Thought for the day

If the Stein/Baraka campaign earns at least 5 percent of the vote, the Green Party qualifies for about $10 million in federal matching funds to give us a headstart for the next presidential election.

Five percent of the vote would also mean winning Green Party ballot lines in several states around the country, which is critical for building a party that can run candidates at all levels.

In a recent poll, 57 percent of voters said they were voting in this year’s presidential election more out of fear of a candidate, than with enthusiasm.

We could break free from the two-party trap with a simple reform called Ranked Choice Voting, which allows voters to choose candidates in order of preference. This way, you don’t have to worry that voting for your favorite candidate will elevate someone else.

Democrats and Republicans warn us not to vote for a “spoiler,” but they haven’t supported reforms that would expand voter choice.

It’s clear they’re happy to use fear to bully people into voting for them. Make no mistake: We can’t change this system by voting for it.

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10 million would be better spent using it for fucking toilet paper - my thot fer the day

10 million smites fer you.

Yer thoughts for the day usually warrant toilet paper after

My thought for the day

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I think you’d be better off pushing for voter reform that gives voice for these smaller parties. I don’t think this election is the way to that end.

Did you read the statement? It stresses the need for voting system reform. The Green Party needs 5% to qualify for federal funding, which they need to promote voting system reform.

Yeah but I don’t think it does far enough nor will that actually happen. Plus the Libertarian Party seems to have more support than the Greens.

Sure they do. But I imagine the Libertarian Party would be in favor of RCV as well. They could certainly join forces to agitate for that. I imagine millions of Bernie supporters would be on board.

Dismissing the Green Party before giving them half a chance benefits no one.

The Libertarians for the most part of just lapsed Republicans, that think Ayn Rand was a great Philosopher.

They’re nutters, but they could help out in a push to instate Ranked Choice Voting. RCV is the ONLY way to save us from the 2-party system, imho.

Of course it’s not the ONLY way. Here in Canada, we have a multiple parties system and even work with minority governments at times without RCV.

Yeah, that’s why I tagged on the “imho.” Of course there are many ways . But I think it would be easiest for the US to accommodate.

I don’t understand the presidential vote at all vs the party with the most seats gets their candidate as President.

As for RCV, I think it would just confuse the shit out of people.

It’s fine like it is -

all the others are far worse

It’s not confusing at all. It’s already in use in some municipalities, and Australia uses it. It’s actually very simple. Far simpler than the electoral college system.

So you just vote for whoever you want and as many candidates as you want?

Oh I agree that it’s easier than whatever the hell you guys are doing down there ATM.

Yes. But you rank them. So, I could rank Jill number 1. There would be a round of counting, and the lowest vote getters would be thrown out. There is then another round of counting, in which my second choice, say, uh, Clinton (if I was really worried about Trump winning) would be counted if my first choice was thrown out. The lowest vote getter is thrown out repeatedly until one person is left standing. It can even eliminate the need for a primary, thus saving millions and millions of dollars.

But doesn’t that mean you have to have numerous voting days like with a runoff? Why not just do it once and the top vote getter wins?