> Can't do much about a private enterprise without hundreds of millions in capital
they all die generally in less than a generation, governments on the other end have the force of law and can demagogue their electorate and generally outlive any citizen
never mind that, economic forces act on businesses, you can talk about monopolies all you want there's still enormous incentive and instability for competitors to rise up and get a slice of their action
Hoping that things get better after my death is such a sad view of the world. People can enact change and make a better society together NOW, that's what democracy enables that's why it's worth fighting for democratic ideals.
Extremely rich individuals that think they know better than citizens is not a reality I want to usher in, nor is it democratic to allow private enterprise taking more control of a citizens life.
I'm curious how much actual theory you've read about democracy, democracy is generally a gloss controlled by the elite to legitimize their own corruption and rule.
The closest you'll get to an endorsement is Churchill's "it's the worst aside from all the others" comment.
My actual theory is my lived experience in attending local council meetings, being part of local political groups to enforce change, and advocating/canvassing on the ground to help people I support get more voters voting for them.
These are all things that anyone can do without spending a single penny while creating a tremendous amount of positive change in their local communities. I have relatives that were able to advocate and provide better jobs to hundreds of families through union activism. I have personally pressured local governments to pay for cleanup projects and install sidewalks and open parks. Right now every other day I phone bank convincing likely voters on not just who they should vote for President but why their vote matters and why it's sacred.
What is your lived experience of democracy? Have you attended union meetings? Have you started political groups to advocate for change? Have you ever knocked on doors before and talked to voters about your preferred candidate? Have you driven groups of voters to the polls? Have you attended protests? Have you served on a jury?
Society is shaped by people who show up and if you don't show up you won't have a say.
My entire political theory of democracy is increasing voting rights and civil rights and workers rights. These are the three pillars of change that have been consistently proven to do more good in the world than some ketamine addicted billionaire that thinks they have some sort of divine monetary right derives their thoughts and ideas more valid than your local school teacher.
We've tried feudalism and aristocracy in the past, I don't want to go back to that time. That would betray our ancestors who fought, died, advocated, and taught us why democracy is worth pursuing, dying for, and spreading.
The idea that anyone with money is more worthy than their fellow citizen is a thought that fills me with complete disgust, and I hope it does for you too.
Ok so I'm talking with the wrong person and this conversation isn't useful and I won't change your mind. You're admittedly a die-hard progressive and democracy is less of a rational concept and more of a partisan religion to you.
You don't find it sad that you would rather theory craft about democracy rather than participating in it? If having the desire for oneself to spread democracy makes me partisan than I guess I'm lucky to live in a country where these partisans actually have power.
I actually run elections. "Spreading democracy" is what Hillary Clinton, Victoria Nuland, Condi Rice and the rest of the bipartisan neocon gang does when they bomb countries into oblivion and leave behind chaos and death.
And weather is particularly insidious for it - witness many attempts to lobby to prevent free weather forecasts of any kind, not just emergency, so that private companies could profit from republishing that data.
This is only worth the "outrage" if the predictions of the proprietary model contradicted the publicly available models.
Public-private "partnerships". This is just one of a litany of perverse side-effects of letting for-profit corporations subsume government functions.
Profit gives incentive for development and competition. It also saves a ton of money for tax payers.
Mismanagement of these partnerships isn't representative of this type of deal structures in general. A butt load of public works are funded this way.
Why would profit save money for tax payers? You now just introduced an entirely worthless layer that was wants to extract money.
> You now just introduced an entirely worthless layer that was wants to extract money.
a little simplistic minded to think that government doesn't invariably tend towards rent-seeking and unchecked growth?
I can elect members of the government or campaign against them to change the system, democracy is liberating and freeing in that manner.
Can't do much about a private enterprise without hundreds of millions in capital.
I do see why the elite corpo class favors one over the other.
> Can't do much about a private enterprise without hundreds of millions in capital
they all die generally in less than a generation, governments on the other end have the force of law and can demagogue their electorate and generally outlive any citizen
never mind that, economic forces act on businesses, you can talk about monopolies all you want there's still enormous incentive and instability for competitors to rise up and get a slice of their action
Hoping that things get better after my death is such a sad view of the world. People can enact change and make a better society together NOW, that's what democracy enables that's why it's worth fighting for democratic ideals.
Extremely rich individuals that think they know better than citizens is not a reality I want to usher in, nor is it democratic to allow private enterprise taking more control of a citizens life.
> that's what democracy enables
I'm curious how much actual theory you've read about democracy, democracy is generally a gloss controlled by the elite to legitimize their own corruption and rule.
The closest you'll get to an endorsement is Churchill's "it's the worst aside from all the others" comment.
My actual theory is my lived experience in attending local council meetings, being part of local political groups to enforce change, and advocating/canvassing on the ground to help people I support get more voters voting for them.
These are all things that anyone can do without spending a single penny while creating a tremendous amount of positive change in their local communities. I have relatives that were able to advocate and provide better jobs to hundreds of families through union activism. I have personally pressured local governments to pay for cleanup projects and install sidewalks and open parks. Right now every other day I phone bank convincing likely voters on not just who they should vote for President but why their vote matters and why it's sacred.
What is your lived experience of democracy? Have you attended union meetings? Have you started political groups to advocate for change? Have you ever knocked on doors before and talked to voters about your preferred candidate? Have you driven groups of voters to the polls? Have you attended protests? Have you served on a jury?
Society is shaped by people who show up and if you don't show up you won't have a say.
My entire political theory of democracy is increasing voting rights and civil rights and workers rights. These are the three pillars of change that have been consistently proven to do more good in the world than some ketamine addicted billionaire that thinks they have some sort of divine monetary right derives their thoughts and ideas more valid than your local school teacher.
We've tried feudalism and aristocracy in the past, I don't want to go back to that time. That would betray our ancestors who fought, died, advocated, and taught us why democracy is worth pursuing, dying for, and spreading.
The idea that anyone with money is more worthy than their fellow citizen is a thought that fills me with complete disgust, and I hope it does for you too.
I wish more people understood this. Real change and requires engagement with established democratic institutions.
Businesses or the elite do not have more power, they are just more motivated to lobby both politicians and voters.
A single motivated dedicated individual could accomplish more than any million dollar marketing campaign.
Corruption or not a plitician is more likely to agree with a united position of large number of his constituents than any kind of bribe.
Ok so I'm talking with the wrong person and this conversation isn't useful and I won't change your mind. You're admittedly a die-hard progressive and democracy is less of a rational concept and more of a partisan religion to you.
You don't find it sad that you would rather theory craft about democracy rather than participating in it? If having the desire for oneself to spread democracy makes me partisan than I guess I'm lucky to live in a country where these partisans actually have power.
I actually run elections. "Spreading democracy" is what Hillary Clinton, Victoria Nuland, Condi Rice and the rest of the bipartisan neocon gang does when they bomb countries into oblivion and leave behind chaos and death.
And weather is particularly insidious for it - witness many attempts to lobby to prevent free weather forecasts of any kind, not just emergency, so that private companies could profit from republishing that data.
https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/11/25/weather-i...
What use is a hurricane model if it must be kept secret for five years?