intention of a good faith discussion, go away. No one needs your negativity.
What did I say that’s incorrect here? I’m not misrepresenting your position in any way.
You’re content to give Democrats credit for their words. I am not. I need to see more than broken promises. I need to see actual work toward making these changes a reality, not another pie-in-the-sky speech before they take off for another two months of vacation.
Further, it is possible to make things happen if they actually use the power they have. Biden, as president, has the power to keep Congress in session until they do what he wants. The House has the ability to hold up military funding until they get what they want. The Senate can make people actually have to stand and filibuster instead of caving at the threat of it.
Democrats do none of these things. They take no for an answer and then pretend they did their job by simply giving a speech.
Ruling is hard, but that it’s hard is no excuse for doing nothing.
Yeah I’m not willing to believe you will vote for a Democrat even if they somehow manage to pull off what amounts to a miracle
Unless they promised to do something bad. You’d seize that opportunity instantly, the one trick pony you are.