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Maybe in a perfectly functioning democracy, but the U.S. has been actively separating policy from politics maybe for my entire lifetime. Just for starters: *
by techdmn 1y ago
Maybe in a perfectly functioning democracy, but the U.S. has been actively separating policy from politics maybe for my entire lifetime. Just for starters:
* The two-party system dominates the process, and actively excludes 3rd parties. Look into changing requirements for debate participation.
* The Democratic party argued in court that they have no obligation to use a "fair" primary to select candidates. This was in response to a lawsuit from donors claiming the party mislead them by tipping the scales against Bernie Sanders in 2016.
* Gerrymandering continues to enable parties to win large majorities in state legislatures while losing the popular vote at the state level.
* Many of our current troubles have been caused by the Supreme Court, which is not democratically elected.
* The Electoral College and Senate apportionment continue to give more power to voters in low-population states.
- bilbo0s 1y agoEverything you’ve listed here was a choice made ultimately via the process of following democratic procedures. Everything you listed can also be undone via democratic procedure. That we don’t use this democratic procedures to undo these structural impediments to fairness is a choice. A democratic choice that we make. How, exactly, are our choices suddenly the fault of the democratic system?
- techdmn 1y agoAre you arguing that since voters elect representatives, voters are ultimately responsible for everything those representatives do, even if it is contrary to the interests and desires of those who voted for them? If the process is flawed, are the results not also flawed? Unless we started with a perfect system, and voters clearly chose to make it less perfect. That doesn't match the history I know.