I don't have any argument with specifics of our behavior that you've noted, except the implied notion that our voting matters - that voting can make a big enuf difference to the full spectrum of the existing political power structure. A structure that has been building on itself for Years (a century?).
Realistically, how many years of voting will it take to undo this structure? Or, how many individual corrupt politicians need be voted out before any decisive change can be had? How many peaceniks are in Congress? And that last question may be the most important. Is there anyone in Congress that dares speak out against the military complex?
Voting, with the understanding that any one vote is essentially meaningless, and that for presidential elections, only a dozen states actually matter. But, vote we should, because others do, and the aggregates do aggregate. Voting in primaries is probably far more important than in the general election, by the way, unless you're in a swing state.
Advocacy, with the purpose of swaying other votes. Whether that be encouraging others to vote as you do, or planting enough doubt to discourage them from voting for someone else, making noise of the right sort helps.
Personal money and/or time. Donating to your preferred candidates can help them get their message out and get more votes. Ditto for working on their campaigns.
Trump was his own worst enemy. Had he behaved sanely, modestly, and rationally his last few months in office, he'd be President today. He was a train wreck in the debates, he mismanaged his response to all the machinery working against him, etc. 40,000 votes in 3 states were the difference, and he could have had those by running on his successes.
Change is difficult, but it has happened, and does happen.
Agree that DT was his own worst enemy. That doesn't change the point made that politicians stuck together, and didn't buck the big system on the war issue, which DT did.
"Personal" money? There is so much huge money out there, the peon money makes no difference.
Advocacy, of course, we all should, all the time, advocate for the causes we believe in. But in what time frame can advocacy actually change the tide!
Everything you have mentioned is, basically, status quo, doing things within the boundaries we are *allowed*. That is also why I believe it won't work enuf to make the changes needed.
For example, why are we talking about individual congressional seat votes, when we should figure out a way to disallow congress voting their own pay and retirement and term limits? How is it that a President can sit a maximum term of eight years, but there is no term limit for those in congress? Which would have a quicker, bigger, change-effect?
“And it's all our fault. These are the people we put in office, and these are the people we keep putting in office. When you'd rather chew hot asphalt than vote for the other team, and when you denounce those who share your viewpoints when they don’t blindly support your team, the members of your team have no reason to do anything other than win at all costs. And, when our institutions are also captured by this Manichaeism, we shouldn't be surprised at their misdeeds.”
Facts and the truth have been taking an ever increasing backseat in politics. Merit based schooling and hiring have become a thing of the past. Mediocrity increasingly reigns. Defining a woman has become controversial. Empathy for victims of a submarine implosion is controversial. Politics is everything. Many are informed and vote according to their Facebook streams simplistic and misleading memes depicting their political opponents as grotesque and evil, fueling the rage. The list goes on and on. Several years ago I still felt hopeful that we could find unifying ground, no longer, the center has fallen. I admire those younger than me who are fighting the good fight. At my age, I sit on the sidelines and cheer them on.
I don't have any argument with specifics of our behavior that you've noted, except the implied notion that our voting matters - that voting can make a big enuf difference to the full spectrum of the existing political power structure. A structure that has been building on itself for Years (a century?).
Realistically, how many years of voting will it take to undo this structure? Or, how many individual corrupt politicians need be voted out before any decisive change can be had? How many peaceniks are in Congress? And that last question may be the most important. Is there anyone in Congress that dares speak out against the military complex?
Trump did and look where it got him.
We have a few mechanisms at our disposal.
Voting, with the understanding that any one vote is essentially meaningless, and that for presidential elections, only a dozen states actually matter. But, vote we should, because others do, and the aggregates do aggregate. Voting in primaries is probably far more important than in the general election, by the way, unless you're in a swing state.
Advocacy, with the purpose of swaying other votes. Whether that be encouraging others to vote as you do, or planting enough doubt to discourage them from voting for someone else, making noise of the right sort helps.
Personal money and/or time. Donating to your preferred candidates can help them get their message out and get more votes. Ditto for working on their campaigns.
Trump was his own worst enemy. Had he behaved sanely, modestly, and rationally his last few months in office, he'd be President today. He was a train wreck in the debates, he mismanaged his response to all the machinery working against him, etc. 40,000 votes in 3 states were the difference, and he could have had those by running on his successes.
Change is difficult, but it has happened, and does happen.
Agree that DT was his own worst enemy. That doesn't change the point made that politicians stuck together, and didn't buck the big system on the war issue, which DT did.
"Personal" money? There is so much huge money out there, the peon money makes no difference.
Advocacy, of course, we all should, all the time, advocate for the causes we believe in. But in what time frame can advocacy actually change the tide!
Everything you have mentioned is, basically, status quo, doing things within the boundaries we are *allowed*. That is also why I believe it won't work enuf to make the changes needed.
For example, why are we talking about individual congressional seat votes, when we should figure out a way to disallow congress voting their own pay and retirement and term limits? How is it that a President can sit a maximum term of eight years, but there is no term limit for those in congress? Which would have a quicker, bigger, change-effect?
The alternative is to throw our hands in the air. Which some have done, and I can't blame them.
I'm not ready to do that yet. The nation has been in the toilet before, and recovered.
“And it's all our fault. These are the people we put in office, and these are the people we keep putting in office. When you'd rather chew hot asphalt than vote for the other team, and when you denounce those who share your viewpoints when they don’t blindly support your team, the members of your team have no reason to do anything other than win at all costs. And, when our institutions are also captured by this Manichaeism, we shouldn't be surprised at their misdeeds.”
Me neither. Giving up is but one alternative; not a good one and not my choice.
Drastic times call for drastic measures. I think that *regular* means for change don't stand a chance.
Facts and the truth have been taking an ever increasing backseat in politics. Merit based schooling and hiring have become a thing of the past. Mediocrity increasingly reigns. Defining a woman has become controversial. Empathy for victims of a submarine implosion is controversial. Politics is everything. Many are informed and vote according to their Facebook streams simplistic and misleading memes depicting their political opponents as grotesque and evil, fueling the rage. The list goes on and on. Several years ago I still felt hopeful that we could find unifying ground, no longer, the center has fallen. I admire those younger than me who are fighting the good fight. At my age, I sit on the sidelines and cheer them on.