We Need Structural Change.

[kpete]

?1640007411

Link to tweet

?s=20

[BeyondGeography]

1. Big structural change

Rings a bell.

[aocommunalpunch]

2. LMAO

Yup. Get the donor money out or ALL of this is meaningless. We currently have oligarchs paying bribes. The rest is theater.

[Dustlawyer]

13. THIS!!!

[hadEnuf]

22. We knew this would happen with Citizen's United.

That's why the Right Wing SCOTUS supported it and made it legal.

It all boils down to whether it legal or not and then enforcing the law if it is not legal. There is no mid point in this with the Right Wing in this country. If it's illegal then nail them. No passes or slaps on the wrist any more.

[IronLionZion]

23. Ironically, Manchin spoke out against Citizens United

and against the big money that he relies on to win his very narrow elections in his very small rural state.

[BlueTsunami2018]

3. We've never been a "healthy" democracy.

Not ever. The minority opinion has always ruled here.

[MineralMan]

4. In that case, we need a new Constitution.

Who creates that, I wonder? Be careful what you ask for. You might not be anticipating the reality of it completely.

[Demsrule86]

17. People should look at the electoral maps...they are posted on line where will out Senate majorities

come from? Many on our side doesn't bother to vote in local elections according to polling which is a form of political suicide as they are equally important to national elections. The open seats will be won by moderates or not at all...even Vermont has a GOP governor. Please note that three of the seats Nevada, Georgia, and Arizona are Democratic seats...we could lose one or all in the midterm.

[MineralMan]

19. Yes, I understand that. It's time, I think,

for us to really try. Not just to accept the conventional wisdom, but to go all out to change that interesting chart you posted.

I did not think that we would win in Georgia, either. Mirabile dictu, though, we did win. And there you have the example of what i think might be possible elsewhere, too.

It's up to all Democrats, I think. We have the numbers needed to win, but not the midterm participation at the polls. Let's fix that and move forward.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. The structure is fine

We need to get the money out of politics. Legislators are seated with money, lobbied with money, the legislation reflects money, the legislators want to remain in power with all this money. People are not very relevant in this formula.

[mahina]

6. Agreed. Check out represent.Us for a state by state plan to do so.

[BadgerMom]

25. A state-by-state approach is interesting. Got a link?

The federal remedy would be a Constitutional convention, something the Koch’s and their far right cronies are salivating for. I’d like to avoid that. But I also believe change is required if we’re to remain viable.

[mahina]

30. Sure. The url is represent.us

https://represent.us/

[BadgerMom]

31. Thank you!

[mahina]

37. Oh you bet. I'll be really interested to hear your thoughts

It’s not a new idea and it’s been enacted in some states. Most of their YouTube vids are several years old

[OldBaldy1701E]

12. Legislators ARE money.

You want this fixed? Start here.



Until this is changed, nothing is going to change. When the wealthy have the majority in our legislature, their desire for more money will always win out. Why will this not change as society currently stands? UNFETTERED CAPITALISM, BABY!

It is what we all want, isn't it?

[Demsrule86]

14. This isn't about money.

[betsuni]

32. +1

[jaxexpat]

20. If the "structure" were fine, Wyoming would not be most represented

State in the union.

[KS Toronado]

7. Lot of hate going Manchin's way today

And I understand why people are upset with him especially after appearing on FQX, no less.
But let us remember that not one single reQublican will vote for BBB also.

[Magoo48]

8. Indeed.

Oligarchy, crippled Supreme Court, weak voter protections, representation imbalance in the senate of Lords, rampant dark money and general corruption, and flowery rhetoric with little action.

Change is definitely called for.

[CaptainTruth]

10. We are not a healthy democracy. And yes, we need change.

[mn9driver]

11. The system is broken.

And it has been for a long time. It’s just becoming harder and harder to hide with each election cycle.

[Freddie]

15. Minority rule will be the end of this country

[CrispyQ]

16. Publicly funded elections would go a long way to fixing this country. -nt

[TheRickles]

18. Not sure if there's a way to fix the built-in problem with the Senate being unrepresentative.

For example, the total population of the 21 least populous states doesn't match California's population of 35 million. Yet they get 42 Senators to California's two!! That's why places like Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and, yes, West Virginia, have such a disproportionate influence in Congress.

It was one of the original compromises to get all 13 colonies on board back in 1776, and that's why there's no easy way to undo it.

[Traildogbob]

21. If the entire

Country could wake up and take our country pack from the oligarchs, we should all agree to vote for everybody that spends the “least amount” on a campaign. Totally ignore media promoted candidates, let em burn up their cash. Ask for bottom line receipts, those that will not release campaign spending, but, bye. Ridiculous I know. But it’s Christmas time, we can dream happy thoughts, right.

[Jon King]

24. Where did this America is a democracy myth ever get started?

I have no idea why America is referred to as a democracy. It simply is nothing close to a democracy in any way. Electoral college, Senate system, ability to out line districts with no guidelines, unlimited corporate donations.

We really need to stop this sick joke of pretending this is a democracy.

[Thunderbeast]

27. Vestigial structure from the Constitution to protect slavery.

The founders believed in a moral superiority of white gentleman farmers. The economic system that kept the "masters" in the plantation mansions using free labor was enshrined in the founding documents. The slave owners were tempted to go their own way, or stay under royal rule in order to preserve their economic system. In the antebellum south, human beings were, by far, the largest capital asset driving the agricultural economy.

In order to get all thirteen colonies to buy in to the revolution, small rural states were granted great political advantage.

[sarisataka]

26. There is an error in the second sentence

The US is not a "healthy democracy " or any other kind of democracy. It is a republic.

People use the terms interchangeably but they are not synonymous

[hay rick]

28. Democracies are fragile.

It's easier to break things than to fix them. Fixing looks different to different people and can only be accomplished by broad consensus or by force. We will likely continue to limp along in our current dysfunction until we hit a real crisis. Covid seems not to have been that crisis, although Omicron could still change that. My bet is on climate change to end our current experiment in self-governance.

[Zeitghost]

29. Our system

In no way allows a single Senator to thwart anything. The Constitution isn't hard to read or difficult to understand on this issue. Joe Manchin has a single 1 out of 100 vote just like every other Senator.

[former9thward]

34. Well, not exactly

The Senate is filled with rules. For example just one senator can put a "hold" on a nominee even though the majority want to confirm that nominee.

[kentuck]

33. In a 50/50 Senate, each of them has that same power.

Unfortunately, Manchin is in a strategic position where he can vote against his Party and be more popular in the next election.

In order to change that equation, we must change the 50/50 Senate.

[Duppers]

35. Just now posted in another thread before

Seeing this. Sorry.


Excellent point made: we need structural change.

[Uncle Joe]

36. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread kpete.