• MrSulu@lemmy.ml
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    5 days ago

    As a European trying to work out the policy differences between Republicans and Democrats, they don’t seem to be significant. Mainly how elements are interpreted /expressed during campaigns or counter campaigns.

    Question for our American cousins: Is this because it’s (overall) what the US population wants to buy into with votes or would a less Ultracapitalism stance not have enough interest?

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      If a less capitalist party magically appeared with the capital to compete it would sweep the democrats and republicans out of office. The economic grind for no apparent gain is consistently one of the top issues in elections. It just turns out that 100 million dollars of ads can absolutely convince people that this year the politicians will actually help them.

      • nosuchanon@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        It is incredibly difficult if not impossible to start a new party. You need grassroots campaigns in every state and district just to even get on the ballot. It’s intentionally hard to form a new party because the constitution was designed in such a way to discourage group think and parties.

        • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          The Constitution has been pretty well subverted in that matter. It actually made small parties pretty easy because the representation ratio was small enough that Jeb the farmhand could get elected by drinking with enough people in different taverns. That’s been exploded by the refusal to add any new seats to Congress since the 1940’s. So now nobody is getting elected without millions in personal or PAC money. The easiest way to access that money is the DNC and RNC.

          The idea that Senators and Representatives would act autonomously in the interests of their constituents was disproven almost immediately. Parties formed in Washington’s lifetime.