Pounder of PDX
Karl(sad trombone enjoyer)So Texas republicans are attempting to end democracy openly. This is definitional of fascism and autocracy. https://www.mediaite.com/politics/texas-republicans-introduce-bill-allowing-secretary-of-state-to-overturn-election-results/
DOJ and garlands continued silence on all of this is negligence to the point of complicity with the growing autocratic threat posed by the Republican Party.
To the liberals saying shit like “send them to Mexico, let them go no one cares” etc we don’t leave people to die in an increasingly hostile and authoritarian rightwing state. Americans don’t get left behind
TheBull874@brainnotonyet Exactly.
Granny Bear Josie@brainnotonyet I have been expecting all of the red states, prior to the 2024 elections, to just nullify elections and announce "here are our electoral votes for the Republican nominee" - just as 45 & co wanted them to do in 2020.
If we had been able to get rid of the electoral college system, we wouldn't have to be worried about it.
toxtethogrady@brainnotonyet Remember, Texas Republicans like to claim America is a Constitutional Republic, not a Democracy. Which is code for "votes don't count"...
Incorrigible Maker for HARRIS@toxtethogrady @brainnotonyet
Yes, well, the problem is that they are correct about that. The US is not now, nor has it ever been a democracy. We do NOT get to vote on any issues (except state constitutional proposals), only vote for PEOPLE. Our individual votes do NOT "count" for anything directly. The "founding fathers" did not want the city "rabble" dictating policy. This country was founded on slavery & plantations, not DEMOCRACY.
WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT! We need more direct control
Alex Chaffee@OlDude82 @toxtethogrady @brainnotonyet
dude, please don't fall into that deceptive dichotomy: the USA is both a republic and a democracy, the words mean different things in different contexts and in most of those contexts, both terms clearly apply -- it's not either-or and the fact that by definition a republic is not a *direct* democracy does not mean it's not a *democracy* -- they are *not* correct when they say that and you are not making the point you think you are by repeating it
DNAvinci@alexch
It's certainly not desirable, but the Constitution leaves voting completely up to each state. There isn't even any clause that says the states have to involve the citizens in voting.
It basically taunts governors to declare dictatorship and hold the "vote" in their bedroom from 7:00 until 7:01.
@alexch
Anyways, I think we should normalize overthrowing non-representative state governments with no particular aplomb.
Unlike the federal government, state governments aren't nearly as fortified, and citizens have a decent chance of overwhelming state capitals.
More strategically, the State Guard is frequently deployed elsewhere and will take significant time to respond to any just attempt to reclaim representation.
@dnavinci @alexch @OlDude82 @brainnotonyet
That was attempted in Michigan, and we saw what happened to those turkeys...
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whitmer-kidnapping-plot-co-leader-sentenced-to-19-years-in-prison
That was attempted in Michigan, and we saw what happened to those turkeys...
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whitmer-kidnapping-plot-co-leader-sentenced-to-19-years-in-prison
@toxtethogrady
I'm thinking more like if Austin decided to actually take Austin rather than letting western Texas constantly overrule them.
@alexch @OlDude82 @brainnotonyet
I'm thinking more like if Austin decided to actually take Austin rather than letting western Texas constantly overrule them.
@alexch @OlDude82 @brainnotonyet
@dnavinci @alexch @OlDude82 @brainnotonyet Legislatures of each state used to appoint our Senators. But we decided that it was better to let citizens decide...
@toxtethogrady
My point is that it's not specified, and could in fact be changed to utter BS with little nonviolent recourse.
@alexch @OlDude82 @brainnotonyet
My point is that it's not specified, and could in fact be changed to utter BS with little nonviolent recourse.
@alexch @OlDude82 @brainnotonyet
@alexch @toxtethogrady @brainnotonyet
"Is the US a republic or a democracy?
While often categorized as a democracy, the United States is more accurately defined as a constitutional federal republic."
usembassy.gov
https://ar.usembassy.gov › education-culture › irc › u-s-g..
@OlDude82 @alexch @brainnotonyet Like I said, that makes us just like Iran. The difference is we let the public decide on our leaders. Iran claims the same, but their electoral lists are chosen by the mullahs (and Texas was heard to nod their heads and say, "Yeah, I could go for church rule"...)
@OlDude82 @toxtethogrady that’s incorrect we are a democracy. Not a republic. Those who claim we are just a republic generally are liars and those wishing to end American democracy.
@OlDude82 @brainnotonyet That makes us a representative democracy. If we claim to be a constitutional republic, well, so is Iran.
@OlDude82 @brainnotonyet The reason we are not a direct democracy is that it's impractical to have each of us vote on every issue - that's a ballot involving 50 states and 330 million people. Individual states have direct democracy in the form of initiative, referendum and recall, but on few occasions does the popular will end up overruling the legislature. California has direct citizens' initiative based on petitions followed by votes, but people have been known to complain about how inefficient and expensive it is. So, for the most part, we content ourselves with representative democracy, interrupted every so often by the occasional citizens' revolt.
@toxtethogrady @OlDude82 no one said direct. We are a democracy. Stop playing this game. It’s not one you will win.
Vikram Bhandari@brainnotonyet This bill better collapse! My God…what a bunch of whiny babies and sore losers!
@brainnotonyet This will be challenged immediately on the federal level.
Josh (he/his)@brainnotonyet @cstross Oh so THAT'S where the Starship Sofa podcast was recorded!
Woolfhound@brainnotonyet @cstross they get really mad when they lose. This is all about Harris County.
Charlie Stross@woolfhound @brainnotonyet Am not American. WTF is Harris County?
Ariatorus@cstross @woolfhound @brainnotonyet
We're better known to non-Americans as Houston, and the Texas state government is determined to be our problem.
We're better known to non-Americans as Houston, and the Texas state government is determined to be our problem.
@ariatorus
5th largest metro. Slightly higher population than London County.
Follows the usual pattern where cities are liberal, but is gerrymandered into electoral irrelevance
@dnavinci @cstross @woolfhound @brainnotonyet
The Texas state government and its supporters don't understand why the hurricanes they pray for haven't finished us off yet.
@cstross @brainnotonyet It’s a lot of the Houston metro but not all of it. It’s 4.7 million people, a little under half of whom are in the city of Houston, and is within the Houston metro area of 7 million people. (Local governance here is overly complicated.)
Patriotic Cats@brainnotonyet Trump taught the gop there are no repercussions
Bill Howard@brainnotonyet Today’s Republicans proudly focus on sponsoring and passing unconstitutional legislation.
TransitBiker@brainnotonyet the people are the government, not a select few pushing a violent iron fished ideology.
@TransitBiker that means nothing In this context absolutely nothing.
@brainnotonyet well, most Texans I know of don’t agree with their elected official’s actions on these topics. Voter turnout & other metrics point to a government elected by a minority of the voting age population. Stuff is very broken & therefore the product s shit. Garbage in, garbage (laws) out. It’s pretty demoralising. Sorry I wasn’t more clear.
sOlOw-NHLet's send them back to Mexico... and forget the Alamo
Stephen Petrey 
@brainnotonyet the silence from the DOJ on this is deafening