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Why don't the Democrats push for reform to US systems?

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  • 08-07-2024 12:11pm
    #1
    dulpit
    Registered Users Posts: 10,790 ✭✭✭✭


    I've been rewatching the west wing lately and some of the issues with the US system are mentioned in a show which is over 20 years old that are still an issue now.

    Specific examples are the balance or non-balance of the Supreme Court. The fact that the Supreme Court appoints for life. The ridiculousness of their campaign finance rules. Stuff like that.

    What I don't understand is that there are clear issues with the system there. The electoral college is one that has hurt the democrats twice in the last 6 presidential elections. The supreme court doesn't seem to be based on any specific constitutional clauses that are written down, but more on the political beliefs of the justices. The Supreme Court has been packed by Trump. Large states have a massive democratic defect in the Senate when compared to the small states.

    What I don't ever see is anyone seriously advocating for changing things. Why not update the constitution to remove vague wording? We have had 38 amendments since 1937, they have had 27 since the 1780s with the last substantive one being in 1971. Why not legislate for things that the constitution doesn't rule on? Roe v Wade was repealed, so push for a federal law to protect abortion rights. The supreme Court is packed, so change the rules so all new justices serve a certain period and can't serve beyond a certain age.

    There must surely be support behind some of these changes?

    Post edited by Ten of Swords at


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    #2
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 82,453 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    IBTL

    but Stewart had a podcast episode on this recently you might find interesting

    https://youtu.be/n_EofYXRBnM?si=WJnWEWjybLXgmTki



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    #3
    ancapailldorcha
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,578 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Because it's a two-party system and they only ever need to be slightly less terrible than the other party. Right now, that's incredibly easy given the GOP's fondness for Nazis, rapists and other vermin.

    Updating the constitution is effectively impossible and there would be no benefit to the Democrats specifically and since they're the ones who would be doing the work, that's the only thing worth considering.

    There probably would be support but the US system is designed to alienate the citizen as much as possible. It ain't going to happen.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



This discussion has been closed.
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