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You've just coquered America.

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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by Starsaber   » Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:51 pm

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The first thing I'd do is ban closed primaries/caucuses.

Primaries would instead serve as run-off elections where the top 3 vote getters move on to the general election. That would hopefully help with the hyperpartisanship we're seeing now since people not belonging to either party would be less likely to be stuck choosing between the candidates who most appeal to their party bases.
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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by dscott8   » Sat Jan 06, 2018 10:38 am

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I would end the blanket tax exemption of religious organizations, which are unconstitutional under the First Amendment. They would pay taxes like any secular corporation, and only be able to deduct the money spent on actual charitable activities. Building huge, gold-plated churches, mansions and private jets for preachers, and recruiting for a congregation are not charitable activities.
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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by The E   » Sat Jan 06, 2018 12:03 pm

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Weird Harold wrote:The US is not and never has been a Democracy. It is a Republic and purposely designed to prevent large population centers from riding rough-shod over the rural regions of the country.


Ah, so it is bad for urban america to dominate rural america politically, but the reverse is good? Despite urban america having much more economic power and many more people?

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand the desire to equalize political influence to a degree, but that's what bicameral parliamentary systems are really good at. What the US is currently doing, and what you are advocating, is a system where some people (i.e. those living in urban centers) have less of a vote than people living "in the country", as it were.
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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by Weird Harold   » Sat Jan 06, 2018 12:34 pm

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The E wrote:
Weird Harold wrote:The US is not and never has been a Democracy. It is a Republic and purposely designed to prevent large population centers from riding rough-shod over the rural regions of the country.


What the US is currently doing, and what you are advocating, is a system where some people (i.e. those living in urban centers) have less of a vote than people living "in the country", as it were.


'Tis not what I'm advocating, it is the system purposely designed into the US Constitution.
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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by cthia   » Sat Jan 06, 2018 11:30 pm

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Require everyone, that's physically able, to vote.

Son, your mother says I have to hang you. Personally I don't think this is a capital offense. But if I don't hang you, she's gonna hang me and frankly, I'm not the one in trouble. —cthia's father. Incident in ? Axiom of Common Sense
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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by Weird Harold   » Sun Jan 07, 2018 1:22 am

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cthia wrote:Require everyone, that's physically able, to vote.


Only if they add "none of the above" to every race and ballot question. Abtstaining IS a vote.
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Answers! I got lots of answers!

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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by Eyal   » Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:17 am

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Starsaber wrote:The first thing I'd do is ban closed primaries/caucuses.

Primaries would instead serve as run-off elections where the top 3 vote getters move on to the general election. That would hopefully help with the hyperpartisanship we're seeing now since people not belonging to either party would be less likely to be stuck choosing between the candidates who most appeal to their party bases.


I think there's an issue with this, though.

One of the things that political parties are is an aggregation of resources - be it money, personnel, volunteer time, expertise, etc. - to be used for winning elections to advance the party's ideological agenda. Mandating open primaries means forcing the party to give everyone a say in how they spend those resources, including people who haven't made even the nominal effort of registering for the party.

I'm probably biased by my experience in my country, where all primaries (and not all parties even hold primaries) are the equivalent of closed primaries. I understand the US situation is different to being a two-party system, but it doesn't really sit right with me.

On a more practical level, this also makes voting sabotage easier. If you don't really care who wins your preferred party's primary - or your preferred candidate is strongly in the lead - you could vote for a weak candidate in the other party's primary to make it easier for your candidate in the general election.
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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by Weird Harold   » Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:33 am

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Eyal wrote:On a more practical level, this also makes voting sabotage easier. If you don't really care who wins your preferred party's primary - or your preferred candidate is strongly in the lead - you could vote for a weak candidate in the other party's primary to make it easier for your candidate in the general election.


The idea is to eliminate separate primaries/caucuses. There would be just ONE primary and every voter can choose from either party or a third party, but only gets ONE vote.
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Answers! I got lots of answers!

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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by munroburton   » Sun Jan 07, 2018 5:47 am

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Weird Harold wrote:
cthia wrote:Require everyone, that's physically able, to vote.


Only if they add "none of the above" to every race and ballot question. Abtstaining IS a vote.


"None of the below" is better. Put the abstain option right at the top.

Although I do wonder what the best way of handling an electoral victory for "None of them" is. Empty chair for a term? Candidate in second place gets the job, but must wear a dunce cap?
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Re: You've just coquered America.
Post by Daryl   » Sun Jan 07, 2018 6:31 am

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We've had compulsory voting for about a century. No need for a none of the above box. If you don't like any of the parties or candidates just go in mark your name off, get the ballot paper, and write "you can all get f***ed on it". Works apparently, as no one knows what you personally wrote.


cthia wrote:Require everyone, that's physically able, to vote.

"None of the below" is better. Put the abstain option right at the top.

Although I do wonder what the best way of handling an electoral victory for "None of them" is. Empty chair for a term? Candidate in second place gets the job, but must wear a dunce cap?
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