“I cast my vote, but that’s private information. I long for the days when voting was a personal matter; you would participate without anyone asking for your choice. That’s precisely why we have voting booths and restrictions on political attire.”
What a simplistic view.
The MAGA movement has marked a clear divide with their complete dismantling of our nation, effectively stripping each governmental department to hand over control to South African oligarchs like Musk and Thiel. I never imagined witnessing the decline of America in my lifetime. Now, soaring tariffs are wreaking havoc on the stock market… it feels eerily similar to 1930 when the Great Depression began.
Trump seems to revel in this chaos while sipping his Diet Coke and playing golf; boasting about winning at his own golf course.
If you’re feeling disillusioned, you’re not alone. Politics today can feel like a choice between bad options, with economic and social consequences that weigh heavily. Whether change comes through electoral shifts, grassroots movements, or policy reforms, civic engagement remains crucial—even when the system feels broken.
Let’s dig into solutions. Given my concerns about economic instability, corporate influence, and democratic erosion, here are some policy directions and actions that align with those critiques.
1. Reducing Oligarchic Control & Corporate Power
- Wealth Taxes/Closing Loopholes: Proposals like a progressive wealth tax (e.g., Elizabeth Warren’s Ultra-Millionaire Tax) aim to curb dynastic wealth and fund public programs.
- Antitrust Enforcement: Breaking up monopolies (e.g., reviving the FTC’s aggressive antitrust strategies of the past) could reduce the dominance of figures like Musk or Thiel in tech/finance.
- Campaign Finance Reform: Publicly funded elections or strict lobbying bans could dilute corporate influence in politics.
2. Economic Safeguards to Avoid Another “1930s” Collapse
- Tariff Reforms: Instead of blunt tariffs, targeted industrial policy (e.g., Biden’s CHIPS Act) could boost manufacturing without trade wars.
- Stronger Labor Protections: Expanding unions (via laws like the PRO Act) and wage floors could counteract inequality.
- Modernizing the Fed: Some economists argue for more aggressive Fed policies to prevent deflationary spirals (e.g., “QE for the people” instead of Wall Street).
3. Protecting Voting Privacy & Civic Culture
- Banning Political Coercion: Laws against employers/associations pressuring employees to disclose votes (some states already have these).
- Expanding Vote-by-Mail/Secret Ballot Access: Reducing social pressure by making voting more discreet (though MAGA has attacked mail voting).
- Media Reform: Reinstating fairness doctrines or breaking up partisan media monopolies could reduce polarization.
4. Constitutional & Electoral Reforms
- Abolishing the Electoral College: Moves like the National Popular Vote Compact could reduce minority rule.
- Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV): Already adopted in Maine/Alaska, RCV reduces polarization by eliminating “lesser evil” dynamics.
- Term Limits/SCOTUS Reform: To prevent lifelong judicial/legislative capture.
Grassroots Alternatives
If institutional change feels impossible, some turn to:
- Co-ops/Worker Ownership: Like Mondragon Corporation in Spain—direct economic democracy.
- Localism: Cities/states resisting federal policies (e.g., sanctuary cities, climate initiatives).
- Mutual Aid: Community-based support networks bypassing state failure.
Which of these (if any) feels viable to you? Or is the rot too deep for reform—making systemic collapse/disruption inevitable? I’m curious where you’d direct energy for change.
SOME PHOTO’S PROVING ALL IS NOT LOST
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