[Torus34]

[Quoting myself from another source:]

"There are, perhaps, two tipping points if one considers the United States of America response to global warming. The one people are familiar with is that point at which action taken by good ol' h. sapiens will no longer be able to reverse continued global warming.

"There is a second one to consider. It was [Ed.: Gentle Readers, note the use of past tense,] the point at which the federal legislature of the United States became so ideologically polarized that no effective legislative action could be taken."

Note. The exact year in which the latter tipping point occurred is still being researched and remains a matter for discussion.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

[late]

[Quoting myself from another source:]

"There are, perhaps, two tipping points if one considers the United States of America response to global warming. The one people are familiar with is that point at which action taken by good ol' h. sapiens will no longer be able to reverse continued global warming.

"There is a second one to consider. It was [Ed.: Gentle Readers, note the use of past tense,] the point at which the federal legislature of the United States became so ideologically polarized that no effective legislative action could be taken."

Note. The exact year in which the latter tipping point occurred is still being researched and remains a matter for discussion.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

If we ever get serious, you will be surprised at what we can do.

This ain't your grandfathers technology...

[Torus34]

If we ever get serious, you will be surprised at what we can do.

This ain't your grandfathers technology...

Hi, late!

To continue in the same vein, this ain't your grandfather's federal legislature. Few of us are surprised at what it can no longer do.

To expand: For a couple of centuries our two major political parties competed within not only the restrictions of the Constitution of the United States of America* but also within an unwritten set of 'Gentlemen's agreements'. The latter permitted the nation's business to be handled along with the fun and games of interparty competition. The old pork barrel was liberally used to keep the wheels of government spinning. Mutual back-scratching was fully acceptable.

Then, perhaps some time in the mid-1980's, one of the two parties decided to step outside of the safety rails of the agreement and go for dominance, big time. The old pork barrel was even legislated out of existence. Politics at the federal level became, for all intents and purposes, tribal. A symptom was ideological cleansing.

Authoritarianism infiltrated the legislature.** Less and less of the nation's business was attended to, as the legislators were insulated more and more from the 'will of the people' through gerrymandering and control of primary contests.

And so, here we are at today. This poor old country mouse sees no easy way out.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.


* This includes not only the original document but also the amendments and the vast body of constitutional case law.
** Studies have shown this to be concentrated in one of the two party legislatures.

[Steve_American]

[Quoting myself from another source:]

"There are, perhaps, two tipping points if one considers the United States of America response to global warming. The one people are familiar with is that point at which action taken by good ol' h. sapiens will no longer be able to reverse continued global warming.

"There is a second one to consider. It was [Ed.: Gentle Readers, note the use of past tense,] the point at which the federal legislature of the United States became so ideologically polarized that no effective legislative action could be taken."

Note. The exact year in which the latter tipping point occurred is still being researched and remains a matter for discussion.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

I gave you a like for this.
The 2nd is a significant point.

[Torus34]

I gave you a like for this.
The 2nd is a significant point.

Hi, Steve_American!

Thanks for taking time to read my post and comment. The reasons for the present state of our federal legislature forms a rich topic in itself.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

[ckaihatsu]

Financial authorities declared that borrowers had to meet three criteria: the ratio of liabilities to assets had to be less than 70 percent; net debt to equity ratios had to be below 100 percent and cash levels had to be at least equal to short-term debt.

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/0 ... f-s22.html

[Steve_American]

I have posted a new thread in "North America" about a group in Rhode Island that is trying a co-op sort of party to field a slate of working class people for the legislature and an established name for governor. They might have a chance next year to sweep into a majority in the legislature there. IMHO, the American people are sick and tired of both the crazy Repuds and of the unable to do anything sell-out Dems. They will vote for anyone or any party that seems like they will do something to help those voters in their own real lives. This was true when Obama lied his way into the WH, and was true when Trump did also. It was still true when Pres. Biden won. These voters knew that Trump and the crazy Repuds would not deliver, so they voted for Biden. Now, the crazy Repuds are even more crazy
. . . It will take time for this idea to work its way to the national level. And, time is one thing that the world does not have, given the ACC crisis. Yet, it may be the only path to action on ACC.
. . . One idea I'd like to see in every state where this happens would be to redistrict the districts for the US House so that they have 5 to 8 Reps. each. This would make gerrymandering useless and give minor parties a chance to grow. It is more democratic in that no voter will be unable to find at least 1 person to vote *for* and mean it totally. This may not be possible until 2031, though.

[ckaihatsu]

The climate crisis requires a socialist response

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/0 ... m-s23.html