All aboard the Biden train!!

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cormorant
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Re: All aboard the Biden train!!

#61 Post by cormorant » Mon Sep 28, 2020 12:07 am

flash2015 wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:29 pm
orathaic wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:03 pm
flash2015 wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:58 pm
In my district Republicans are not even fielding a congressional candidate...which is nuts (there is something horribly wrong with the political system for this to happen).

The democrat is effectively running unopposed (there is a "conservative party" candidate...but he is unlikely to bother the scorers). In 2018 the democrat ran completely unopposed.
You could always run yourself on independent platform, offering an alternative to the Democrats. That way democracy isn't so broken, the people get a choice, and the two-party system, well it still sucks, but not having a republican candidate isn't the end of the world...
I am not saying it is wrong that a democrat wins...but I am concerned about democracy when there are no choices.
Not everyone lives in a competitive congressional district, but as a whole districting on the federal and state level has worked against Democrats.

Surely you agree that’s not the main thing at stake in this upcoming election?

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Re: All aboard the Biden train!!

#62 Post by flash2015 » Mon Sep 28, 2020 4:34 am

micha wrote:
Mon Sep 28, 2020 12:07 am
flash2015 wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:29 pm
orathaic wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:03 pm


You could always run yourself on independent platform, offering an alternative to the Democrats. That way democracy isn't so broken, the people get a choice, and the two-party system, well it still sucks, but not having a republican candidate isn't the end of the world...
I am not saying it is wrong that a democrat wins...but I am concerned about democracy when there are no choices.
Not everyone lives in a competitive congressional district, but as a whole districting on the federal and state level has worked against Democrats.

Surely you agree that’s not the main thing at stake in this upcoming election?
No, I am not saying it is the most important thing in this election, just one of many issues with the US electoral system.

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Re: All aboard the Biden train!!

#63 Post by orathaic » Mon Sep 28, 2020 2:20 pm

flash2015 wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:29 pm
orathaic wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:03 pm
You could alwaysrun yourself on independent platform, offering an alternative to the Democrats. That way democracy isn't so broken, the people get a choice, and the two-party system, well it still sucks, but not having a republican candidate isn't the end of the world...
I am not saying it is wrong that a democrat wins...but I am concerned about democracy when there are no choices.
I get that, hence my suggestion that an independent candidate provide choice. Living in a two party system must really suck, it turns out there are more than two options.

Living in a system with PR-STV, I usually don't have to think about it, because we have multiple far right parties scrambling to win any % of the right wing vote, and multi-seat constituencies, so even the major (centre right) parties run multiple candidates without hurting each other...

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Re: All aboard the Biden train!!

#64 Post by flash2015 » Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:11 pm

orathaic wrote:
Mon Sep 28, 2020 2:20 pm
flash2015 wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:29 pm
orathaic wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 11:03 pm
You could alwaysrun yourself on independent platform, offering an alternative to the Democrats. That way democracy isn't so broken, the people get a choice, and the two-party system, well it still sucks, but not having a republican candidate isn't the end of the world...
I am not saying it is wrong that a democrat wins...but I am concerned about democracy when there are no choices.
I get that, hence my suggestion that an independent candidate provide choice. Living in a two party system must really suck, it turns out there are more than two options.

Living in a system with PR-STV, I usually don't have to think about it, because we have multiple far right parties scrambling to win any % of the right wing vote, and multi-seat constituencies, so even the major (centre right) parties run multiple candidates without hurting each other...
Out of 435 House Members there is one independent/Libertarian (John Amash). The only reason he is independent is because he left the Republican party earlier this year. There is little or no chance given the current electoral system for people outside the main two parties to gain election.

Once they get to Washington, the primary job of a successful congressperson in the US is not making laws but raising money, they each spend several hours each day on the phones raising money for the next election.

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Re: All aboard the Biden train!!

#65 Post by flash2015 » Mon Sep 28, 2020 4:07 pm

One reason why they have to be raising money all the time is due to the Supreme Court striking down McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform in 2010 (Citizen's United - a 5-4 decision with all the for justices nominated by Republicans). The conservative Supreme Court did further damage to campaign finance laws with the McCutcheon v. FEC decision in 2014.

Yet another reason why the Supreme Court is so important.

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Re: All aboard the Biden train!!

#66 Post by orathaic » Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:01 pm

It is still a choice though, right?

But if that is the case about independents, what does wikipedia mean when it says this: "He is the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history, although he has a close relationship with the Democratic Party," - Bernie Sanders

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Re: All aboard the Biden train!!

#67 Post by flash2015 » Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:48 pm

orathaic wrote:
Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:01 pm
It is still a choice though, right?

But if that is the case about independents, what does wikipedia mean when it says this: "He is the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history, although he has a close relationship with the Democratic Party," - Bernie Sanders
A choice that is almost impossible to make a difference isn't a real choice. Y

That is the Senate, I was talking about the House. Yes you have two independents in two small northeastern states, Angus King (Maine) was a former Democrat governor turned independent and there is Bernie (Vermont). There is only one Bernie... :)

Even if you count these two it still only gets you to 3 out of 535.

Both parties actively work to get independents or small parties off ballots. Look how Democrats have been working hard via lawsuits to get the Green party candidate off the presidential ballot. Similarly the Republicans have been working hard to get rid of Libertarians from ballots too.

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Re: All aboard the Biden train!!

#68 Post by orathaic » Tue Sep 29, 2020 11:44 am

Should definitely form a reupicIican party and run as a 3rd party candidate so...
Especially if the Republicans don't want to run. Just make sure to run on an anti-imperial platform!
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