[Election-Methods] Partisan Politics

[Fred Gohlke]

Good Afternoon, Juho

re: "Maybe other viewpoints like the wasted money and problems of 
one-dollar-one-vote may have more impact on them than the interest to 
limit the size of the entertaining media event."

Aren't you and I wasting effort focusing on such matters?  They are 
symptoms of a deeper malaise.  Ought we not seek to eliminate the disease?

If you and I (and others) selected those who enact the ordinances and 
budget for our community, wouldn't we seek to insure the best resolution 
of those matters for ourselves and our community?  Given the deceit 
we've seen partisans practice when entrusted with our affairs, would we 
allow them to decide these matters for us if we had an alternative?

Certainly not!

Ought we not, then, bend our minds to finding the means of making our 
own decisions about our own government, however distant such a goal may 
now appear?  What else is learning from experience?

That we have no such mechanism ought not prevent us from working on one. 
  If, after using our best efforts, we find a better method than the way 
we currently elect people to represent us in our government, would we 
not then have a concrete proposal that others could consider, mold and 
adopt?  What is progress but the consideration of alternatives, 
experimentation, and the gradual development of the insights necessary 
to advance?


re: "Yes.  The starting point (or current point of interest since the 
process is continuous) could be in understanding/education since I don't 
see yet any clear public consensus opinion on what the correct direction 
of change would be."

Can a "clear public consensus opinion" spring forth on it's own?  If 
such a goal is desirable, and I think it is, is it not up to us to 
provide the seeds from which it can sprout ... and then cultivate and 
nurture them to the best of our ability?


re: "Violence usually doesn't help (since it may harm more than it might 
even theoretically help).  I believe much more in seeking the best 
solution.  I expect (healthy) people to be inclined towards adopting 
good solutions.  Finding working and popular solutions is not always 
easy work."

I agree, wholeheartedly.  Given the degree to which partisan politics 
has embedded itself in our society, we should not expect to find working 
solutions.  Even so, I have heard of towns here in the U. S. with 
non-partisan governments.  I wish I knew where they are.  Learning how 
they function would be enlightening.

Violence is destructive and ultimately fails because it is based on 
emotion rather than intellect.  When it is made to sound good, it is 
because those who disagree are vanquished and the winners write the 
history.  If we are to find a permanent solution, it can only be done by 
a rebirth of reason.


re:  It doesn't set any responsibility but I think it may do pretty good 
job in revealing to the listeners that the job is not that difficult 
after all and the change is up to them.  If people change opinions from 
Coca-Cola towards Pepsi that may have major commercial impacts.  Changes 
are almost as simple in politics (and easy as well once people have made 
up their mind).  If there is sufficient interest, some new paths will be 
found (not always in the correct direction at the first try, but people 
learn).

I'm afraid I disagree.  People do not "change opinions from Coca-Cola 
towards Pepsi" unaided.  Nor will the people change their political 
system if someone doesn't seek out a new path and blaze a trail for them 
to follow.  These things do not flow from passivity, they flow from 
conscious effort.  Lamenting darkness does not bring forth light.


re: "Looks like a clear analysis.  There might be some "offensive" tone 
in the sense that most of the statements point out negative things. 
People often don't find that tempting.  Many tend to ignore areas that 
contain too much negative flavour.  They may not want to buy that kind 
of negative stuff.  People may need also a positive image of what is the 
alternative to the current state of affairs (a positive story of what 
people might achieve together)."

And, THAT, dear sir, is well-said.  While it seems important to me to 
identify to cause of the problem, show how it took root and how it 
grows, my approach is, without question, a condemnation of the system 
embraced by the majority of my fellow Americans.  One of the things I 
never learned was how to tell people things they don't want to hear. 
You've called it, and you're right.  I can tell you, with great 
sincerity, that I wish I had the talent to do otherwise.


Juho, I fear you may find the tone of my comments too aggressive.  You 
have been unfailingly courteous, but I don't understand what course you 
advocate for resolving the political problems we face.  Please forgive 
me if I seem inconsiderate.  As I've mentioned before, the weight of 
time hangs heavily over me.  I've no wish to be rude, but I am anxious 
to work on solutions, whether the one I've outlined or another that 
addresses the causes of our problem rather than its many symptoms.

Fred