American Two-Party Politics EPIC FAIL

[Riddick]

Edited & Excerpted From
Why Politics Is Failing America
By Katherine M. Gehl & Michael E. Porter

By nearly every measure, America’s political industry is thriving. There’s just one problem. The people who are supposed to benefit from this booming enterprise—the American public—have never been more dissatisfied.

Why is the political-industrial complex flourishing while its customers are less satisfied than ever? To answer that question, we’ve applied the tools of business analysis to American politics.

Our conclusion: U.S. politics is an industry—a duopoly that’s about as anticompetitive as you’re likely to find these days. The result, as a prominent 2014 study by Princeton’s ­Martin Gilens and Northwestern’s Benjamin Page shows, is that the preferences of the average voter have a near-zero impact on public policy.

It wasn’t always that way. America’s political system was long the envy of the world. The system advanced the public interest and gave rise to a grand history of policy innovations. Today, however, it serves as only a barrier to solving nearly every important challenge our nation needs to address.

So how did we get here? In part, by stealth. Over the last several decades, the American political system has been slowly reconfigured to serve not the public interest, but rather the interest of private, gain-seeking organizations: our major political parties and their industry allies. These players have put in place a set of rules and practices that, while largely unnoticed by the average citizen, have enhanced their power and diminished our democracy.

The key to fixing it is to first see our political system as the multibillion-dollar industry it is—a business with significant economic benefits for its participants. At its center, as we said, is the duopoly: the two major parties.

Around them has arisen what we call the political-industrial complex—an interconnected set of entities that participate in and support the industry: special interests, lobbyists, pollsters, consultants, partisan think tanks, super PACs, and, yes, the media too. Virtually all the industry players are connected to one side or the other—the right or the left.

The parties have rigged the electoral process to guarantee division and disincentivize problem solving and progress. Partisan gerrymandering and primaries together are crucial to this structure. Moderation has become mere fodder for political attack ads; moderate legislators are a dying breed.

There is no more compromise. The net result is that the duopoly competes to divide citizens, not deliver solutions. And while the evidence may be strong that this entrenched two-party system has blocked new competitors, artificially restricted and narrowed voter choice, and colluded to set rules that ensure their near-total market share, antitrust regulators aren’t likely to break it up. (Unfortunately, antitrust statutes don’t apply to politics.)

That said, there are good, practical ideas for political reform that will help citizens retake control of their political system: Institute nonpartisan primaries. Institute nonpartisan redistricting. Don’t let private parties control the House and Senate rules. Reduce barriers to entry for independent candidates. Embrace the Senate Fulcrum Strategy.

Some of these steps are already starting to gain traction. But taking back our political system will require a large-scale, sustained effort, including significant political philanthropy. We call on the business community—which understands how fundamentally important competition is—to help restore healthy competition to advance the public interest in American politics.

Donald Trump capitalized on the deep dissatisfaction with Washington to get elected President in a campaign marked by extreme divisiveness. Yet Trump could not have won without being part of the duopoly.

The industry structure has not changed, and it needs to. It’s time to restore our democracy. Our competitiveness—and the future of all Americans—depends on it.

[Doka]

The division was Mastered before Trump ever got to the Presidency. What I find interesting is the Dems have never been told to stand in the "back of the room", their participation or lack of has been their own choice, and according to their leaders Nancy and, Chucky , they are just too full of hate for a man, and choose not to legislate, and participate as they where sent to do by there voters. Their Motto....."Personalities before Principals".

I get from the author of the article that every thing should be "Thrown Wide Open" and more participation , I don't think that will work, as in any thing ,choices get narrowed down pretty fast, it will just take longer.

Nothing in politics,or our lives will ever be the same again, most of us will be happy to have a somewhat safe , productive country and move forward. But a lot have been led to believe that they are special, superior beings and nothing is ever right or enough. They know nothing of the Freedoms that we are so fortunate to have in this country. That can always be remedied by Karma, when they come back to a country that is in perpetual war and eating dirt is a gourmet dinner. And still probably never ask why they are there..........It is the human way..........

[Riddick]

I get from the author of the article that every thing should be "Thrown Wide Open" and more participation , I don't think that will work, as in any thing ,choices get narrowed down pretty fast, it will just take longer.

My take? It's not necessarily a throw it wide open notion he's advocating insomuch as it's simply a case of the duopoly needs some serious competition, but that's exactly what they DON'T want. The authors offer ideas to remedy the situation, all fine and nice, yet it's all academic unless and until they're actually put into practice. Good luck with that! Like the duopoly's ready to roll over...

Indeed, as you've said, the bipolar disorder the political-industrial complex created, and is fully intent on continuing in perpetuity, was already mastered before The Donald entered the fray - That said, while the duopoly is what it is, what it isn't is accustomed to having a non-ideological populist from outside its ranks attain a position of power in American politics second to none!

Trump IS the competition - The usual political Pepsi or Coke? Nah, he's the UN-Cola Prez. The question is with the pressure on to perform will the political-industrial complex bend, or break?

[Doka]

Quote from article

By nearly every measure, America’s political industry is thriving. There’s just one problem. The people who are supposed to benefit from this booming enterprise—the American public—have never been more dissatisfied


I also don't think that the above statement is True. If there is "Dissatisfaction" it is coming from the fact that Obamie, Hitlery, and the gang Have NOT left the White House YET!! I firmly believe that the majority of Trump Supporters are still with him, but, I will admit to being biased as a Trump supporter.

And when did the words " Populist" and "Populism" start turning up? I'm sure it is a term dug up from days gone by , by the "Elite Liberals" because it is being used in pejorative way . As a slur , and said with a sneer.


populism noun [ U ] UK ​ /ˈpɒp.jə.lɪ.zəm/ US ​ /ˈpɑː.pjə.lɪ.zəm/ mainly disapproving


political ideas and activities that are intended to get the support of ordinary people by giving them what they want:
Their ideas are simple populism - tax cuts and higher wages.


Now tell me HOW is this definition is a BAD THING?

I agree with what you said Riddick!!

[Riddick]

Quote from article

By nearly every measure, America’s political industry is thriving. There’s just one problem. The people who are supposed to benefit from this booming enterprise—the American public—have never been more dissatisfied

I also don't think that the above statement is True. If there is "Dissatisfaction" it is coming from the fact that Obamie, Hitlery, and the gang Have NOT left the White House YET!! I firmly believe that the majority of Trump Supporters are still with him, but, I will admit to being biased as a Trump supporter.

Personally, I don't look at the article as any kind of "Dump Trump" diatribe, and it's not just me - Fact is, I found the link on Milwaukee conservative talk radio personality Mark Belling's website and he's as supportive of The Donald as they come, more frustrated by the GOP's footdragging

If the public was pleased as punch with the status quo, I'd say Hiltery'd be Prez today: Yet if the frustration only was over her and Obamie, et al? That's just the left side of the political-industrial complex, aka "The Establishment" - Trouble is, there's the element mirrored on the right as well -

The Dems DESPISE Trump, but the establishment's GOP globalists aren't too fond of him either!

And when did the words " Populist" and "Populism" start turning up? I'm sure it is a term dug up from days gone by , by the "Elite Liberals" because it is being used in pejorative way . As a slur , and said with a sneer.

I tellya whut, Doka, I'd say 'populist' and 'populism' left the American lexical consciousness about the time the political-industrial complex reconfiguration got its start with both the public AND the national interest being slowly, surely and stealthily subordinated in favor of globalism.

political ideas and activities that are intended to get the support of ordinary people by giving them what they want:
Their ideas are simple populism - tax cuts and higher wages.

Now tell me HOW is this definition is a BAD THING?

It's bad 'cause globalists want wages kept low & universal confiscatory taxation. THAT'S Utopia!!

I agree with what you said Riddick!!

I made sense then? Good to know I'm not alone in my thinking

[Doka]

Riddick, you are spot on and we are in agreement for sure!

I have said before "I have no problem with a good ECONOMIC GLOBALISM. But leave our countries sovereignties Alone! leave our borders, Alone! Stop trying to mix our worlds populations up! We don't ALL mix well! The Elitists know this for sure, condemning the worlds populations to perpetual WAR and Strife, Poverty and Hunger. And what really gets my goat, the Elitists are using our own human guilt (Humans Have A Lot Of Guilt, Because They Can't Act Properly) to march ourselves into Slavery!
Sheep, Sheep, Sheep into slaughter! Just so Obamie, Hitlery and men like Soros can be Kings and Queens ravage the Worlds resources without a care .

It is all about money and power! And the Idiots that so freely give it to them. The Medias, the Democrat/Liberals, The Sheep!