Today's @thenyt.bsky.social interactive by Jesse Wegman and @leedrutman.bsky.social may be the best and most compelling thing ever written on electoral reform in America. Seriously, it is MAGISTERIAL. (Thread) www.nytimes.com/interactive/... - ThreadSky

raders.bsky.social • 50 days ago

Today's @thenyt.bsky.social interactive by Jesse Wegman and @leedrutman.bsky.social may be the best and most compelling thing ever written on electoral reform in America. Seriously, it is MAGISTERIAL. (Thread)

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/14/opinion/fix-congress-proportional-representation.html

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thefool37.bsky.social•50 days ago

Good luck with that

raders.bsky.social•50 days ago

It starts with the problem, *the* problem in Congress. Lack! 👏 Of! 👏 Competition! 👏

And then builds from there to explain why that's a design choice and not just "well, the way it's gotta be!"

raders.bsky.social•50 days ago

But then, critically, it goes on to do what very very few have successfully done — and actually start to imagine how reform (switching to proportional representation) would change politics. It's kinda wild to even imagine this, but it's real and possible.

raders.bsky.social•50 days ago

It even models, quite compellingly I'll add, what election results would look like nationwide if we were allowed to pick a party that reflects our ideology and values instead of just "which of the two we dislike less."

raders.bsky.social•50 days ago

It even spells out how this radical change to American politics can happen through legislation — NOT constitutional amendment — with only eight words.

raders.bsky.social•50 days ago

Finally, it answers basically all the questions:
-Is this switching to a parliamentary government? NO
-Does this still work even with the Senate and the presidency? YES (in fact, it's winner-take-all + presidentialism that's a global outlier)
-Would Congress ever approve this? (Surprisingly, YES)

riskres.bsky.social•50 days ago

Entrenched party pols would make this idea look like a recipe for 3rd world chaos on socials. Maybe more ranked choice voting would be a way to chip away at the exclusionary primaries and get people interested in better representation? Revisiting ratio of reps to voters (1 per 750K?) is good idea.

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