A republic is not ruled by its people, nor by its officials

[pecksniff]

A republic is ruled by its "political nation" -- that minority of its people who are politically active and engaged. They are the ones who determine its general political direction. They are the ones who have more influence than anyone else on the outcome of elections, and on what candidates even make it onto the ballot. They are the ones who shape the boundaries of the Overton Window, who decide what is or is not a matter for serious consideration.

That includes all of us on this board and similar boards, or at least we are on the margins of it.

The Pew Political Typology is a good guide to the full range of political views among the American people -- but a more useful study would make a similar analysis of the political nation.

 

[Rightguide]

This Republic is, according to its Constitution, ruled by the people through their elected representatives. Yes, it has been corrupted by its administrative state but the contest isn't over with yet.

 

[LittleDixie]

We are ruled by all of the Karens from all of the Home Owner's Associations of America.

 

[pecksniff]

This Republic is, according to its Constitution, ruled by the people through their elected representatives. Yes, it has been corrupted by its administrative state but the contest isn't over with yet.

This has nothing at all to do with the "administrative state." Every government of any form is an administrative state. A town of 3,000 is an administrative state.

 

[pecksniff]

We are ruled by all of the Karens from all of the Home Owner's Associations of America.

Those are part of the political nation, certainly.

 

[butters]

A republic is ruled by its "political nation" -- that minority of its people who are politically active and engaged. They are the ones who determine its general political direction. They are the ones who have more influence than anyone else on the outcome of elections, and on what candidates even make it onto the ballot. They are the ones who shape the boundaries of the Overton Window, who decide what is or is not a matter for serious consideration.

That includes all of us on this board and similar boards, or at least we are on the margins of it.

The Pew Political Typology is a good guide to the full range of political views among the American people -- but a more useful study would make a similar analysis of the political nation.

so true, and all the more reason to have as many people politically-engaged as possible. Of course, the majority of people don't even want to have to think about politics: it should be boring, background stuff in their lives that only gets a smidge of consideration once or twice every four years. In all honesty, that was pretty much how i viewed politics, too, till i moved over here with t letting the boat steer itself madly off course.

I wanted politics to be safe & boring. In the UK, whichever party won the election there didn't seem to be a huge difference in how the country worked as a whole...no doubt a lot of that was my own naivety. Local elections seemed more important, but the way the UK worked overall was fairly steady. I came over here and there was all this craziness. I'd still like politics to be something i didn't need to think about.

 

[Rightguide]

This has nothing at all to do with the "administrative state." Every government of any form is an administrative state. A town of 3,000 is an administrative state.

The above has little to do with reality. The administrative state refers to the permanent unelected government bureaucracy.

 

[pecksniff]

so true, and all the more reason to have as many people politically-engaged as possible. Of course, the majority of people don't even want to have to think about politics: it should be boring, background stuff in their lives that only gets a smidge of consideration once or twice every four years. In all honesty, that was pretty much how i viewed politics, too, till i moved over here with t letting the boat steer itself madly off course.

I wanted politics to be safe & boring. In the UK, whichever party won the election there didn't seem to be a huge difference in how the country worked as a whole...no doubt a lot of that was my own naivety. Local elections seemed more important, but the way the UK worked overall was fairly steady. I came over here and there was all this craziness. I'd still like politics to be something i didn't need to think about.

Your native UK is an interesting case study in the expansion of the political nation over time. In the 18th Century, it was limited to the males of the landowning gentry class -- they weren't quite the only voters, but they were the only voters who mattered, the ones who really decided who would get into Parliament and who wouldn't. Nowadays, any Brit with sufficient interest can be part of the political nation.

 

[pecksniff]

The above has little to do with reality. The administrative state refers to the permanent unelected government bureaucracy.

Every government both has and needs those. It is better that they should be chosen by merit through civil-service exams or whatever, than political appointees as under the old spoils system, even if the latter can be said to be in some sense "elected."

 

[Earthlyone]

A republic is ruled by its "political nation" -- that minority of its people who are politically active and engaged. They are the ones who determine its general political direction. They are the ones who have more influence than anyone else on the outcome of elections, and on what candidates even make it onto the ballot. They are the ones who shape the boundaries of the Overton Window, who decide what is or is not a matter for serious consideration.

That includes all of us on this board and similar boards, or at least we are on the margins of it.

The Pew Political Typology is a good guide to the full range of political views among the American people -- but a more useful study would make a similar analysis of the political nation.

The vast bulk of people are not particularly idealistic one way or another, they are inane, they believe the last thing that's ever said to them and are very easily led.

 

[WillJ8787]

A republic is ruled by its "political nation" -- that minority of its people who are politically active and engaged. They are the ones who determine its general political direction. They are the ones who have more influence than anyone else on the outcome of elections, and on what candidates even make it onto the ballot. They are the ones who shape the boundaries of the Overton Window, who decide what is or is not a matter for serious consideration.

That includes all of us on this board and similar boards, or at least we are on the margins of it.

The Pew Political Typology is a good guide to the full range of political views among the American people -- but a more useful study would make a similar analysis of the political nation.

Pretty much spot on ....both the Repub and Dem party machines run what happens, have power over who runs or not(by withholding support and money or not).

Interesting support of this concept....Hillary getting the endorsement over Bernie in the 2016 run. How fatal a decision that has been for Democrats. I hope they learned their lesson but it appears not

Interesting evidence against this idea....45's successful run to the Presidency. Inspite of trying to keep him out he overcame the GOP parties opposition. It also shows how the GOP does not have a strangle hold on the party anymore and is a failing party or they would have been able to control 2016.

 

[LittleDixie]

Those are part of the political nation, certainly.

Just part of it? "That minority of its people who are politically active and engaged" are the Karens. These are the people who want to speak to the manager to get things done.

I am not just being flippant. The majority of people is content to just keep on keepin on, but there are a minority of people who want to intervene and meddle and get in and start telling people what to do, because life isn't to their tastes and they know better and just get out of the way and let me do it, you don't know what you're doing, give me the controls, you're fired, I'll show you how to do it right.

Those are Karens.

 

[WillJ8787]

Just part of it? "That minority of its people who are politically active and engaged" are the Karens. These are the people who want to speak to the manager to get things done.

I am not just being flippant. The majority of people is content to just keep on keepin on, but there are a minority of people who want to intervene and meddle and get in and start telling people what to do, because life isn't to their tastes and they know better and just get out of the way and let me do it, you don't know what you're doing, give me the controls, you're fired, I'll show you how to do it right.

Those are Karens.

Ah, so you know you are the "Karen" here.

Most folks have the wisdom to move on since they know that they have little to no ability.to change certain things...it doesn't.mean they are not aware and care about issues

 

[GothTalk]

Just part of it? "That minority of its people who are politically active and engaged" are the Karens. .

That includes you.

 

[Dribble]

Sooner or later....the God of violence will be used by both sides. And the end of a once great country comes swiftly. Doesn't matter who starts the violence. Violence only begets violence

 

[Chernosoth]

Party loyalists get nothing for their loyalty. Their votes are safe so they are safely ignored.

 

[WillJ8787]

Party loyalists get nothing for their loyalty. Their votes are safe so they are safely ignored.

This should be in a fortune cookie!

 

[pecksniff]

Pretty much spot on ....both the Repub and Dem party machines run what happens, have power over who runs or not(by withholding support and money or not).

Interesting support of this concept....Hillary getting the endorsement over Bernie in the 2016 run. How fatal a decision that has been for Democrats. I hope they learned their lesson but it appears not

Interesting evidence against this idea....45's successful run to the Presidency. Inspite of trying to keep him out he overcame the GOP parties opposition. It also shows how the GOP does not have a strangle hold on the party anymore and is a failing party or they would have been able to control 2016.

The boundaries of the political nation are fluid. It includes not only the party machines but the primary voters. Trump figured out an approach to recruit into it a mass of citizens who were hitherto silent, and who probably didn't turn out for earlier primaries, because they saw no leaders who really spoke for how they really felt.

Bernie Sanders did the same. Early in 2016, there were voters who were wavering as to whether support Trump or Sanders -- they saw appeal in both, because they saw both as "anti-establishment" candidates. The difference was that Sanders' anti-establishment message was sincere. Sanders, unlike Trump, actually knows and says who the establishment really is -- the plutocracy, not the inside-the-Beltway elite or Deep State.