tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5016245466912407364.post8359450316831100496..comments2024-01-06T17:38:53.551-05:00Comments on Poli-Tea: Reformism and the Politics of Infinite Deferrald.erishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09186054212519025557noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5016245466912407364.post-52252269984013326022011-06-22T17:11:31.591-04:002011-06-22T17:11:31.591-04:00They go "hand in hand" because you don&#...They go "hand in hand" because you don't get one without the other. Look at the experiences of the proportional countries. They have higher turnout rates and healthier political cultures, and depending on the style of PR system, several or dozens of parties representing the full, complicated spectrum.<br />Here in my homeetown we have elected third party types who have eventually Pete Healeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5016245466912407364.post-53156966482611521392011-06-22T14:48:36.882-04:002011-06-22T14:48:36.882-04:00The problem with organizing the "center"...The problem with organizing the "center" is the "center" is neither a solid political standing nor is there universal agreement between folks who inhabit that nebulous space. In fact, there's seriously disagreement with the socially progressive laissez faire economically anti social support centrists (think Eliot Cutler, the current standing of the Minnesota Independence TiradeFactionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06760660346802297769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5016245466912407364.post-8449578746848311552011-06-22T02:39:57.280-04:002011-06-22T02:39:57.280-04:00You don't NEED there to be proportional repres...You don't NEED there to be proportional representation, you just need a big enough of a section of the electorate that isn't covered by the major parties.<br /><br />That exists between them now, among moderates and centrists. There just aren't enough folks on the outside of the spectrum. The center is just almost entirely unorganized. If you want this to change, help start something Solomon Kleinsmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14331941231942740033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5016245466912407364.post-39476061895439824472011-06-22T00:55:51.120-04:002011-06-22T00:55:51.120-04:00I definitely agree about the "hand-in-hand&qu...I definitely agree about the "hand-in-hand" strategy, Sam. I just think that, as a matter of strategy/tactics, lack of reform should not be framed as an argument against supporting alternatives to the duopoly. Maybe we should turn the argument around: strategically supporting individual third party and independent candidates is an ideal way to advance the election reform agenda at all d.erisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5016245466912407364.post-59654201941563451742011-06-21T19:00:30.055-04:002011-06-21T19:00:30.055-04:00d., your point is well taken, but the way voters t...d., your point is well taken, but the way voters think is inevitably structured by institutions. If Americans could simply will themselves to elect third-party candidates, wouldn't they have done so more often by now? Exhorting people to think and vote independently should go hand-in-hand with agitation for election-law reform, even if you think that success on one front makes the other Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5016245466912407364.post-180092634376093712011-06-21T16:31:25.383-04:002011-06-21T16:31:25.383-04:00Exactly. We need to organize viable minor parties ...Exactly. We need to organize viable minor parties now, so when we do in fact get to the point of electoral reform in the future, these parties can exert their influence, even if only minor, to getting a better deal for themselves, and opening up our political process.TiradeFactionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06760660346802297769noreply@blogger.com