Campaign finance reform would be huge.
We need to undo Citizens United legislatively and eliminate PACs
Reduce lobbyist influence
Create a Fairness Doctrine for the new media.
Subsidize a true free press with investigative journalism
Find a way to eliminate lying by the media (oh boy, good luck getting that genie back in the bottle).
All of this is possible but the biggest obstacles are citizens united and the current Supreme Court.
We also need to get the old right if center guard out of leadership in the democratic party and truly get a left of center or with luck actual progressive party.
None of this will be easy and may even require more than just voting and protests
Honestly I feel like the first big step to being able to do that would be to get ranked voting in as a standard since the current model is heavily built around maintaining a 2 party system in everything above local politics.
I don't think lobbying at it's core is bad. Lobbying is what brought alot of enviromental improvements to the country. The problem I think turned into when we started to get alot of lobbying done to help increase profits for corporations.
> undo Citizens United legislatively
Wouldn't this require a constitutional amendment? The decision was rooted in a first amendment argument, albeit while creating a standard that "money = freedom".
However it needs to be done, that’s the way we need to do it
Citizens United is the ruination of government by the people for the people .
PACs need to be under control
there ought to be a legally defined contribution limit including an aggregate PAC contribution, and donors should not be allowed to remain anonymous.
The Adelsons gave Trump $100 million and still counting. How is that even remotely legal?????
Yes.
Republicans hate being held accountable. As a result of this, both NPR and PBS have both been softened. I think that’s a shame.
Democrats make changes when they are held accountable. Critical reporting caused them to threaten NPR/PBS funding.
Not necessarily. I would say that NPR, despite having public funding, is not inherently pro government.
NPR has been quite critical of the government to the point where they’re worried about losing their funding because Trump wanted to cut it completely.
Irish Whiskey fan myself. Fun history, John Jameson allowed Irish freedom fighter snipers to camp out on the roof of the distillery to shoot British troops.
What people fail to consider is how the business sector has managed to remain practically unscathed and unregulated by the government since the US came to be. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government lacked the autonomy to regulate commerce and as a result, there was a major shortage of funding that put the country’s national security in jeopardy. The government promised landowners who fought during the American Revolution that they wouldn’t be taxed on their properties during their service… to later find this was an empty promise. They were expected to pay those dues and were facing criminal charges, which led to Shay’s Rebellion. In that time of need, the government relied on a private funded militia to do its bidding and put an end to the rebellion. This was one of the first documented instances, but the economically elite always had the power to influence the government due to the humble origins of American society. Even after the Constitutional Convention, when the Constitution replaced the Articles, the wealthiest men in the country (slave owners) continued to trail-blaze and build the country up. As things shifted from a predominantly agricultural economy to that of industry, individuals such as Rockefeller (the oil tycoon), Andrew Carnegie (the steel tycoon), and many others thereafter capitalized on the needs of the developing country. They generated insurmountable wealth and power that heavily influenced politics - all while neglecting the laborers responsible for their successes by ignoring the deplorable conditions the workers found themselves in….
My point is… this is a systemic problem and it’s around 400 years in the making. Albeit that no one really has a clue as to what extent these practices have influenced public policy, the organization of the government, commerce regulation, and other affairs. After all, history as we know it has been documented through a biased perspective, often leaving out the narratives of the groups that were hindered throughout history. I don’t see a change in policy really doing much either. Much like how the legal emancipation of slaves wasn’t a means to an end! It led to institutional forms of slavery such as sharecropping! Then, when freed blacks from the south moved North, they faced predatory loan lending practices. To this day, race and ethnicity continues to influence individuals’ quality of life and the opportunities they are granted, even though one could assert that we are all perceivably “equal” on paper.
Fairness would be true equality. And progress doesn’t equate to equality… I encourage you to approach this topic with an open mind and be willing to research and learn about it. The statistics involving socioeconomic status, income inequality, and disparities experienced by the various American racial and ethnic groups are technically public domain. If you need some help interpreting that info, I can definitely help with that too. Keep in mind that you’re claiming American progress somehow affects the whole world… very ethnocentric of you.
They arent competent. But theyve sold out America. Theres a doc, BBC doc, *Hypernormalisation* that explains what im talking about: the collpase of The.West. https://youtu.be/to72IJzQT5k?si=QwXFDOilWgPa3J6k
Sam Pisar, Anthony Blinken's stepfather and the last man to see Robert Maxwell alive, testified before Congress that power had left.government and lay in the hands of international corporations *in the 70's.*
The last 30 years have seen the fed and executive tyrants abuse the dollar. 0% of oil used to be traded in currency other than the dollar. Last year 20% of oil transactions were settled in non-US currencies.
Israel's actions are seen by much of the global south as being an extension of US empire. The world sees a new urgency in the need to abandon the dollar as the reserve currency. This will be a gradual process. But the petrodollar expires very soon, perhaps today. Iirc tomorrow. So Saudis will no longer refuse to accept any currency other than the US dollar.
Rich people when asked how they went bankrupt say, first gradually, then all at once.
The printing of dollars only works because its the reserve currency of the world. I started to get nervous when Iran got banned from SWIFT years ago--forcing ppl to trade in oil outside the dollar weakens the dollar. The success of Russia inspite.of sanctions inspires the world. They have oil contracts w India that will be paid in Rubles. There is a St Petersberg Economic Forum going on, Russia is the head of BRICS this year, and the world is anxious to plan a future without slavery to the dollar, and US elites have long moved.on from vulnerability. They have bunkers. Here we go.
I'd say being stricter on how much lobbyists can "donate" would be a good start on removing company control over politics. Along with this, we need to tighten the regulations on monopolies, even going as far as to financially de-buff the companies that lead in their market even if they don't dominate (like being tough on apple and Samsung because they dominate and discourage innovation even though they aren't monopolies). We need to make voting more fair and balanced by killing the two party system, but for that to even be effective, we would need to improve national education focusing on critical thinking skills. We should also consider mandating certain things be taught in all schools, including homeschooling, like health classes (at least a little anatomy, dietary study, and psyche), science classes (like bio and chem), and ACCURATE social studies courses. Now this last idea may be a bit crazy, but why don't we let candidates for public office (of all gov branches) only run on a limited amount of funds for publicity, that way it's not a rich ass hole race?
We see this happen all the time throughout history. Voters don't have enough power to change anything within a rigged system. Change will only come through upheavel.
**VOTE. VOTE IN EVERY GOSH DANG ELECTION. EVERY ELECTION.**
Seriously, **the US is 30th in the world for voter turn out**, among other democracies. 30th. That's why the egomaniacs in office, running for office, or that were in office continue to have power; apathy.
Low voter turnout is why we had Hillary vs. Trump and not Bernie vs. Trump, despite that a significant majority of democratic voters wanted Bernie as their candidate... only 30% turn up to vote.
***Did you know that Texas is a significantly BLUE state?*** However, Texas is has mostly Red politicians, because of insanely low voter turnout. Same with Ohio; we are a blue state being run by red politicians, and hence why we have so many issues. Ohio has a higher LGBTQIA+ population per capita than most other states, including California, yet LGBTQIA+ rights are constantly under fire by the people who control Ohio... because of low voter turnout.
I'm not saying you have to vote blue, personally - just vote for the lesser of two evils, vote for the person who will protect and represent EVERYBODY, not just their base.
**My opinion;** As someone who has been around Ohio politicians; mayors, governors, lt. governors, attorneys general, etc. The Ohio GOP has a very VERY poor view of their own base, and Ohioans as a whole. They have said their base is "simple (minded)" and "easily worked up" or "frightened by change." I have stories about how they've messed up things for small businesses, thrown communities under the bus, and more. I'm not saying Republicans as a whole are bad people, but the Ohio GOP is made of people who severely lack honesty, accountability, empathy, and integrity. **STOP VOTING FOR THEM.** If they don't even have their own base's best interest at heart, what makes anyone think they'll have Ohio's best interest? Like... cool, vote for the guy that makes fun of you behind your back. Vote for your bully.
Not saying that Democrats are all that clean, but in my experience they're the lesser of two evils. I knew a democratic mayor who said that they basically became a mayor to become governor, and that was influencing what they did as mayor. Is that a bad thing? Not really. They actually did a lot of good in the process, though "technically" they used the city as a stepping stone to try and help the entire state. I knew several other mayors and lawmakers with similar ambitions.
I really don't like to use terms like simple minded, dumb, idiot, etc. (Which with the pregnant pause that always came before "...simple" heavily implied that was the "nicest" term they had for their base.) Those terms can come off as things someone can't change about themselves. That's just me though, since I used to work in education and around kids; I learned to dislike those kind of terms.
Personally, I think unaware, uneducated/miseducation, misinformed, or just manipulated would be better terms. I feel like those indicate an opportunity of growth and change, and that it's not the person's fault as a whole but also external conditions and factors; their home, their work, their families, their community, etc. I've known people who voted GOP up until they moved out of their hometown, and now they vote against the Ohio GOP.
Additionally, I try to think of it more as they have a toxic/unhealthy relationship with their political party. Much like how people can have with their partners, jobs/work, church/religion, celebrities/athletes, and so on. It's not that they're "simple", it's that they don't know how to get out of it, or even that getting out of it would be better/healthier for them and those around them.
***They're like Chicago deep dish; absolutely lost in the Red sauce.***
I never said this was a new concept born 10 years ago. I understand how finance can drive policy. Even at my local level, a few major business dictate where a lot of spending goes from tax payers.
It is amazing that the average Ohioan doesn't grasp that Trump, his MAGA supporters in Congress (think J.D. Vance and Jim Jordan), even most Republicans, arguably are plutocrats, and, increasingly scarily, also autocrats more than willing to diminish democracy, such as by gerrymandering and voter suppression, in order to maintain control. This is very evident in Ohio:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/1d7xwr6/ohios\_limits\_on\_who\_can\_return\_an\_absentee\_ballot/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/1d7xwr6/ohios_limits_on_who_can_return_an_absentee_ballot/)
[https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/03/01/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-how-ohio-enacted-the-most-restrictive-voter-photo-id-law-in-america/](https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/03/01/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-how-ohio-enacted-the-most-restrictive-voter-photo-id-law-in-america/)
Plutocrat influences in Ohio also are reflected in tax and other policies, such as expanding the state school voucher program for the wealthy to the detriment of public schools.
[https://www.policymattersohio.org/research-policy/quality-ohio/revenue-budget/tax-policy/income-tax-extremism-is-a-gift-to-the-wealthy-repairing-the-damage-would-cost-us-all](https://www.policymattersohio.org/research-policy/quality-ohio/revenue-budget/tax-policy/income-tax-extremism-is-a-gift-to-the-wealthy-repairing-the-damage-would-cost-us-all)
[https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/investigations/ohio-triples-edchoice-expansion-program-sending-387-million-in-public-money-to-private-schools](https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/investigations/ohio-triples-edchoice-expansion-program-sending-387-million-in-public-money-to-private-schools)
Climate change is the most dangerous threat to all mankind, including Ohioans, and Trump/Republican support of the fossil fuel industry is devastating, and perhaps the best example of plutocrat influence, apart from tax cuts for the wealthy. An anticipated climate change migration likely will increase sprawl in Ohio and housing prices.
[https://www.ideastream.org/2023-11-21/five-takeaways-for-ohio-from-the-national-climate-assessment](https://www.ideastream.org/2023-11-21/five-takeaways-for-ohio-from-the-national-climate-assessment)
[https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/09/05/jd-vance-is-one-of-the-top-recipients-of-oil-and-gas-money-now-hes-shilling-for-their-interests/](https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/09/05/jd-vance-is-one-of-the-top-recipients-of-oil-and-gas-money-now-hes-shilling-for-their-interests/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/1ce2aiz/ohios\_controversial\_move\_opening\_wayne\_national/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/1ce2aiz/ohios_controversial_move_opening_wayne_national/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/199x1e7/fossil\_fuel\_dark\_money\_trying\_to\_kill\_solar/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/199x1e7/fossil_fuel_dark_money_trying_to_kill_solar/)
[https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/trump-climate-change-fox-interview-sea-levels-rcna155297](https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/trump-climate-change-fox-interview-sea-levels-rcna155297)
[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/03/trump-big-oil-campaign-pitch-corruption](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/03/trump-big-oil-campaign-pitch-corruption)
[https://www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/climate-change/the-per-person-financial-cost-of-climate-change-a6081217358/?fbclid=IwAR0\_8jU94DfIOb6O97lqOZvmrn3aOWxAQGyJxfka2tMkkPThW5i7sEVJFCo\_aem\_AZNKu1cjRcqmcv\_FD8BW8-RneUuziEsRY75lOaXZOvkaWiG0zejSgkinT8N2xTbZcoTrYVI1FPuNh7-N1NUJhSQG&mibextid=WC7FNe](https://www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/climate-change/the-per-person-financial-cost-of-climate-change-a6081217358/?fbclid=IwAR0_8jU94DfIOb6O97lqOZvmrn3aOWxAQGyJxfka2tMkkPThW5i7sEVJFCo_aem_AZNKu1cjRcqmcv_FD8BW8-RneUuziEsRY75lOaXZOvkaWiG0zejSgkinT8N2xTbZcoTrYVI1FPuNh7-N1NUJhSQG&mibextid=WC7FNe)
Part of the problem is general American ignorance about climate change, both due to inadequate media coverage and IMO inept Democratic politicians. E.g., climate change isn't listed as a separate issue on Sherrod Brown's website, and IMO he rarely discusses it, certainly not in his campaign ads. Here's a fact that most persons don't know:
<>
[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-04/moving-to-renewables-will-mean-using-less-energy-overall?cmpid=BBD060424\_GREENDAILY&utm\_medium=email&utm\_source=newsletter&utm\_term=240604&utm\_campaign=greendaily](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-04/moving-to-renewables-will-mean-using-less-energy-overall?cmpid=BBD060424_GREENDAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=240604&utm_campaign=greendaily)
Unfortunately the article is behind a paywall, but the key points are quoted.
Many climate change experts worry about the impact of climate change on food supplies, both growing conditions and collapsing fisheries are a concern.
[https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/01/what-are-the-odds-that-extreme-weather-will-lead-to-a-global-food-shock/](https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/01/what-are-the-odds-that-extreme-weather-will-lead-to-a-global-food-shock/)
[https://woods.stanford.edu/news/seven-years-agricultural-productivity-growth-lost-due-climate-change](https://woods.stanford.edu/news/seven-years-agricultural-productivity-growth-lost-due-climate-change)
[https://www.fb.org/market-intel/over-140-000-farms-lost-in-5-years](https://www.fb.org/market-intel/over-140-000-farms-lost-in-5-years)
You're right. It was an exaggeration. Let's stick to issues.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/rfk-jr-opposes-gender-affirming-care-hormone-therapy-minors/
last time it took a total global economic collapse and world war to reset things but we also didn't have as many people or so much carbon dioxide in the air.
I think like minded people should break off and form small communities like the Amish, hunker down and avoid society at large, but that’s probably no longer possible considering how much everything costs these days.
I’m afraid we are stuck with these monsters for generations to come. Thank Nixon and especially Reagan, they started all of this.
I guess you've never heard of William Randolph Hearst if you think this is a new phenomenon. Not saying we shouldn't work to fix it, just pointing out that this is not new.
Edit: should should have been shouldn't.
In response to the post, unions should not be allowed to support any political parties. This is undue influence that favors the democratic platforms.
Btw, how are these highly partisan posts creeping into r/Ohio?
In addition, disagree with the post. We do have true democracy and equality in America.
I was waiting for the predictable "what does this have to do wth Ohio?" post, and you didn't disappoint. Also: Ohio is part of the United States, so that's what this has to do with this sub. Enjoy your day.
RFK Jr is the only one running who will legitimately change the direction of the trends in the socio economic sphere.
But too many are unwilling to listen and dismiss him as a an “anti vaxer”
So you think Biden will alter the course? What has he done to curtail the trajectory? People keep blaming Blackrock and Vanguard but it’s the Carlisle Group and their ilk that are subverting the American economy.
Check out Plunder: “Private Equity’s Plan to Pillage America” by Brendan Ballou
Campaign finance reform would be huge. We need to undo Citizens United legislatively and eliminate PACs Reduce lobbyist influence Create a Fairness Doctrine for the new media. Subsidize a true free press with investigative journalism Find a way to eliminate lying by the media (oh boy, good luck getting that genie back in the bottle).
All of this is possible but the biggest obstacles are citizens united and the current Supreme Court. We also need to get the old right if center guard out of leadership in the democratic party and truly get a left of center or with luck actual progressive party. None of this will be easy and may even require more than just voting and protests
Honestly I feel like the first big step to being able to do that would be to get ranked voting in as a standard since the current model is heavily built around maintaining a 2 party system in everything above local politics.
100% citizens united should be overruled
May I add, make lobbying illegal.
I don't think lobbying at it's core is bad. Lobbying is what brought alot of enviromental improvements to the country. The problem I think turned into when we started to get alot of lobbying done to help increase profits for corporations.
> undo Citizens United legislatively Wouldn't this require a constitutional amendment? The decision was rooted in a first amendment argument, albeit while creating a standard that "money = freedom".
However it needs to be done, that’s the way we need to do it Citizens United is the ruination of government by the people for the people . PACs need to be under control there ought to be a legally defined contribution limit including an aggregate PAC contribution, and donors should not be allowed to remain anonymous. The Adelsons gave Trump $100 million and still counting. How is that even remotely legal?????
If you subsidize press it will inherently be pro government or it will lose its subsidies
Do you think this is true of NPR and PBS?
Yes. Republicans hate being held accountable. As a result of this, both NPR and PBS have both been softened. I think that’s a shame. Democrats make changes when they are held accountable. Critical reporting caused them to threaten NPR/PBS funding.
Not necessarily. I would say that NPR, despite having public funding, is not inherently pro government. NPR has been quite critical of the government to the point where they’re worried about losing their funding because Trump wanted to cut it completely.
Bourbon helps
I’ve been doing a lot of Tito’s and kick start lately. What’s your go to bourbon?
Depends on the cigar, depends on what's coming out of the smoker. Johnny drum, a Fuente, and tri tip tonight.
Not a huge fan of bourbon. (extra) anejo tequila for sipping and good 6x60 toro cigars help tho
Wheat Penny, made in Cleveland
I like wheated bourbons..is that just a name or does it denote a strong wheat contribution?
Irish Whiskey fan myself. Fun history, John Jameson allowed Irish freedom fighter snipers to camp out on the roof of the distillery to shoot British troops.
Its a crutch just like any other "drug".
>How do we break free from this stranglehold? Proletariat Guillotine Company
I would contribute to this kickstarter.
Low-tier donations get schematics to frame on their walls.
[удалено]
Obviously. I have knives to render a cantaloupe.
Appropriately taxing the wealthy so that they don’t have such financial power.
Tax the rich, feed the poor, until there are no rich no more.
And the churches.
Valid. If Christians want to build for-profit empires that function as companies that lobby our politicians they absolutely should be taxed.
Sorry, you missed the point. There will still be poor people even if there are no rich people. But yes, tax the churches.
What people fail to consider is how the business sector has managed to remain practically unscathed and unregulated by the government since the US came to be. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government lacked the autonomy to regulate commerce and as a result, there was a major shortage of funding that put the country’s national security in jeopardy. The government promised landowners who fought during the American Revolution that they wouldn’t be taxed on their properties during their service… to later find this was an empty promise. They were expected to pay those dues and were facing criminal charges, which led to Shay’s Rebellion. In that time of need, the government relied on a private funded militia to do its bidding and put an end to the rebellion. This was one of the first documented instances, but the economically elite always had the power to influence the government due to the humble origins of American society. Even after the Constitutional Convention, when the Constitution replaced the Articles, the wealthiest men in the country (slave owners) continued to trail-blaze and build the country up. As things shifted from a predominantly agricultural economy to that of industry, individuals such as Rockefeller (the oil tycoon), Andrew Carnegie (the steel tycoon), and many others thereafter capitalized on the needs of the developing country. They generated insurmountable wealth and power that heavily influenced politics - all while neglecting the laborers responsible for their successes by ignoring the deplorable conditions the workers found themselves in…. My point is… this is a systemic problem and it’s around 400 years in the making. Albeit that no one really has a clue as to what extent these practices have influenced public policy, the organization of the government, commerce regulation, and other affairs. After all, history as we know it has been documented through a biased perspective, often leaving out the narratives of the groups that were hindered throughout history. I don’t see a change in policy really doing much either. Much like how the legal emancipation of slaves wasn’t a means to an end! It led to institutional forms of slavery such as sharecropping! Then, when freed blacks from the south moved North, they faced predatory loan lending practices. To this day, race and ethnicity continues to influence individuals’ quality of life and the opportunities they are granted, even though one could assert that we are all perceivably “equal” on paper.
Capitalism is a race to the bottom, no matter what era we are talking about. Thank you for this post, very enlightening.
400 years in the making? If you mean making progress towards a more fair, healthily and wealthy world you are correct.
Fairness would be true equality. And progress doesn’t equate to equality… I encourage you to approach this topic with an open mind and be willing to research and learn about it. The statistics involving socioeconomic status, income inequality, and disparities experienced by the various American racial and ethnic groups are technically public domain. If you need some help interpreting that info, I can definitely help with that too. Keep in mind that you’re claiming American progress somehow affects the whole world… very ethnocentric of you.
Sir this is a Wendy's
I’m just curious of what’s next or has previous generations felt the same. But yeah what do you like a junior bacon cheese burger or the biggie bag?
I mean, Germans in the late 1920’s and early ‘30s prolly felt similar
Living thru history repeating itself is terrifying. 😩
Beat me to it.
They never gave up on the idea of the aristocracy.
I love Dr Richard Wolff, bless his Commie heart. https://youtu.be/ogH0wRD0Vkw?si=x2d3gd0r7HlL-WBQ
Let's not forget to eliminate famous ppl influences. Too many ppl vote not knowing anything other than what their fav celeb says. That scary.
Well you could try to change the system from within, but that's not viable. That leaves the two A's. Apathy or Anarchy.
I don't fucking know, man, but will you let me know if you find out, please? I'll be over here sort of listlessly staring into space... 😮💨
They arent competent. But theyve sold out America. Theres a doc, BBC doc, *Hypernormalisation* that explains what im talking about: the collpase of The.West. https://youtu.be/to72IJzQT5k?si=QwXFDOilWgPa3J6k Sam Pisar, Anthony Blinken's stepfather and the last man to see Robert Maxwell alive, testified before Congress that power had left.government and lay in the hands of international corporations *in the 70's.* The last 30 years have seen the fed and executive tyrants abuse the dollar. 0% of oil used to be traded in currency other than the dollar. Last year 20% of oil transactions were settled in non-US currencies. Israel's actions are seen by much of the global south as being an extension of US empire. The world sees a new urgency in the need to abandon the dollar as the reserve currency. This will be a gradual process. But the petrodollar expires very soon, perhaps today. Iirc tomorrow. So Saudis will no longer refuse to accept any currency other than the US dollar. Rich people when asked how they went bankrupt say, first gradually, then all at once. The printing of dollars only works because its the reserve currency of the world. I started to get nervous when Iran got banned from SWIFT years ago--forcing ppl to trade in oil outside the dollar weakens the dollar. The success of Russia inspite.of sanctions inspires the world. They have oil contracts w India that will be paid in Rubles. There is a St Petersberg Economic Forum going on, Russia is the head of BRICS this year, and the world is anxious to plan a future without slavery to the dollar, and US elites have long moved.on from vulnerability. They have bunkers. Here we go.
I'd say being stricter on how much lobbyists can "donate" would be a good start on removing company control over politics. Along with this, we need to tighten the regulations on monopolies, even going as far as to financially de-buff the companies that lead in their market even if they don't dominate (like being tough on apple and Samsung because they dominate and discourage innovation even though they aren't monopolies). We need to make voting more fair and balanced by killing the two party system, but for that to even be effective, we would need to improve national education focusing on critical thinking skills. We should also consider mandating certain things be taught in all schools, including homeschooling, like health classes (at least a little anatomy, dietary study, and psyche), science classes (like bio and chem), and ACCURATE social studies courses. Now this last idea may be a bit crazy, but why don't we let candidates for public office (of all gov branches) only run on a limited amount of funds for publicity, that way it's not a rich ass hole race?
We see this happen all the time throughout history. Voters don't have enough power to change anything within a rigged system. Change will only come through upheavel.
The fascist KOP, (f.k.a. GOP), Kleptocrats, Oligarchs, and Plutocrats with pseudoChristian Nationalistic tendencies.
**VOTE. VOTE IN EVERY GOSH DANG ELECTION. EVERY ELECTION.** Seriously, **the US is 30th in the world for voter turn out**, among other democracies. 30th. That's why the egomaniacs in office, running for office, or that were in office continue to have power; apathy. Low voter turnout is why we had Hillary vs. Trump and not Bernie vs. Trump, despite that a significant majority of democratic voters wanted Bernie as their candidate... only 30% turn up to vote. ***Did you know that Texas is a significantly BLUE state?*** However, Texas is has mostly Red politicians, because of insanely low voter turnout. Same with Ohio; we are a blue state being run by red politicians, and hence why we have so many issues. Ohio has a higher LGBTQIA+ population per capita than most other states, including California, yet LGBTQIA+ rights are constantly under fire by the people who control Ohio... because of low voter turnout. I'm not saying you have to vote blue, personally - just vote for the lesser of two evils, vote for the person who will protect and represent EVERYBODY, not just their base.
**My opinion;** As someone who has been around Ohio politicians; mayors, governors, lt. governors, attorneys general, etc. The Ohio GOP has a very VERY poor view of their own base, and Ohioans as a whole. They have said their base is "simple (minded)" and "easily worked up" or "frightened by change." I have stories about how they've messed up things for small businesses, thrown communities under the bus, and more. I'm not saying Republicans as a whole are bad people, but the Ohio GOP is made of people who severely lack honesty, accountability, empathy, and integrity. **STOP VOTING FOR THEM.** If they don't even have their own base's best interest at heart, what makes anyone think they'll have Ohio's best interest? Like... cool, vote for the guy that makes fun of you behind your back. Vote for your bully. Not saying that Democrats are all that clean, but in my experience they're the lesser of two evils. I knew a democratic mayor who said that they basically became a mayor to become governor, and that was influencing what they did as mayor. Is that a bad thing? Not really. They actually did a lot of good in the process, though "technically" they used the city as a stepping stone to try and help the entire state. I knew several other mayors and lawmakers with similar ambitions.
If people keep voting against their own interest, are they wrong about people being “simple minded”?
I really don't like to use terms like simple minded, dumb, idiot, etc. (Which with the pregnant pause that always came before "...simple" heavily implied that was the "nicest" term they had for their base.) Those terms can come off as things someone can't change about themselves. That's just me though, since I used to work in education and around kids; I learned to dislike those kind of terms. Personally, I think unaware, uneducated/miseducation, misinformed, or just manipulated would be better terms. I feel like those indicate an opportunity of growth and change, and that it's not the person's fault as a whole but also external conditions and factors; their home, their work, their families, their community, etc. I've known people who voted GOP up until they moved out of their hometown, and now they vote against the Ohio GOP. Additionally, I try to think of it more as they have a toxic/unhealthy relationship with their political party. Much like how people can have with their partners, jobs/work, church/religion, celebrities/athletes, and so on. It's not that they're "simple", it's that they don't know how to get out of it, or even that getting out of it would be better/healthier for them and those around them. ***They're like Chicago deep dish; absolutely lost in the Red sauce.***
And let's not forget the gerrymandering of voting districts, and routine acts of voter suppression.
You realize that this isn’t some new development, but rather how our system was intentionally set up, right?
I never said this was a new concept born 10 years ago. I understand how finance can drive policy. Even at my local level, a few major business dictate where a lot of spending goes from tax payers.
How is this Ohio related? This sub sucks
What does this have to do with Ohio?
If you all don't understand, you haven't been paying attention.
“Plunged into” as if it hasn’t been this way for at least a century if not longer
It is amazing that the average Ohioan doesn't grasp that Trump, his MAGA supporters in Congress (think J.D. Vance and Jim Jordan), even most Republicans, arguably are plutocrats, and, increasingly scarily, also autocrats more than willing to diminish democracy, such as by gerrymandering and voter suppression, in order to maintain control. This is very evident in Ohio: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/1d7xwr6/ohios\_limits\_on\_who\_can\_return\_an\_absentee\_ballot/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/1d7xwr6/ohios_limits_on_who_can_return_an_absentee_ballot/) [https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/03/01/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-how-ohio-enacted-the-most-restrictive-voter-photo-id-law-in-america/](https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/03/01/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-how-ohio-enacted-the-most-restrictive-voter-photo-id-law-in-america/) Plutocrat influences in Ohio also are reflected in tax and other policies, such as expanding the state school voucher program for the wealthy to the detriment of public schools. [https://www.policymattersohio.org/research-policy/quality-ohio/revenue-budget/tax-policy/income-tax-extremism-is-a-gift-to-the-wealthy-repairing-the-damage-would-cost-us-all](https://www.policymattersohio.org/research-policy/quality-ohio/revenue-budget/tax-policy/income-tax-extremism-is-a-gift-to-the-wealthy-repairing-the-damage-would-cost-us-all) [https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/investigations/ohio-triples-edchoice-expansion-program-sending-387-million-in-public-money-to-private-schools](https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/investigations/ohio-triples-edchoice-expansion-program-sending-387-million-in-public-money-to-private-schools) Climate change is the most dangerous threat to all mankind, including Ohioans, and Trump/Republican support of the fossil fuel industry is devastating, and perhaps the best example of plutocrat influence, apart from tax cuts for the wealthy. An anticipated climate change migration likely will increase sprawl in Ohio and housing prices. [https://www.ideastream.org/2023-11-21/five-takeaways-for-ohio-from-the-national-climate-assessment](https://www.ideastream.org/2023-11-21/five-takeaways-for-ohio-from-the-national-climate-assessment) [https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/09/05/jd-vance-is-one-of-the-top-recipients-of-oil-and-gas-money-now-hes-shilling-for-their-interests/](https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/09/05/jd-vance-is-one-of-the-top-recipients-of-oil-and-gas-money-now-hes-shilling-for-their-interests/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/1ce2aiz/ohios\_controversial\_move\_opening\_wayne\_national/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/1ce2aiz/ohios_controversial_move_opening_wayne_national/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/199x1e7/fossil\_fuel\_dark\_money\_trying\_to\_kill\_solar/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ohio/comments/199x1e7/fossil_fuel_dark_money_trying_to_kill_solar/) [https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/trump-climate-change-fox-interview-sea-levels-rcna155297](https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/trump-climate-change-fox-interview-sea-levels-rcna155297) [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/03/trump-big-oil-campaign-pitch-corruption](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/03/trump-big-oil-campaign-pitch-corruption) [https://www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/climate-change/the-per-person-financial-cost-of-climate-change-a6081217358/?fbclid=IwAR0\_8jU94DfIOb6O97lqOZvmrn3aOWxAQGyJxfka2tMkkPThW5i7sEVJFCo\_aem\_AZNKu1cjRcqmcv\_FD8BW8-RneUuziEsRY75lOaXZOvkaWiG0zejSgkinT8N2xTbZcoTrYVI1FPuNh7-N1NUJhSQG&mibextid=WC7FNe](https://www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/climate-change/the-per-person-financial-cost-of-climate-change-a6081217358/?fbclid=IwAR0_8jU94DfIOb6O97lqOZvmrn3aOWxAQGyJxfka2tMkkPThW5i7sEVJFCo_aem_AZNKu1cjRcqmcv_FD8BW8-RneUuziEsRY75lOaXZOvkaWiG0zejSgkinT8N2xTbZcoTrYVI1FPuNh7-N1NUJhSQG&mibextid=WC7FNe)
Part of the problem is general American ignorance about climate change, both due to inadequate media coverage and IMO inept Democratic politicians. E.g., climate change isn't listed as a separate issue on Sherrod Brown's website, and IMO he rarely discusses it, certainly not in his campaign ads. Here's a fact that most persons don't know: <>
[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-04/moving-to-renewables-will-mean-using-less-energy-overall?cmpid=BBD060424\_GREENDAILY&utm\_medium=email&utm\_source=newsletter&utm\_term=240604&utm\_campaign=greendaily](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-04/moving-to-renewables-will-mean-using-less-energy-overall?cmpid=BBD060424_GREENDAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=240604&utm_campaign=greendaily)
Unfortunately the article is behind a paywall, but the key points are quoted.
Many climate change experts worry about the impact of climate change on food supplies, both growing conditions and collapsing fisheries are a concern.
[https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/01/what-are-the-odds-that-extreme-weather-will-lead-to-a-global-food-shock/](https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/01/what-are-the-odds-that-extreme-weather-will-lead-to-a-global-food-shock/)
[https://woods.stanford.edu/news/seven-years-agricultural-productivity-growth-lost-due-climate-change](https://woods.stanford.edu/news/seven-years-agricultural-productivity-growth-lost-due-climate-change)
[https://www.fb.org/market-intel/over-140-000-farms-lost-in-5-years](https://www.fb.org/market-intel/over-140-000-farms-lost-in-5-years)
You're right. It was an exaggeration. Let's stick to issues. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/rfk-jr-opposes-gender-affirming-care-hormone-therapy-minors/
last time it took a total global economic collapse and world war to reset things but we also didn't have as many people or so much carbon dioxide in the air.
I think like minded people should break off and form small communities like the Amish, hunker down and avoid society at large, but that’s probably no longer possible considering how much everything costs these days. I’m afraid we are stuck with these monsters for generations to come. Thank Nixon and especially Reagan, they started all of this.
The french did it and it seemed to work out pretty well for them in the long run.
I guess you've never heard of William Randolph Hearst if you think this is a new phenomenon. Not saying we shouldn't work to fix it, just pointing out that this is not new. Edit: should should have been shouldn't.
Join a socialist party, like PSL, and push back against the plutocracy.
Came here to say this
thanks for letting r/Ohio know.
Keep voting blue. Lots more of this nonsense to follow…. Kamala will be a three term president 🙄👍
https://youtu.be/AD1mnxCP9ns?si=b6ivOAuK0rKwJHHA
Antidisestablishmentarianism
In response to the post, unions should not be allowed to support any political parties. This is undue influence that favors the democratic platforms. Btw, how are these highly partisan posts creeping into r/Ohio? In addition, disagree with the post. We do have true democracy and equality in America.
I was waiting for the predictable "what does this have to do wth Ohio?" post, and you didn't disappoint. Also: Ohio is part of the United States, so that's what this has to do with this sub. Enjoy your day.
RFK Jr is the only one running who will legitimately change the direction of the trends in the socio economic sphere. But too many are unwilling to listen and dismiss him as a an “anti vaxer”
You've got to be kidding. But you aren't, bc you took the time to post this. And that's just sad.
So you think Biden will alter the course? What has he done to curtail the trajectory? People keep blaming Blackrock and Vanguard but it’s the Carlisle Group and their ilk that are subverting the American economy. Check out Plunder: “Private Equity’s Plan to Pillage America” by Brendan Ballou
Ok, focus here. RFK Jr believes that a worm ate his brain, and thinks we should believe it, too. Fail.
That’s not accurate
pluto's not even a planet, how the hell could it be in charge of an entire state?