We live in a center-left country with a democracy problem. - ThreadSky

lollardfish.bsky.social • 342 days ago

We live in a center-left country with a democracy problem.

Two-thirds of Americans are against laws that would limit transgender rights, a new PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll found. That opposition includes majorities of every political ideology from liberal to conservative and every age group.

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ajbl.bsky.social•342 days ago

"The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."
~W.B. Yeats

frankie-gomez.bsky.social•342 days ago

Oh my god, the U.S. is not center left.

stillstellar.bsky.social•342 days ago

what's the issue with democracy? i might need a little more elaboration because i'm shocked democracy is considered a problem now

orzufancylad.bsky.social•342 days ago

Fash have always hated democracy.

lollardfish.bsky.social•342 days ago

https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/progressive-nation-voter-suppression/

stillstellar.bsky.social•342 days ago

i think the article's heading is too much of a hyperbole. they pretty much said it's an issue of voter suppression, which isn't an issue of democracy itself, but it is an issue with our government. we do need better representation in government, but that statement is a bit misleading, to me.

pavlovforgoths.com•341 days ago

that's a valid take

valerietheitalian.bsky.social•342 days ago

what democracy?

stillstellar.bsky.social•342 days ago

is not the ability to vote some indicator of democracy? an ability that many people worked hard to earn for most of us? i know voter suppression is very real but the rest of us have the ability to do it at all, and choices to make, even if neither are ideal. we should use our votes responsibly

skirne.bsky.social•342 days ago

Being allowed to vote for candidates chosen for us by the oligarchy does not make the US a democracy. When is the last time the American people had the option of voting against Wall Street, the Pentagon or the endless push to privatize everything? We can't even vote against genocide.

valerietheitalian.bsky.social•342 days ago

Russians can vote too. Putin just isn't very good at setting up controlled opposition. We've perfected it. This is neoliberalism, the art of doing as much fascism as you can without breaking the plausible deniability of liberals, so that they will continue to think we live in a democracy.

stillstellar.bsky.social•338 days ago

i suppose i understand what you mean, but i still think this is all hyperbole borne out of anger. i get it, i really do, and i'm not inclined at all to give dems a pass for any lack of action. i'm just not sure what we're supposed to do, because it seems people are more content to sit out politics

stillstellar.bsky.social•338 days ago

altogether, as if that was actually going to do anything. i think we still have a chance (like how poland did) but it seems people are more willing to be "principled" than actually think about what's good for the country, down to things like logistics and funding for all of it.

breakify.bsky.social•342 days ago

stillstellar.bsky.social•338 days ago

okay. i don't really disagree with the article, though i wish it elaborated more. what's the takeaway though? that participation is inherently useless? what's the point of making that assertion, especially by the BBC? or should we think about making our votes more impactful and how?

stillstellar.bsky.social•338 days ago

this article is just a statement but i think we should think a little more deeply than just stating facts, as if they will resolve themselves. and no, i do not believe political non participation will do anything (looking at 2016...)

coffeecommunist.bsky.social•342 days ago

The problem is a lack of democracy. Public opinion has almost no impact on policy in this country.

wobblycpa.bsky.social•342 days ago

Far right country with a democracy problem, but sure.

jimmyfolk.bsky.social•342 days ago

The democracy problem is loud and clear… where else in the world the most voted candidate is not guaranteed to take office?

kbyrd.bsky.social•342 days ago

Split California into five medium-sized states?

theseattleute.bsky.social•342 days ago

Absolutely. I know that everybody knows this stat, but it bears repeating: the GOP has won the popular vote in a Presidential election once in the last 32 years.

samalbro.com•342 days ago

And that one time was with incumbency advantage.

dingdangdoohoo.bsky.social•342 days ago

uhm

dingdangdoohoo.bsky.social•342 days ago

the US is very right wing

lollardfish.bsky.social•342 days ago

That is what the right wing wants you to think. My piece from 2019 Is even more valid now post dobbs. https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/progressive-nation-voter-suppression/b

frankie-gomez.bsky.social•342 days ago

Frankly, the fact that you write for a major publication and think the U.S. is a center-left country is an embarrassment to said publication. Like have you ever even *read* anything about Europe? Canada? What right vs left means?

jucifer.bsky.social•342 days ago

idk for sure but i thought his statement was saying that the *citizens* are center left, +fact that gov doesn't reflect that= a structural problem (?)

frankie-gomez.bsky.social•342 days ago

Oh, I definitely don’t think so, bc when people here have said, “We’re center-right; look at how much racism we have everywhere,” he says, “No, the right wing just wants you to believe we’re right wing.”

dingdangdoohoo.bsky.social•342 days ago

enthusiastic anticommunists are never left anything

nowarbutclasswar.bsky.social•342 days ago

lol

dingdangdoohoo.bsky.social•342 days ago

no david

the US is very right wing

dingdangdoohoo.bsky.social•342 days ago

assuming i let other think for me is very insulting, historian

the US is very right wing

olliemcclellan.bsky.social•342 days ago

LOL. Tankie is insulted because no one takes him seriously. Incredible.

redscarepodcast.bsky.social•342 days ago

David , did you literally take a clothes iron to the dome?

pavlovforgoths.com•341 days ago

People in power still believe transphobia is popular becusse they're socially isolated. Meanwhile a melting pot country has found a new way to be nice to your neighbors you don't understand in the easiest way possible — leaving them alone.

stevo5567.bsky.social•342 days ago

Center-left? On what planet do you spend most of your time?

atlemar.bsky.social•342 days ago

And a center-right media.

m-rro.red•342 days ago

Senate and Electoral College

maraleia.bsky.social•342 days ago

And the corporate media is enabling the right wing Christofascists.

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