2020 US Election Thread

[TheBig3]

The only upshot to the popular vote is that it would force people to restructure in more major urban areas. Which is better for both society and the economy.

I'm tired of politicians throwing on a barn jacket, standing in front of a shut-down factory in Akron, and talking about bringing jobs back. The problem isn't policies. The problem is major factories only work in the suburbs if the rest of the globe is too nuked to function.

[OccultHawk]

Which is better for both society and the economy.

And the environment.

Good post.

[Anteater]

Originally Posted by jwb

That wouldn't happen lol. The parties shape themselves based on popular opinion. If the electoral college disappeared then both parties would be forced to change their electoral strategies, especially the Republicans. Or else they would be replaced by another party that could compete. The idea it would lead to a one party state is completely unfounded. Last time we lost a political party they were replaced immediately by the Republican party.

Very likely our national politics would move somewhat to the left, as a reflection of our actual population. But most likely the rural/urban split would remain. Except in this case the Republicans or their replacements would be competing not just for red or purple states but red or purple populations... Including many people living in blue states currently ignored by Republicans in the national elections. And the same would be true for Democrats in red states. I fail to see how this isn't an improvement.

I'd be fine with the electoral college going away if it led to the proliferation of other parties besides some variation of red versus blue at every turn. Maybe that's what it would actually take.

[OccultHawk]

Would you support an amendment that said that everybody has to run as an independent?

[Anteater]

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

Would you support an amendment that said that everybody has to run as an independent?

That's be almost refreshing compared to what we are dealing with today. Does anybody really want to sit through another televised DNC or RNC event?

[TheBig3]

Originally Posted by Anteater

I'd be fine with the electoral college going away if it led to the proliferation of other parties besides some variation of red versus blue at every turn. Maybe that's what it would actually take.

I will never see the appeal of new labels.

[jwb]

Originally Posted by TheBig3

The only upshot to the popular vote is that it would force people to restructure in more major urban areas. Which is better for both society and the economy.

I'm tired of politicians throwing on a barn jacket, standing in front of a shut-down factory in Akron, and talking about bringing jobs back. The problem isn't policies. The problem is major factories only work in the suburbs if the rest of the globe is too nuked to function.

the other upshot being a closer approximation to democracy...

Originally Posted by Anteater

I'd be fine with the electoral college going away if it led to the proliferation of other parties besides some variation of red versus blue at every turn. Maybe that's what it would actually take.

most likely not. When I said they could be replaced by another party I meant just that... Two parties with one of them switched. Our style of government lends itself to two party rule.

[TheBig3]

Originally Posted by jwb

the other upshot being a closer approximation to democracy...

Is democracy good? The shaven apes that drive around this country in cars they don't need, eating food they largely waste, and screaming at televisions are given to emotional swings. You should have a few barries in the way to slow down those emotional knee-jerks.

The electoral college is supposed to give weight to geography, at a time where that mattered more. We didn't account for the shrinking of the nation. Direct democracy doesn't solve for that (imo).

[jwb]

Imo it was a sorta incentive (bribe) to get smaller states to join the union. Now that they're all in and we settled the whole "can a state secede?" question with the civil war, we don't need to keep bribing the hillfolk.

As for shaven apes etc.. That's an argument against democracy in general, not just our particular form of representative democracy. I will be honest and say i would defintely prefer a dictatorship as long as it were my kind of dictator... But that's the trouble with dictators.. It's always a massive gamble.

But as long as you are on board with our type of democracy, understand that the electoral college doesn't deprive the shaven apes of their power. It just favors the shaven apes from the country over the ones from the city. And rumor has it half the country apes aren't even quite shaved.

[OccultHawk]

Originally Posted by TheBig3

Is democracy good?

It is so impossible to get people to answer this question honestly.