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>do not believe that it actually exists on the moment Precisely. People have been voting and non-violently protesting for decades, and it hasn't worked.

• eanzenberg 6y ago
  How has it not worked?
  • caterama 6y ago
    Remind me again... how do we elect presidents that don't win the popular vote?
• throwaway894345 6y ago
  People haven't been voting, which is why it hasn't worked.
  • TomBombadildoze 6y ago
    Many of the people for whom the system "hasn't worked" have only had the statute right to vote for a generation, yet still face de facto barriers to exercise their right. For them, the system has never worked. You keep spouting bullshit absolutes but don't seem to realize (or you're just unwilling to accept) that there are effectively two systems; a more of less functioning system for people like you, and one in name only for the disenfranchised.
    • throwaway894345 6y ago
      > You keep spouting bullshit absolutes but don't seem to realize (or you're just unwilling to accept) that there are effectively two systems; a more of less functioning system for people like you, and one in name only for the disenfranchised. Look, you’re not here in good faith. That’s cool, go off all you want, but I’m not here for it. Find someone else.
  • sacred_numbers 6y ago
    Let's look at the subset of people that vote. If they consistently vote and encourage others to vote, and yet their candidates never win, they are effectively powerless. For them it is no different than living under a monarchy, except for the vague hope that maybe eventually their candidates will win and their policies enacted. Eventually that vague hope makes things even more painful, since they know that their government will never represent them, despite them theoretically having the power to decide their leaders. Either they will resent the system or they will resent their neighbors who either vote for the opposition or don't vote. Think about all of the left-wing voters in a very Red congressional district or state. Think of all the right wing voters in a very Blue district or state. They are not officially disenfranchised, but their vote doesn't really matter either, so why vote at all? The equation changes somewhat for swing states/districts, but even then it's often a lesser of two evils choice, rather than any major progression towards policy goals. There are some democracies that mitigate some of these issues (getting rid of the electoral college and first past the post would go a long way in the US), but in general democracy leaves a lot of people dissatisfied. If your major disagreement with the status quo is the tax rate, or certain business regulations, your dissatisfaction with the democratic process is manageable. If your major disagreement with the status quo is police brutality and injustice that make your life miserable, then what is the downside to rioting and destruction? Maybe there's only a tiny chance that something good will come out of it, but it's better than a zero percent chance of enacting change by continuing to vote and lose elections.
    • throwaway894345 6y ago
      Not talking about national or even state elections here—talking about local elections. And if one can mobilize thousands in a particular locale to protest (to take off work and go out shoulder-to-shoulder during a pandemic no less), why can’t they mobilize enough voters?