What we do at the local level solves problems in big and small ways, from potholes to climate change, parks to income inequality. It deserves more focus than it gets.
Great essay, Bryan. I enjoyed getting to know more about your background and political evolution. I agree strongly with you about the importance of taking local action, and that's where most of my energy has been focused for the years that I've been in Gville. Unfortunately, as you alluded to, the "free state of FL," run largely by a single party that alleges to be against big government, has gone to great lengths to undermine the rights of communities to determine their own future. As I stated at a legislative hearing in Tallahassee earlier this year (to a dais full of mostly blank stares), what's right for Miami is not necessarily what's right for Chipley. I wish that our legislators would stop passing one-sized-fits-all legislation and offer more leeway for our communities to figure things out. We could probably learn a lot from each other!
The essay's thesis "deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed," to use Bryan's quote from the Declaration of Independence, is exactly what we saw NOT happen at the level of national politics. The current candidate of one political party was nominated, not by the governed, but rather a self-serving bunch of high-dollar Democrat donors and behind-the-scenes politicos. Just notice what happened: 14 million Democratic votes nullified because of a whim by a few power brokers. Power is what they seek, not the consent of the governed. I fear we might be on an irreversible course where the consent of the governed is just a hollow phrase. The prospect of never having a say in how our government is run scares me more than climate change, abortion rights, inflation, immigration, or anything else used as a smoke screen for what's really at stake.
Party primaries have never been pure "democracy". Presidential candidates were selected at a convention until 1972, and the parties could change that any time they want. Even today Presidential primaries are limited only to the people of that specific party. The whole purpose of a party primary is for the party to decide who they want to bring forward for the people to elect. If the people want Donald Trump instead of Kamala Harris, or whoever the party decides, they can decide to do that.
I'm also not hearing this argument from any Democrats I know, it's all people that were never going to vote for Biden or Kamala in the first place. Every democrat I know is fired up for Kamala Harris and excited to have her leading the ticket.
You just contradicted yourself. The votes of 14 million Democrats who voted for Biden to be the party's nominee had their votes cast aside by a few power brokers. This year's Democratic primary counted for nothing. That's not Democracy.
As one of those Democrats, I was disappointed that the FL Democratic Party decided to not even have a primary this year. However, those folks that were offered an opportunity to vote did so for Biden AND Harris, with the full awareness that if Biden were to become unable to serve, Harris would step in. Which she has now done.
I echo Bryan's comment and am genuinely interested to know whether Andy actually ever intended to vote for Biden and is deeply disappointed that you won't be able to do so, or if you are just regurgitating tired talking points by Trump and his supporters who are now terrified of a Harris-Walz ticket.
If you're truly interested in democracy, consider how many American voters (of both parties) were expressing deep dissatisfaction with BOTH Biden and Trump and wishing that they had another option. Well, one party was listening.
One month ago, Joe Biden was the most brilliant leader on the planet. Then he was threatened by members of his own party to withdraw his nomination, even though he had already received the votes of 14 million Democrats. That's not democracy, and it certainly wasn't with the consent of the "governed" who had voted for him in the state primaries. Somehow, though, Joe Biden is still fit to serve as president for another six months. I understand that some people are, and should be, defensive about what happened.
Wrong on all four counts! (1) We've had more abortions after the repeal of Roe v Wade than in the year preceding; (2) Inflation, which is an indirect tax on everyone, is a direct consequence of the the misguided Biden-Harris economic policies and out-of-control spending, because $1 today buys 20% less than it did three years ago; (3) spare us the lectures about "Democracy" when the Democrat donors literally trashed the votes of 14 million people who voted to nominate Biden, and what we got instead is a Soviet-style, Politburo-inspired, strong-arm action to force Biden into retirement without the consent of voters; and (4) Bidenomics has been a disaster, with inflation higher than it's been in many years, with an economy that is on the brink of recession. It's really nervy of Democrats to accuse others of what they, in fact, are perpetrating on the body politic.
Great essay, Bryan. I enjoyed getting to know more about your background and political evolution. I agree strongly with you about the importance of taking local action, and that's where most of my energy has been focused for the years that I've been in Gville. Unfortunately, as you alluded to, the "free state of FL," run largely by a single party that alleges to be against big government, has gone to great lengths to undermine the rights of communities to determine their own future. As I stated at a legislative hearing in Tallahassee earlier this year (to a dais full of mostly blank stares), what's right for Miami is not necessarily what's right for Chipley. I wish that our legislators would stop passing one-sized-fits-all legislation and offer more leeway for our communities to figure things out. We could probably learn a lot from each other!
The essay's thesis "deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed," to use Bryan's quote from the Declaration of Independence, is exactly what we saw NOT happen at the level of national politics. The current candidate of one political party was nominated, not by the governed, but rather a self-serving bunch of high-dollar Democrat donors and behind-the-scenes politicos. Just notice what happened: 14 million Democratic votes nullified because of a whim by a few power brokers. Power is what they seek, not the consent of the governed. I fear we might be on an irreversible course where the consent of the governed is just a hollow phrase. The prospect of never having a say in how our government is run scares me more than climate change, abortion rights, inflation, immigration, or anything else used as a smoke screen for what's really at stake.
Party primaries have never been pure "democracy". Presidential candidates were selected at a convention until 1972, and the parties could change that any time they want. Even today Presidential primaries are limited only to the people of that specific party. The whole purpose of a party primary is for the party to decide who they want to bring forward for the people to elect. If the people want Donald Trump instead of Kamala Harris, or whoever the party decides, they can decide to do that.
I'm also not hearing this argument from any Democrats I know, it's all people that were never going to vote for Biden or Kamala in the first place. Every democrat I know is fired up for Kamala Harris and excited to have her leading the ticket.
You just contradicted yourself. The votes of 14 million Democrats who voted for Biden to be the party's nominee had their votes cast aside by a few power brokers. This year's Democratic primary counted for nothing. That's not Democracy.
As one of those Democrats, I was disappointed that the FL Democratic Party decided to not even have a primary this year. However, those folks that were offered an opportunity to vote did so for Biden AND Harris, with the full awareness that if Biden were to become unable to serve, Harris would step in. Which she has now done.
I echo Bryan's comment and am genuinely interested to know whether Andy actually ever intended to vote for Biden and is deeply disappointed that you won't be able to do so, or if you are just regurgitating tired talking points by Trump and his supporters who are now terrified of a Harris-Walz ticket.
If you're truly interested in democracy, consider how many American voters (of both parties) were expressing deep dissatisfaction with BOTH Biden and Trump and wishing that they had another option. Well, one party was listening.
One month ago, Joe Biden was the most brilliant leader on the planet. Then he was threatened by members of his own party to withdraw his nomination, even though he had already received the votes of 14 million Democrats. That's not democracy, and it certainly wasn't with the consent of the "governed" who had voted for him in the state primaries. Somehow, though, Joe Biden is still fit to serve as president for another six months. I understand that some people are, and should be, defensive about what happened.
So I’m getting from this that you were planning to vote for Joe Biden and are now upset that he’s no longer on the ballot?
Super essay. Thanks.
Wrong on all four counts! (1) We've had more abortions after the repeal of Roe v Wade than in the year preceding; (2) Inflation, which is an indirect tax on everyone, is a direct consequence of the the misguided Biden-Harris economic policies and out-of-control spending, because $1 today buys 20% less than it did three years ago; (3) spare us the lectures about "Democracy" when the Democrat donors literally trashed the votes of 14 million people who voted to nominate Biden, and what we got instead is a Soviet-style, Politburo-inspired, strong-arm action to force Biden into retirement without the consent of voters; and (4) Bidenomics has been a disaster, with inflation higher than it's been in many years, with an economy that is on the brink of recession. It's really nervy of Democrats to accuse others of what they, in fact, are perpetrating on the body politic.