Diplomats walk out on Israeli prime minister’s speech at UN to protest against devastating war on Gaza and latest attacks on Lebanon

  • Zorque@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    If you think you only get a choice once every four years, that’s part of the problem. There’s elections every single year, many of which you have more choice and more power over.

    Maybe if people showed up to vote more than once every four years we’d actually see some effective change.

    • redwattlebird@lemmings.world
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      2 months ago

      The US election system is set up for the rich and powerful to stay in charge. It’s ridiculous that there’s effectively only two parties, and it’s ridiculous that a single person, the president, holds so much power. No accountability. Their system needs an entire overhaul, IMO:

      Compulsory voting Ease of access for voting Preferential voting Lower bar for running, meaning every citizen has the opportunity to run

      • Zorque@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        The president sure gets the credit for a lot of things (the president signed this into law, the president enacted this policy) but in reality Congress makes most of that a reality.

        There is also accountability… but only if the congress acts on it. Which is where that whole “vote more than once every four years” thing comes in. Congress has power… we just have not elected people who use that power responsibly.

        • pingveno@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          We’ve also managed to wedge ourselves into a situation where Congress can’t handle anything controversial. The closest we came in recent years was the (relatively timid) ACA, and that barely passed after an unpopular war and the 2008 economic crash.

      • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 months ago

        The US election system is set up for the rich and powerful to stay in charge. It’s ridiculous that there’s effectively only two parties, and it’s ridiculous that a single person, the president, holds so much power. No accountability. Their system needs an entire overhaul, IMO:

        so then go and push/vote for voting reform, federally and more importantly at a state level, shit like IRV is very much within reach.

    • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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      2 months ago

      Elections that can affect things on a national level are still only once every two years. I vote in every election but going off on people who vote for but doing it often enough is just stupid.

      • Zorque@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Yes, but those state and local elections have an effect both on how your state and local area does… as well as how those national elections are held. They are far more important than you give them credit for.

        Don’t downplay them just because they don’t get national coverage, especially when they’re going to have significantly more impact on your daily life.