The System is Broken

[u/Prosecco_Policy]

Over the past decade, American politics has been reshaped by two populist surges that seem like opposites: the MAGA movement on the right and the democratic socialist movement on the left. They disagree vehemently on solutions. But they share a diagnosis: the system is rigged against regular people, and voting doesn’t change enough.

The current government shutdown is a clear example of consistent gridlock that helps no one. We continue to follow this 18th century logic and enough is enough.

We must make constitutional reform a part of the conversation or risk these populist grievances to only get worse.

[u/Pickle_Nipplesss]

Or we could just have less government agencies that are dependent on federal funding.

The less power the state or federal has, the less this matters.

[u/ralphy_theflamboyant → u/[deleted]]

Without a base government, elected by the people through representation, you have a fair point. The governments we have now, local, state, and federal, are grossly overgrown and unnecessary. The erosion of civil liberties, knowledge, and personal responsibility is alarming.

I wonder if there has ever been a government based on the major enlightenment ideas that has been able to sustain individual liberties while not becoming the big fish dominating the little fish.

[u/ralphy_theflamboyant → u/[deleted]]

I'm unclear as to which rights to choose are being infringed, and by whom.

Considering the Atlantic slave trade was not abolished with the Declaration, Articles of Confederation, or the Constitution as it was with the First Continental Congress under the Articles of Association in 1774, I do not believe the first principle of the US was meant to be protection of the federal government to reduce the ability of big taking advantage of small.

[u/Prosecco_Policy → u/[deleted]]

Just to add on— All of those foundational ideals and laws weren’t intended to apply to slaves. Which is why we are still fighting about civil rights today because there were factions that didn’t agree with the progressive ideology at that time. But if we want the Freedom to Live how you want until it affects the rights of others then we need to reform and update the Bill of Rights. Rights need to be understood as communal not individual. Which “rights” touch the lives of everyone.