this post was submitted on 27 Jan 2025
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How do you solve the problem that half the country can't even be bothered to participate once every four years?
Don't get me wrong, I'm with you 100%, but how would we get people to engage with such a system?
I assume you're talking about the US electoral system?? That's very different.
By empowering them.
Consider how the current electoral system disempowers people:
Some people literally cannot vote or risk jeopardizing their job taking the day off, others face voter suppression tactics
The FPTP system (esp. spoiler effect) and the present political circumstances mean that there are really only two viable options for political parties for most people, so many feel that neither option represents them, let alone their individual positions on policy
Politics is widely considered to be corrupt and break electoral promises regularly. There is little faith in either party to represent voters
But, in a system where you are able to represent yourself at will, engagement is actually rewarding and meaningful. It won't magically make everyone care, but direct democracy alongside voter rights reform would likely make more people think it's worth polling.
I hope you're right. I would love to see it. I actually support mandatory voting like in Australia. With mostly current laws everyone could get a mail in ballot. If you don't want to participate just check that box at the top, sign it, and send it in.
Your system sounds much better but would require a lot more legislation.
Well, it would require more than just legislation change. Truth be told, in the US, a working democracy requires some form of revolution since the people holding all the power benefit from the broken system. But on the other hand, organizations and communities (including territories of hundreds of thousands) practicing direct democracy on a smaller scale have seen success with these strategies.
I think you’re victim blaming. I can’t blame half the country for not wanting to participate in a symbolic gesture that will have no impact on the end result in this corrupted system.
https://pnhp.org/news/gilens-and-page-average-citizens-have-little-impact-on-public-policy/