How to strengthen our democracy?
How to strengthen our democracy?
Democracy relies on the strength and independence of its institutions, such as the judiciary, media, and electoral systems. However, these institutions are not immune to challenges. What reforms or measures can be taken to ensure their effectiveness, transparency, and accountability? How can we restore public trust in democratic institutions?
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
We really need another constitutional convention, where we redesign our government from the ground up. I like the 2-executive approach of some governments (a president for looks and a PM as a policy wonk to handle the policy side). Get ride of equal representation by state of the senate, which is something the US doesn't even recommend when it helps other democracies get started. Rework the constitution and amendments into something much more appropriate for our modern times. But this is all a pipe dream with absolutely no chance of happening, let alone in today's climate.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
I don't think it's a coincidence that when the US helps install democracies in other countries, they use a parliamentary system and not the system we have here. Under a parliamentary system you still can maintain minority representation and avoid the problems of our polarizing/extremist-catering democracy.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
I'd prefer to have much more than 2 parties, and to have to build coalitions in order to govern, rather than this 1 to 2 representative majority that steamrolls the rest of the country.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
And our judiciary needs a good overhaul. Ban the Federalist Society.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
I think these Clarence Thomas revelations are breathtaking and I don't understand why nobody cares. I think it's clear that he was bought. That he was a bought judge on the highest court in the land. Disgusting.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
And Scalia.
Any time the solution is "banjo rifle", I'm in 100%.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
Far right is on a steady, urgent campaign to destroy trust in all those institutions before it has to bank on the mistrust to seize power rather than win elections. It's chilling but here we are. Pandemic helped the cause; these people will insist no public health measure helped and the experts were all dodos - the million dead in the US disappeared by sheer magic.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
And I heard that Joe Manchin is seriously thinking about running as a third party candidate. Which would shuffle Trump back into office against Biden. This is how democracies fall. This is how you become an Erdogan-run "democracy."
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
That jackass. I have a hard time believing he'll actually do it but don't know him well enough to predict. He's a particularly loathed figure among the Democrats, and has almost nothing new or interesting to offer versus Biden or a different Democratic party candidate, so I wonder why he would bother. I don't know he could manage a spoiler role, that's how unpopular he would be.
Another one who disturbs me is that Marianne Williamson chick who is apparently loved by millennials. The heck is wrong with people. Unlike the fraud... I forget her name but it was the one from Hawaii who was running for the Democratic nomination despite being some kind of Russian neofascist plant who has no Democratic ideals whatsoever -- Marianne Williamson apparently is legit some kind of peace lovin hippie who appeals to the hippie millennials. The Boomers and millennials are such large generations - maybe the Gen Z voters would save us from this looney tunes situation but there aren't enough of them.
Another one who disturbs me is that Marianne Williamson chick who is apparently loved by millennials. The heck is wrong with people. Unlike the fraud... I forget her name but it was the one from Hawaii who was running for the Democratic nomination despite being some kind of Russian neofascist plant who has no Democratic ideals whatsoever -- Marianne Williamson apparently is legit some kind of peace lovin hippie who appeals to the hippie millennials. The Boomers and millennials are such large generations - maybe the Gen Z voters would save us from this looney tunes situation but there aren't enough of them.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
Okay this is a serious answer to the original question:
Trust in bigger institutions is lost when people feel a sense of mistrust in their day-to-day life as well. I think we're suffering from an epidemic of mistrust in this country that comes from so many different directions at once. And all of that mistrust serves the interest of the far right and foreign enemies of the US. There are probably many reasons our enemies invest in messing with social media and our public discourse, but one of the big ones is to sow the seeds of this kind of mistrust we feel all the time, day to day. It doesn't matter who is mistrusting whom for the damage to occur. The mistrust that BLM supporters feel for institutions, for example, is just as much fuel for the overall problem as the mistrust that farmers feel for the federal government even when this stance is not in their interests.
So what fixes and reestablishes trust? In a nutshell, it's letting people know that you observe the rules that you want them to observe. Failure to do this is when everything starts breaking down. Take the example of masks, which is not perfect because people wearing them can also expect some protection from others around them, but clearly one effect of wearing a mask is that you're protecting the people around you. You're limiting yourself and regulating your own behavior to the benefit of others. But people are so f***** up mentally that they don't even see that this is happening, and instead mock the people who wear the masks and harass them. It's unbelievable but there we are.
So when people aren't even recognizing behaviors that demonstrate responsibility and the willingness to follow rules to help others, the problem is pretty bad, because things you would normally do to communicate that you're a good and trustworthy citizen and part of a system where people can trust each other are not even working anymore.
At that point I think the best we can do is address the most visceral and emotional ways people feel mistrust of others right now, even if those things seem stupid or wrong. The expressions of mistrust I hear a lot right now involve people who feel really personally targeted by crazy right-wing politics. They feel like no one gives a s*** about their actual lives or deaths. So people on the right who actually do want to be good citizens and convince their political opponents that they're still trustworthy partners need to do something to demonstrate they will respect constraints and not harm the people who fear this harm. It builds trust, for instance, when people who were generically pro-life are able to step back and acknowledge the legitimate fears women have about damage to their lives and families. Even better when a legislator who had previously been pro-life recognizes that there's a big difference between six or 10 or 14 weeks, when it comes to legislating abortion.
Likewise, If I had to characterize the mistrust felt by people on the right, when I hear them saying is they super much hate being called racist even when they are being racists, and they're terrified that lawless and degenerate people are going to take over. They don't feel safe anywhere anymore, or like they can say what they want to say without being dismissed and attacked.
Example: The emotional outpouring of support for the guy who choked the man to death on the subway was something to see. It reflects this total mistrust of being in a public situation without fear. The fear of an unhinged but unarmed homeless man ranting and raving nearby is so great that people are completely comfortable with extrajudicial murder as the logical next step. No qualms about it at all. Think about the emotional state of fear and mistrust you have to be in in order to think it's a great idea to randomly slaughter people on the subway because they're yelling and making you feel threatened.
So the only way to deal with that to let these people know - Even if we think they're totally in the wrong - that they don't need to be so damn afraid. Behavior around them is going to be regulated. They're not being threatened. They can defend themselves. They can remain in a safe enclave without having to worry about anything. Unfortunately the only way you can do that is by letting them try it and then find out that it's okay. Baby steps.
A big part of it imo on the right is countering the constant drum beat of misinformation people absorb from media, telling them that the world is a terrible frightening s*** hole and they can't trust anybody. Media is putting people in this frame of mind where they feel ready to shoot someone who appears at the doorstep just because they appeared there. So individuals can try demonstrating that they are worthy of trust and it's okay to step out without fear, but at some point you have to turn off the spigot of fear juice.
Trust in bigger institutions is lost when people feel a sense of mistrust in their day-to-day life as well. I think we're suffering from an epidemic of mistrust in this country that comes from so many different directions at once. And all of that mistrust serves the interest of the far right and foreign enemies of the US. There are probably many reasons our enemies invest in messing with social media and our public discourse, but one of the big ones is to sow the seeds of this kind of mistrust we feel all the time, day to day. It doesn't matter who is mistrusting whom for the damage to occur. The mistrust that BLM supporters feel for institutions, for example, is just as much fuel for the overall problem as the mistrust that farmers feel for the federal government even when this stance is not in their interests.
So what fixes and reestablishes trust? In a nutshell, it's letting people know that you observe the rules that you want them to observe. Failure to do this is when everything starts breaking down. Take the example of masks, which is not perfect because people wearing them can also expect some protection from others around them, but clearly one effect of wearing a mask is that you're protecting the people around you. You're limiting yourself and regulating your own behavior to the benefit of others. But people are so f***** up mentally that they don't even see that this is happening, and instead mock the people who wear the masks and harass them. It's unbelievable but there we are.
So when people aren't even recognizing behaviors that demonstrate responsibility and the willingness to follow rules to help others, the problem is pretty bad, because things you would normally do to communicate that you're a good and trustworthy citizen and part of a system where people can trust each other are not even working anymore.
At that point I think the best we can do is address the most visceral and emotional ways people feel mistrust of others right now, even if those things seem stupid or wrong. The expressions of mistrust I hear a lot right now involve people who feel really personally targeted by crazy right-wing politics. They feel like no one gives a s*** about their actual lives or deaths. So people on the right who actually do want to be good citizens and convince their political opponents that they're still trustworthy partners need to do something to demonstrate they will respect constraints and not harm the people who fear this harm. It builds trust, for instance, when people who were generically pro-life are able to step back and acknowledge the legitimate fears women have about damage to their lives and families. Even better when a legislator who had previously been pro-life recognizes that there's a big difference between six or 10 or 14 weeks, when it comes to legislating abortion.
Likewise, If I had to characterize the mistrust felt by people on the right, when I hear them saying is they super much hate being called racist even when they are being racists, and they're terrified that lawless and degenerate people are going to take over. They don't feel safe anywhere anymore, or like they can say what they want to say without being dismissed and attacked.
Example: The emotional outpouring of support for the guy who choked the man to death on the subway was something to see. It reflects this total mistrust of being in a public situation without fear. The fear of an unhinged but unarmed homeless man ranting and raving nearby is so great that people are completely comfortable with extrajudicial murder as the logical next step. No qualms about it at all. Think about the emotional state of fear and mistrust you have to be in in order to think it's a great idea to randomly slaughter people on the subway because they're yelling and making you feel threatened.
So the only way to deal with that to let these people know - Even if we think they're totally in the wrong - that they don't need to be so damn afraid. Behavior around them is going to be regulated. They're not being threatened. They can defend themselves. They can remain in a safe enclave without having to worry about anything. Unfortunately the only way you can do that is by letting them try it and then find out that it's okay. Baby steps.
A big part of it imo on the right is countering the constant drum beat of misinformation people absorb from media, telling them that the world is a terrible frightening s*** hole and they can't trust anybody. Media is putting people in this frame of mind where they feel ready to shoot someone who appears at the doorstep just because they appeared there. So individuals can try demonstrating that they are worthy of trust and it's okay to step out without fear, but at some point you have to turn off the spigot of fear juice.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
This is kind of tangentially related, but if you'd like to see the evidence of community destruction in action, the social media stuff that brings people together with others in their neighborhood is the worst of the worst. The most depraved discussions are happening in the neighborhood group chat or social media page. What is wrong with people and is this a universal of human nature or is there a solution?
A significant chunk of people is living in absolute terror and rage against ANY PERSON who shows up on their property, driveway, doorstep, or parked on the street outside their house. The same people who would rage against the use of cell phones while driving will have an aneurysm if you dare to stop driving, perch anywhere along their street, and take care of your phone business. You will be put on someone's Ring camera and plastered on the internets. This has not happened to me but it's a daily thing for other anonymous victims. If you approach someone's house for some innocuous person, likewise, you can expect they are asking terrified questions about who you might be and loading up their shotguns just in case.
If your dog is out in the winter, you're a wicked, cruel dog owner. If your dog is out in the summer, same. If your dog is out doing dog things happily but someone else doesn't think your dog should be out, you should be imprisoned for at least a few years. Nobody should have a dog off leash, but if an offleash dog harasses your dog, then you're to blame for any harm that comes to the loose dog. But if a human shows up on your property off leash, you can and probably should murder them in cold blood. I didn't make these rules, I'm just reporting the opinions of the locals. I LIVE AMONG THESE YAHOOS. I'm scared to deal with them too now, because they are all packing.
WHY
Message to the universe
WHY
A significant chunk of people is living in absolute terror and rage against ANY PERSON who shows up on their property, driveway, doorstep, or parked on the street outside their house. The same people who would rage against the use of cell phones while driving will have an aneurysm if you dare to stop driving, perch anywhere along their street, and take care of your phone business. You will be put on someone's Ring camera and plastered on the internets. This has not happened to me but it's a daily thing for other anonymous victims. If you approach someone's house for some innocuous person, likewise, you can expect they are asking terrified questions about who you might be and loading up their shotguns just in case.
If your dog is out in the winter, you're a wicked, cruel dog owner. If your dog is out in the summer, same. If your dog is out doing dog things happily but someone else doesn't think your dog should be out, you should be imprisoned for at least a few years. Nobody should have a dog off leash, but if an offleash dog harasses your dog, then you're to blame for any harm that comes to the loose dog. But if a human shows up on your property off leash, you can and probably should murder them in cold blood. I didn't make these rules, I'm just reporting the opinions of the locals. I LIVE AMONG THESE YAHOOS. I'm scared to deal with them too now, because they are all packing.
WHY
Message to the universe
WHY
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
After a break I gathered a little perspective - when all you see is communications from the dark side, it needs to be broken up by some light from elsewhere for a while!
Anyway, here are some constructive things I observed during absence from the Constant Fear Narrative:
The "buy nothing" groups that have sprung up across the country as a next logical step from people trying to sell stuff online. Why not give the better stuff away directly, vs. diverting through a secondhand seller? I give most of our surplus to a local thrift shop that reinvests the $ in a community garden (more on this below), but when there are specific items good for the purpose, I'm trying to give them away via Buy Nothing. You make many little contacts with people in your area, and the whole relationship is a trust and goodwill building exercise. We are looking out for others, trying to pass on stuff they need, and we can coordinate together to make this happen.
It's practice, essentially, using social media for a beneficial thing that makes people feel good about their community, instead of walled in, feverishly reporting pictures of the latest kid in a hoodie to walk down their sidewalk at 9 pm on a weeknight.
The community garden - this time of year in some places, maybe year round in others. What better thing than to be able to contribute a little labor and get a little bonus for your meals in return? Relationships are built, people care about a physical location and site together, work on improving it, and benefit in the process. Even the people who never work on it SEE it there, and know this constructive group activity is happening.
There's also a local plant exchange (and sub-kinds thereof) where people swap, or when certain times of season that a plant is dug, like hostas, people can trade varietals. Not quite as good as the garden enterprise but still a positive, where you make a small friendship with a stranger based on something you're doing to beautify and create.
The little free library - I know there are arguments against, but assuming you have a local library system that is not being undermined, and you're able to distribute these goods around, it's a great system for trust-building. People LOVE these things, they're very popular, especially for readers of mysteries, sci-fi, romance, and other series where you go through a lot of quick reads quickly, and for kids who constantly need a supply of books. You regularly see people congregating around them. Everyone gangs up when a bad actor is found to be stealing the books, and makes sure the trust honor system works. The whole thing is based on gifting and trust.
So, these are small things but it is good to have very local ways of rebuilding the trust people aren't feeling nowadays.
Anyway, here are some constructive things I observed during absence from the Constant Fear Narrative:
The "buy nothing" groups that have sprung up across the country as a next logical step from people trying to sell stuff online. Why not give the better stuff away directly, vs. diverting through a secondhand seller? I give most of our surplus to a local thrift shop that reinvests the $ in a community garden (more on this below), but when there are specific items good for the purpose, I'm trying to give them away via Buy Nothing. You make many little contacts with people in your area, and the whole relationship is a trust and goodwill building exercise. We are looking out for others, trying to pass on stuff they need, and we can coordinate together to make this happen.
It's practice, essentially, using social media for a beneficial thing that makes people feel good about their community, instead of walled in, feverishly reporting pictures of the latest kid in a hoodie to walk down their sidewalk at 9 pm on a weeknight.
The community garden - this time of year in some places, maybe year round in others. What better thing than to be able to contribute a little labor and get a little bonus for your meals in return? Relationships are built, people care about a physical location and site together, work on improving it, and benefit in the process. Even the people who never work on it SEE it there, and know this constructive group activity is happening.
There's also a local plant exchange (and sub-kinds thereof) where people swap, or when certain times of season that a plant is dug, like hostas, people can trade varietals. Not quite as good as the garden enterprise but still a positive, where you make a small friendship with a stranger based on something you're doing to beautify and create.
The little free library - I know there are arguments against, but assuming you have a local library system that is not being undermined, and you're able to distribute these goods around, it's a great system for trust-building. People LOVE these things, they're very popular, especially for readers of mysteries, sci-fi, romance, and other series where you go through a lot of quick reads quickly, and for kids who constantly need a supply of books. You regularly see people congregating around them. Everyone gangs up when a bad actor is found to be stealing the books, and makes sure the trust honor system works. The whole thing is based on gifting and trust.
So, these are small things but it is good to have very local ways of rebuilding the trust people aren't feeling nowadays.
Re: How to strengthen our democracy?
There's a group called Defend Democracy that is fighting the book-banning efforts of the inaccurately named "Moms for Liberty". There's also a group that donates LGBT books to libraries targeted by the "Hide the Pride" Catholic organization that encourages members either to check out all the LGBT books in the Pride display so that nobody else can do it (I have questions but not now), and literally hides the books in a wrong place within the library stacks so they cannot be located and used by other patrons.
Fighting these efforts to undermine democracy and freedom of thought seems like a positive way to strengthen the democracy as a whole. It's not so much about rebuilding trust and bonds with others, but most people do not like book banning and in particular, targeting LGBT youth by trying to get rid of books is a very hostile act that makes people feel unwanted and excluded in their own community. The books targeted include things like biographies of famous gay persons who did good in the world - really crackpot hate motivated stuff.
Fighting these efforts to undermine democracy and freedom of thought seems like a positive way to strengthen the democracy as a whole. It's not so much about rebuilding trust and bonds with others, but most people do not like book banning and in particular, targeting LGBT youth by trying to get rid of books is a very hostile act that makes people feel unwanted and excluded in their own community. The books targeted include things like biographies of famous gay persons who did good in the world - really crackpot hate motivated stuff.