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The thing about American Democracy, the thing is, right, voting, representatives, presidents, republicans, democrats... the purpose of a system is what it does, not what it says it does. What's it been doing your whole life?

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The system is only as good as the people in it. So your question is what have the people been doing my whole life? Most of the ones I know have been working daily to bend that moral arc of the universe towards justice. Sadly too many others have been in either apathy or contradiction to that.

My great-grandpa said most Americans were doing ok until corporations have prioritized shareholders, and stopped investing in their employees. Americans could buy single family homes with 1-5 years of yearly income. Higher education was free, etc. US gov needs to prioritize 99% of Americans.

If it's not possible to find a truly representative candidate - if the system itself prohibits it - in what sense do the people have agency? Making the best of a narrow filtered candidate pool is resignation, not representation. The purpose of a system is what it does.

What do you mean “a truly representative candidate”? Someone you agree 90-100% with? That rarely happens in democracies. You vote for the candidate / party that you feel is closest aligned. IMO equally important: has the skills and morality to deliver! Then after the election you stay engaged.

How much of the nation's political spectrum is reflected in the two valid parties we are allowed? Given low approval for both parties, can you acknowledge that not only are millions not being served, but the system exists to disenfranchise them? The purpose of a system is what it does.

What's the point of voting if they already know what's going to happen? If the same people would be in office if nobody casted ballots, what's the point? Just give the one with more money the office 90% of the time then flip and coin for the rest. Same results. open.substack.com/pub/mrnobody...

open.substack.comWe end up with the will of the people who made our voting system, congress. Not the people in our voting system. We are not voting.I am looking for mathematicians and data and cognitive scientists to collaborate and let more people have the chance to be aware of these ideas.

It allows me to know I have a Representative in Congress who speaks for me, who fights for my rights. A Representative I was able to vote for. I can vote for the most powerful person in the country who also works to ensure our rights when that person isn't an evil, demented lunatic.

Republicans start wars and give tax cuts to the wealthy. Democrats implement reforms and make progress where they can. That's what the two parties have done in my lifetime, so take your pick

Making the rich richer and the poor poorer "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country". Wrong. We need to demand our country do things for us or else WTF does it exist for?

Until recently, it was helping those who needed help, providing education, roads, vaccinations, etc., and generally, with exceptions, trying to make life better for us all. Now, however...