Thought experiment: What if the majority of Americans got to pick the president, the Senate majority and the House majority? What if there were no gerrymandering and no Citizens United? We would not have had a GOP president since Bush. We'd have 8 Dem nominated SCOTUS justices.
Everyone in the country would have health care coverage. The US would lead the global fight against the climate crisis. We would have reasonable gun control laws, better education, lower taxes for the middle class, a fairer tax system, and balanced budgets.
We would have had no Iraq War, no Guatanamo, no torture. We would have fought COVID with science and common sense. Hundreds of thousands at home and abroad would be alive today who are not now. Our system would be stronger. Our people would be more prosperous.
All this would be true if...if America had a real democracy, a system of majority rule, a system that did not give huge unfair advantages based on centuries old errors of judgment to less populated, less productive, less educated states.
If the majority actually ruled in the US we would be a better, stronger, healthier, happier, more successful nation.
But it doesn't. And because our system is rigged on behalf of the less educated, less tolerant & less productive, we are faltering and our democracy is weakening.
But it doesn't. And because our system is rigged on behalf of the less educated, less tolerant & less productive, we are faltering and our democracy is weakening.
For further thoughts on this, see my latest @TheDailyBeast or the articles I link to within it. (And if the paywall slows you down, it will be out from behind the paywall tomorrow. Please give it a read then.) https://www.thedailybeast.com/once-again-an-election-proves-that-red-america-is-the-real-moocher-class?ref=wrap