North Carolina Repubs Present Bill Declaring State Can Establish Official Religion

[Ksandra]

Yeah it does. If more people protest voted, it would give voice to the dis-satisfaction with the type of candidates being put forth.

Voting status quo simply kicks the problem down the road and gives both parties the green light to feed more of the same.

In theory, it's a great idea. But how easy is it to get enough people to do it to have any real effect? All I see happening sometimes is "WE MUST GET THE BLACK VOTE" and give some bs speech to convince blacks that the politician is on their side and will do things for them. Yet when they get into office, nothing changes.

I think a bigger thing is demanding kicking people out of office if they aren't doing what they promised.

[Eurell]

I think a bigger thing is demanding kicking people out of office if they aren't doing what they promised.

If only it were as simple as becoming president and just doing w/e you wanted.

[Niiro]

I think a bigger thing is demanding kicking people out of office if they aren't doing what they promised.

If only it were as simple as becoming president and just doing w/e you wanted.

Also known as qualities familiar to a parliamentary system.

Spoiler: show

Obvious oversimplification, PMs aren't ousted on a regular basis by any means and the party in power doesn't get to just pass sweeping legislation at will (or they would find themselves ousted on a regular basis) but the system is infinitely more efficient than the US's clusterfuck dual federalist model that pits government against itself at every turn.

[ronin sparthos]

In theory, it's a great idea. But how easy is it to get enough people to do it to have any real effect? All I see happening sometimes is "WE MUST GET THE BLACK VOTE" and give some bs speech to convince blacks that the politician is on their side and will do things for them. Yet when they get into office, nothing changes.

I think a bigger thing is demanding kicking people out of office if they aren't doing what they promised.

Its like all things: Easy to complain, hard to initiate action.

Its not hard folks and it starts with a few like all movements. Dont like the pols? Cast a ballot in protest. Enough people do it and it will make waves when Mickey Mouse registers on the ballots. Your vote for the lesser of two evils is a vote to keep the machine a churning. Not voting is simply laying the road to totalitarian government. Voting 3rd party that wont win is a vote against the two party system and a vote of clear conscience.

Use your rights or lose em. Its that simple.

[Niiro]

When your vote for the third party keeps the greater of two evils in office for prolonged periods of time I'm afraid that's when the plan kind of falls apart.

If you think after the situation goes on long enough that people are going to "wake up" and see that the party in power is shit then I'd say you need to better understand the relationship (or lack thereof) between perception and reality in politics.

[ronin sparthos]

Its a collective effort and it needs to start somewhere. Pulling the lever to cockblock is a short term win and a long term loss.

Again, in smaller races pulling for a 3rd party or voting in protest has more impact than a presidential race. Local races usually have very low turnout making your vote more potent.

[Blubbartron]

When your vote for the third party keeps the greater of two evils in office for prolonged periods of time I'm afraid that's when the plan kind of falls apart.

If you think after the situation goes on long enough that people are going to "wake up" and see that the party in power is shit then I'd say you need to better understand the relationship (or lack thereof) between perception and reality in politics.

This is exactly right. It's true that movements start slowly, and with but a few people, but we must take into account what will happen during the transition period. The thing that's especially fucked up is when the greater of two evils starts passing legislation that reduces the quality of education the population is receiving. Less educated people are more easily manipulated, and if the transition period takes too long you can end up with a society that calls you un-American because you don't believe in the same god (or any) that they do. From my point of view, I'm saying we're already fucked. Our only hope is pushing for more and better education, and maybe in 50-60 years when the next generations are the majority we'll have a shot at real change.

[ronin sparthos]

That strategy is viable in a presidential race- its why i levered for Obama - but in a local race you can infact oust people by voting outside the AB selections. Margins are small, turnout is low, legislation comes closer to home. You can either play defense forever or get on offense. Smaller races are the forum for that.

Hell, if people would take 20mins to look up a candidate before pulling the ideological lever we'd be better off but hey, apathy is quick and easy. It also has consequences.

[GoggleHead]

Its like all things: Easy to complain, hard to initiate action.

Its not hard folks and it starts with a few like all movements. Dont like the pols? Cast a ballot in protest. Enough people do it and it will make waves when Mickey Mouse registers on the ballots. Your vote for the lesser of two evils is a vote to keep the machine a churning. Not voting is simply laying the road to totalitarian government. Voting 3rd party that wont win is a vote against the two party system and a vote of clear conscience.

Use your rights or lose em. Its that simple.

Your platitudes sound lovely, but as a pragmatist I say you're full of shit. Throwing away my vote accomplishes nothing.

[Jaybar]

Your platitudes sound lovely, but as a pragmatist I say you're full of shit. Throwing away my vote accomplishes nothing.

You're like that annoying shard stuck between the cogs. There's no such thing as throwing away your vote in a Presidential race. Your vote hardly even mattered in the first place. One person won't flip an election, but a large number of people can. Stop being self-centered. It's thinking like this (Oh no my one single vote won't matter) that prevents the cogs of revolution to turn.

[ronin sparthos]

Your platitudes sound lovely, but as a pragmatist I say you're full of shit. Throwing away my vote accomplishes nothing.

Again, all movements start off as lovely platitudes compared to the reality of the present. That's the point, to motivate and inspire people to affect change.

Your vote is never wasted so long as you participate in the democratic process. You could show up to every election and vote for Barney Fife and it'd be doing your part to preserve a representative democracy. It's certainly better than the defeatist point of view crafted so carefully by people in the BG age bracket to justify being lazy. How many of the complainers vote in local elections for those positions that get virtually no airtime? You know, the elections where your vote probably really does matter? Where is your pragmatism then?

[Cyn]

The Write-In Revolution. rofl.

[GoggleHead]

Again, all movements start off as lovely platitudes compared to the reality of the present. That's the point, to motivate and inspire people to affect change.

Your vote is never wasted so long as you participate in the democratic process. You could show up to every election and vote for Barney Fife and it'd be doing your part to preserve a representative democracy. It's certainly better than the defeatist point of view crafted so carefully by people in the BG age bracket to justify being lazy. How many of the complainers vote in local elections for those positions that get virtually no airtime? You know, the elections where your vote probably really does matter? Where is your pragmatism then?

I vote in those elections too. The candidate selection isn't much better at the local level. The lower turnout doesn't fundamentally change the effects of voting for Mickey Mouse or whoever. If the selection of candidates is shit then your best course of action is to vote to prevent as much damage as possible. Voting for a candidate that has zero chance of winning accomplishes absolutely nothing. Every time.

[Eurell]

Voting for a candidate that has zero chance of winning accomplishes absolutely nothing. Every time.

For presidential elections, doesn't a 3rd party only need like 5% of the vote or something to be included in next years debates and shit?