The problem is much worse than Joe Manchin or Krysten Sinema. We're facing an existential crisis centuries in the making and half-measures aren't going to cut it. Luckily, there are options.
Absolutely! Statehood for Puerto Rico and D.C., expand the Court, term limits for Justices, it ALL needs to be on the table, openly discussed, even threatened. Every change is impossible until suddenly it's inevitable.
Thanks for another powerful poke in the eye. A few things. The challenges you identify are not just American, but are systemic and global. The context in which your founding fathers framed America's institutions, framed many of the other subsequent democracies. Clearly though, if democracy breaks in America, it will likely break everywhere - so the stakes in your democracy are absolute. I'm a little less inclined to assign blame, but believe we need to be more focused on agreeing that current leadership systems and structures - institutions and the leaders that lead them - are clearly insufficient to the mid 21st century. Systemically and globally. I agree too that if something very substantive doesn't change, we are destined for chaos. Who knows what or who emerges? I believe there's another option. A Plan B for humanity. Let me know what you think!
Agreed that it's a global problem, but Americans are clearly suffering from being one of the first countries to establish a democratic system. The founders, seeing that the poor were more numerous and could easily vote to take away all their stuff, built in all the "safeguards" that Jared mentions. Elites in countries that became Democratic later could see the the poor really weren't such a threat, and could easily be persuaded to vote with the interests of the wealthier classes or even to drop out entirely from participation in politics. Even in countries without all the clanking machinery of an Electoral College or a Senate, the poor just aren't as much of a threat as the founders envisioned.
I always wondered why the founders didn't simply establish an American parliament. All other democratic nations have parliaments and no one else has adopted the American system. Why reach all the way back to ancient Rome and its Senate?
Absolutely! Statehood for Puerto Rico and D.C., expand the Court, term limits for Justices, it ALL needs to be on the table, openly discussed, even threatened. Every change is impossible until suddenly it's inevitable.
Thanks for another powerful poke in the eye. A few things. The challenges you identify are not just American, but are systemic and global. The context in which your founding fathers framed America's institutions, framed many of the other subsequent democracies. Clearly though, if democracy breaks in America, it will likely break everywhere - so the stakes in your democracy are absolute. I'm a little less inclined to assign blame, but believe we need to be more focused on agreeing that current leadership systems and structures - institutions and the leaders that lead them - are clearly insufficient to the mid 21st century. Systemically and globally. I agree too that if something very substantive doesn't change, we are destined for chaos. Who knows what or who emerges? I believe there's another option. A Plan B for humanity. Let me know what you think!
https://www.boombigideas.com/p/do-you-think-the-world-needs-a-plan
Agreed that it's a global problem, but Americans are clearly suffering from being one of the first countries to establish a democratic system. The founders, seeing that the poor were more numerous and could easily vote to take away all their stuff, built in all the "safeguards" that Jared mentions. Elites in countries that became Democratic later could see the the poor really weren't such a threat, and could easily be persuaded to vote with the interests of the wealthier classes or even to drop out entirely from participation in politics. Even in countries without all the clanking machinery of an Electoral College or a Senate, the poor just aren't as much of a threat as the founders envisioned.
great article - so many good points. reading American Rules now - learning so much. our system really needs to change.
I always wondered why the founders didn't simply establish an American parliament. All other democratic nations have parliaments and no one else has adopted the American system. Why reach all the way back to ancient Rome and its Senate?
Beautiful!! A clear, encouraging call to action