There was definitely more to say than I addressed here, but there'll be time enough in the coming months for the rest, I'm sure.
The real site of grief today, for my US friends, is the election you *won't* get to have in November, thanks to your narrowed options for presidential candidate.
There are so many important economic, legal, and foreign-policy issues you should be seeing hashed out on the main stage.
But the 2024 election has already been stolen--from you.
https://onlysky.media/mclark/the-election-us-voters-wont-get-to-have/
@MLClark I don't think you're incorrect. I don't agree with everything but I'll go a step further to say the average voter, probably not reflected in the population here, just doesn't care that deeply about issues. We're the country that votes for the best looking kid for class president, to use an analogy. We have fallen victims to accepting the "lesser evil" without being able to articulate any complicated issue other than what personally affects our wallets as voters.
@MLClark That having been said, I think the "robbing" goes way back with all you described and the addition of party cheating (gerrymandering, flooding the coffers of nonviable candidates, super PACs etc). We've got a lot working against us. We've had cleaner elections but historically speaking, I'm not sure when those were.
I sorely appreciate your sharing all of this, SV.
Canada's also been known to pick the "handsome", family-dynasty candidate, so we can't judge.
And knowing the usual commenters on the site, I imagine your observation is going to be echoed in many of theirs. There *is* definitely an issue on the average-voter level, too.
But as you note here, *so* much has been systemically taken, too. It's a really tough nut to crack. I wish you every success in navigating your corner of it.
@MLClark I can't vote harder. I do what I can which right now, is getting people to the polls in a non partisan manner. We're all in this together regardless of our country of origin. We all affect one another.