Gerrymandering is the practice of redrawing electoral districts to gain an electoral advantage for a political party. The concept is based on the fact that political affiliation of a citizen is public knowledge. Why is one required to make that information public? Actually, one is not required — one can register as “Independent” and not state which party one prefers.
Votes are considered private, yet voting habits can be predicted by looking at public records showing under which party an individual has registered. It takes away the privacy of voting if other people can make good predictions about how one will probably vote based on one’s voter registration. No one is allowed to see another person’s vote — why should they be able to see what party that person prefers?
Suggestion:
Make voter registration private and/or stop requiring people to state a party affiliation when they register. That would plug a huge security leak in voting privacy rights and make it impossible to gerrymander a district based on public voter registration records.
Highlight Democratic values: Democrats prioritize issues like healthcare, social justice, climate change, and equality. By communicating these values and how they align with one’s personal beliefs, Democrats could attract voters who share these values.
Discuss policy proposals: Democrats have proposed plans to address issues like income inequality, access to affordable education, and gun control. It’s important to discuss these policies and how they could benefit people’s lives.
Emphasize Democratic leadership: People who value Democratic leadership could be swayed by highlighting Democratic leaders’ records and accomplishments, such as passing the Affordable Care Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and the American Rescue Plan.
Contrast with the opposition: One could compare and contrast the differences between Democratic and Republican policies to explain why Democrats are better for their communities.
Explain the importance of voting: Often, people don’t see the importance of voting. By explaining how their vote can influence major decisions, and reminding them about their civic duties and their right to vote, one could convince others to vote for Democrats.
Democrats need to change how they deliver their message. Keep policy proposals clear and simple. They also need to adopt more populist approaches: town halls, fire side chats, touring, and other activities to get closer to people on their terms and issues. They also should be more “hip” and micro-adopt strategies suited to each of their varied constituencies.
Nothing in politics is inevitable unless we allow it to be.
“An extreme political party [GQP] that makes it harder to vote and easier to die of gun violence is unfit to govern.” (Hakeem Jeffries)
Suggestions:
Vote, help organize, and donate.
Vote to make sure no Republicon wins public office. In spite of what they say, Republicons are only interested in power and in their own financial advantages.
Every Dem Down in Demville Liked Freedom a lot… But the Manch, who hailed from West Virginie, Did NOT! The Manch hated Freedom! The whole Freedom concept! Now, please don’t ask why. Just didn’t like the precept. It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right. It could be helping the poor made him uptight. But I think that the most likely reason of all, May have been that his heart was two sizes too small. Whatever the reason, his heart or his chems, He stood there on Freedom Eve, hating the Dems, Staring up from his mine with a sour, Manchy frown, At the warm lighted windows above in their town. For he knew every Dem up in Demville on high, Was busy now, opposing the Former Guy. “And now they’re out canvassing!” he snarled with a sneer, “November’s election! It’s practically here!” Then he growled, with his Manch fingers nervously drumming, “I MUST find some way to stop Freedom from coming!” For that Tuesday, he knew, all the Dem girls and boys, Would wake bright and early. They’d rush out to vote! And then! If they win! Oh, the Joy! Joy! Joy! Joy! That’s one thing he hated! The JOY! JOY! JOY! JOY! Then the Dems, young and old, would sit down to a feast. And they’d feast! And they’d feast! And they’d FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! They would push the Green New Deal, call Big Oil the beast. Something the Manch’s ego couldn’t stand in the least! And THEN They’d do something He liked least of all! Every Dem up in Demville, the tall and the small, Would stand close together, with Freedom bells ringing. They’d stand hand-in-hand. And the Dems would start singing! They’d sing! And they’d sing! And they’d SING! SING! SING! SING! And the more the Manch thought of this Dem FreedomSing, The more the Manch thought, “I must stop this whole thing!” “Why, for six decades I’ve put up with it now!” “I MUST stop this Freedom from coming! But HOW?” Then he got an idea! An awful idea! THE MANCH GOT A SINISTER, AWFUL IDEA! “I know just what to do!” The Manch laughed till he hurt. He would start to wear a No Labels hat and shirt!!!
There is no guarantee that a democracy will last forever. Past and recent history has shown how even democratically elected leaders can gradually subvert the democratic process to increase their power and that of powerful interests. Be vigilant and active!
What Fox says must be true, Lying words stickin’ like glue. Cryin’ ‘bout the chaos, they push right-wing spin. Listen to their BS, can’t let commie Dems win.
They dish out hoaxes; and they, they mislead too. Watchin’ them is a zoo. Raisin’ up the hackles of those who’ll never learn, They spout pompous blather, with a shifty word turn.
Do they buy the Orange man’s con On their prime-time cable news show? Will they dare let the secret out? That is something we really doubt. They won’t tell you truly what they feel.
Dominion suit the real cure? Talking points, scoring sure: Showed all what Murdoch had just testified And took sleazeball phonies for a billion-buck ride.
Pundits struggle to find the right analogy to describe our political dilemma. One might be a well-known nursery rhyme. Humpty Dumpty. No, I am not referring to the current fragile, thin-skinned occupant of the White House, though it would be easy to see Donald Trump as the anthropomorphic, egg-shaped character of children’s books. Humpty Dumpty for me is the United States.
The history of the United States, from well before its establishment, has been a balancing act of controversy and even conflict over government, rights, economy, and culture. The nation was founded in large part on the removal and decimation of first inhabitants and the capture and enslavement of Africans. Capitalism, a system premised on balancing self-interest and greed, was blended in this country with mainly protestant religious views, and strong sense of white superiority.
Just like Humpty, our country is a sitting precariously on a wall. But our wall is not a support wall, but a divider between darkness and light. The growth of partisanship and particularly the public ascent of the radical right augur an inevitable crisis. Up-coming election may answer on which side we fall.
