Election, democracy, Hong Kong and the US
This is a 7 minute video that looks at the way money has reduced the voter population that counts down to a handful. Sure, we all get to vote, but it’s the things that happen before the final vote that makes the real decision. How often do we hear that there is no one to choose, we have no choice? My response is: Did you vote in the primary? I think the greater work done by money regarding controlling the election results is during the primary runs. The media looking at this as a celebrity contest and reporting it as such (Dean scream of joy turned into a negative) combined with lack of voter participation just makes it too easy for the money to be determinate in a primary.
The comparison of what we have created in the US to Hong Kong is based on this ability of a few to determine who the many have to choose from. In the US, the filter is money. In Hong Kong it is by law. This video makes if simple enough for anyone to understand, including those who learn about life from the Fox news system.
We can not count on our media system to inform the populace as to the mechanics of our current electoral process. They are no longer free of conflict of interest. An election is now a major source of income/profit and the media is doing just as we have come to accept a private for profit business do in our version of capitalism. Though it was not always just about profit or profit primary vs secondary. It has perverted the intent of the 1st amendment as it relates to the ideals mine and my former generation were taught regarding our version of democracy.
I was surprised from the video just how close we are to having success in changing the way we fund our elections. 10 votes in the Senate. 10!
Hi Daniel:
“IF”
A pretty strong word there. Quite a few of us have been pushing back on the cheerleaders for nonsense to no avail. 132 of the 35,000 and the 162,000. Not many; but, it is almost impossible.
A great presentation. I would suggest the German answer to the Hong Kong/US problem — and you know what that is.
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We have socialists, we have Austrian economists and every flavor of economic/political opinion in between. Where are America’s “centralized bargain-ists” (should be a movement all over the world even in labor organized countries) — pushing the one labor market system that, world-wide for three-quarters of a century (starting with the Teamsters Union in Detroit in the 1930s), has consistently delivered fair and balanced economies and societies?
[snip]
Equal funding and lobbying to go with our 99% of the vote. The American people are not stupid — but they (we) are abysmally ignorant about exactly what is happening to them (labor union evaporation). When are progressives going to start telling them the simplicity of the problem and the equally simple legislative solution?
Another idea would be to match all private donations with government funds. Incumbents would hide from donors. But, you will have to cut the political Gordian knot by electing a newly progressive Congress first. Newly elected even is same old Congresspersons — just working for us now.
Daniel, thanks. We all look for answers in complexity’s, when the simple solution is staring us in the face alludes us.