You don't vote for people who don't represent you.

Our first past the post voting system is mathematically flawed to always result in a two party system through strategic voting.

People are not free to vote for who best represents them because they would let someone who represents them even less win the election.

While this spoiler effect is inherent in First Past The Post voting, there are other voting systems where there is no spoiler effect.

So here we are, chained in the trunk of the car these two legacy political parties drove off a cliff into a river.

And the Water rises.. take a deep breath.

Take a moment to stop focusing on the day-to-day so we can go out and water our trees.

Representatives chosen by sortition like jury duty would be more representative compared to what we currently have, and that's such a wild thought.

I don't think people realize how much graft is built into the system.

• Bribery is near impossible to prove. (Thanks SCOTUS)
• You can effectively keep left over campaign funds.
• Insider trading does not apply to you.
• Your paycheck is expected to cover 2 offices, staff at each, 2 homes, frequent travel between them, and your political advisors.
• Fundraising is organized by the party, stay on their good side and you get help and resources to raise money. Introduced to the right people, etc. Get on the wrong side and get cut off.

It's no wonder our elected representatives treat small donations like mana from heaven, we're effectively paying them. And they treat the capitol building like a stock trading room because that's their real retirement fund, their key to independence from the party.

Could we start discussing credible strategies to reverse this situation, or at least improve that number somehow?

I say this constantly, and everyone nods along happily when I say it, but almost nobody does it. What is it? It's getting involved in your local politics.

The federal government, the US congress and senate and all the executive branch.... they're all supported and propped up by powerful institutions within the states that got powerful because nobody paid it any attention and still don't. People get elected to represent us who run without opposition and then we wonder why nothing seems to change.

If you get involved with knowing who in your neighborhood, your school district, your city, your county and your state represent you, and then challenging that representation in any way you can, from actually running all the way to just getting on those horrible neighborhood forums and holding yard-sales to get to know your neighbors.

GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS. Jesus, this country is terrible about this one huge thing that could change everything, which is reforming communities. We scream and cry how bad the world is and make ZERO effort to make it better by forming support systems within neighborhoods. I mean fuck, most suburban neighborhoods have nothing else to do, might as well have some bake sales and yard sales and jogging groups and other things to help get to know each other, right? Or has all our cynicism completely overshadowed any possible chance of ever forming friendly communities in the US?

Get involved with Represent.Us, the site that was linked to.

They have a pretty good strategy, and they have been making progress.

Governance is discouraging because it’s complex. And when things are complex, it’s difficult to see progress and it’s easy to predict that there will be problems.

It’s also difficult (and unrewarding) to have serious conversations about this stuff on social media.

The posts get too long, with no satisfying simplistic conclusion, and even if you make an incredible magnum opus of a post that acknowledges enough complexity to be realistic while also being short and snappy enough to catch people’s attention… it drops off of the trending posts algorithm after a day.

As long as there is money to be made in politics the common man will be trodden upon. Good luck getting the people making all the money to change the laws.

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

Municipal, provincial, federal. I don't fucking know how your country works just fucking vote. Pretty pleaaaaaase.

I did, and the primary to. Then the people who I voted alongside of talked massive shit about me because I didn't smile hard enough while voting for "the most pro-labor president".

Then they didn't do anything to fix the First Past the Post voting system and the spoiler effect that comes along side it. Despite lecturing people over and over about its mathematical flaws whenever anyone mentioned voting outside the two party system.

I will vote for your blue conservatives, but don't try to fool me that I am represented with things as they are.

Is this a reference to some news article or did you get to have a chat with the FBI or something? I respect and support your First Amendment rights if it was the latter.

That would be nice in the future. Unfortunately, the modern Web is not even in the ballpark of being secure enough for something like that (and it's trending worse, not better).

Technology, yes. Shitshow? Definitely.

Joining/starting unions and mass strikes would be much faster if you are able. Sure, vote too, but the premise of this post specifically says they don't care what you think. Make them care.

Take over the democratic party with actual leftists. If the fascists can do it with the GOP, we can do it with leftists/the DNC.