Democracy

 The Greeks started the idea and modern society improved on it.  It is the best guard against the collapse of societies.  It is called Democracy and its main purpose is to throw the rascals out before they become too attached to their seats.  

 

The further we stray from 'one man one vote', the greater the chance of collapse.  America is straying further and further from Democracy with her denial of voting registration, obstruction of voting, reduced voting stations, location of the remaining few voting stations in 'favorable locations', gerrymandering and the ridiculous delegate system.

  

She augments the rot by allowing vested interests to buy politicians by financing their elections, making them rich while in office and giving them 'sweet jobs' when they leave office.  Trump almost trashed the most important, totally vital aspect of Democracy which is the peaceful transition of power following an election. This is the last aspect of democracy that still exists in America.

 

Look at 'Mickey Mouse' states around the world.  They never have a peaceful transition of power.  And there is a  fear is that the  rot could spread to other states which at present are Democratic.  Potential despots exist in all societies and memes- both good and bad, spread.  If tRUMP and tRUMPISM  (sorry, my cap lock got stuck) is not defeated in America, the example will spread to other countries and we will sink into a very ugly world.

 

If Trump and the Republican party succeeds, other so called right wing parties around the world  will be taking heart and trying it on for size.  If Trump is jailed for a good long time and the American election system is reformed, this will also provide an salutary example for other would be despots.

 

If the Democrats get in, in the November elections*, they will have the chance to reform the system.  This will be their one and only chance.  If they don't codify reforms in law, the Trumpists will be elected in some future election and will destroy America and the remnants of democracy that she still has.  It could just enough to save America from becoming a dictatorship by Oligarchs.

 

Jan1, 2025 - clearly Trump won the election* and the only hope now is that it will be so bad under his administration that people will finally wake up, elect a huge Democratic majority and demand true democratic reform. Perhaps the situation must get so bad that  the abysmally  ignorant half  of the American public will finally wake up.  I doubt it.  I have almost unlimited faith in the ignorance of  vast swathes of the American public.

 

*Or did he.  I have seen an analysis that the election was won by an egregious level of discarding votes on the most spurious of reasons by partizan election officials.  This analysis showed that there was a high probability that Harris actually won the election.  Perhaps there is a silver lining in all this - an unexpected consequence that acts in our favor.  If Harris had won, it would have been by a small majority.  Certain aspects of American policy require a super majority to change.  A simple majority is not enough.  Perhaps it will be so bad under Trump that the Democrats will get the needed super majority needed to reform the system.

 

So what measures must be taken.

 

1.  First and most important all financial connection between members of the government and people who finance them must be severed.  We think we are gaining some sort of benefit by someone else paying for the election of our president, Senators and Representatives but it is costing us vast amounts in ways both obvious and not so obvious. 

If we want our government to serve us and not to serve the Oligarchs, we must pay for their elections from the exchequer.  https://mtkass.blogspot.com/2018/01/wasted-effort.html  This must include stopping the various ways of making our elected officials rich while in office and getting sweet jobs when they leave office.

 

2.  The delegate system must be scrapped.  It simply results in more layers of corruption.  The basic requirement of Democracy is one man one vote.  The popular vote must be what elects all elected officials. THE FURTHER A SOCIETY STRAYS FROM ONE MAN ONE VOTE, THE MORE VULNERABLE SHE IS TO COLLAPSE

 

3.  A set of principles, codified in law, must be developed to determine voting districts.  This disgraceful gerrymandering must be stopped.  It will be very difficult to achieve such a system.

 

4.  Vastly more polling stations must be set up and specifically set up in less privileged areas.  It is now difficult to impossible for many Americans to get to a polling station.

 

5.  If someone is waiting in line to vote before the end of voting, they must be allowed to vote even if the polling station has to stay open all night.  Using delaying tactics to keep people from voting is not democratic.

 

6.  Voting must take place on an existing public holiday or a public holiday must be declared for voting.

 

7.  Mail-in ballots must be allowed for overseas service men, people in remote areas, overseas tourists and overseas government employees.  Alternately, polling stations must be set up for these folks.

8. Denial of registration must be stopped.  If you can show a birth certificate, naturalization papers, passport  or any other photo document that shows you are a citizen, you must be registered.

 

9.  We must go back to paper ballots.  Electronic voting in this modern age allows too many opportunities for the 'tech Bros' to hack the system and warp it to their own interests.  Look who supported Trump.  All oligarchs with huge computer savvy and teams of expert hackers at their beck and call.

This may be the last chance that the Democrats have to bring democracy to America.  If they fail, we are going to experience a very nasty world.