Gerrymandering... it just is now.

[Spacetime Inhabitant]

Who says what is fair, the question is fundamental to democratic systems.

We are a democrat republic not a direct democracy. Even in a direct democracy going by majority vote there will be people who do not get what they think is fair.

In our democratic republic we elect people who make decisions, and we are supposed to abide by decisions unless there a violations of laws and COTUS.

In a pluralistic society nobody gets things exactly like they want.

The left and right use the same tactics, and both cry foul when they are on the loosing side.

Preventing Texas from redistricting just ahead of mid terms would require a federal law allowing redistricting only coincident with the census. Good luck with that, neither side would want it.

What modern democracies are is constitutional democracies. Whether they are a republic or a monarchy is a minor distinction.
What makes USA almost unique is that unlike most countries, where there are separate heads of state and government, the USA combines them into one person. That makes the USA an absolute monarchy when the parliament (USA -Congress) does not do its job of harnessing the president.
The claim that left and right use the same tactics is false. Maybe the Democrats and Republicans use the same tactics, but neither of them is "the left". They are both right of centre parties in terms of the majority of their members. They may have a small number of more left-orientated people.

 

[gmbteach]

In a company someone who refused to come to work to do what he or she is paid for as a protest would be fired.

Not in the civilised world they wouldn't. Here in Queensland, for example, strike action is protected industrial action, as long as the union has polled the members and recieved a majority vote in favour of a strike. Retaliation against workers for participating in protected industrial action is a serious offence.

We in the RTBU recently had a six hour strike in support of our pay and conditions claim; And @gmbteach participated in a 24 hour strike as part of the Teachers Union on Wednesday.

The right to withhold your labour as a protest against unreasonable or unfair demands, conditions, or pay, is a fundamental of industrial relations in the developed world.

I am once again wondering why US workers still haven't risen up in bloody revolution against their uniquely harsh and unbalanced employment conditions.

Your apparently unthinking acceptance of the truly vile idea that "someone who refused to come to work to do what he or she is paid for as a protest would be fired", goes some way towards explaining this.

Try firing someone for that in Queensland, and you would have no workers at all within the hour, and a very noisy picket line outside your business. You would also be explaining your illegal action to the Industrial Relations Commission.

Ha ha ha. Given our recent industrial action where 50000 teachers walked out..and we were fired? Ha ha ha.

 

[ZiprHead]

If there are no valid legal options to block the vote the ddemocrats are putting off the invertible.

Eventually they have to return.

In a company someone who refused to come to work to do what he or she is paid for as a protest would be fired.

The Democrats have no obligation to participate in an unconstitutional tearing apart of representative democracy.

The democrats are being silly.

So what are the Texas Republicans being?

 

[Tigers!]

Who says what is fair, the question is fundamental to democratic systems.

The intent was for regional representation. Ohio wise, having Youngstown, Ohio being included with sparsely populated SE Ohio makes little sense. Toledo is drowned out as well with rural areas.

We have computers that provide reasonable districting, that could help keep those representing the districts honest. The trouble is, many states have districts that prioritize the haul for a party than demographics or geography.

This (embolded) with your appalling voter turnout explains an awful lot.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Who says what is fair, the question is fundamental to democratic systems.

The intent was for regional representation. Ohio wise, having Youngstown, Ohio being included with sparsely populated SE Ohio makes little sense. Toledo is drowned out as well with rural areas.

We have computers that provide reasonable districting, that could help keep those representing the districts honest. The trouble is, many states have districts that prioritize the haul for a party than demographics or geography.

This (embolded) with your appalling voter turnout explains an awful lot.

For a person that knows so little about the US, you seem to talk too much about it.

 

[Tigers!]

Who says what is fair, the question is fundamental to democratic systems.

The intent was for regional representation. Ohio wise, having Youngstown, Ohio being included with sparsely populated SE Ohio makes little sense. Toledo is drowned out as well with rural areas.

We have computers that provide reasonable districting, that could help keep those representing the districts honest. The trouble is, many states have districts that prioritize the haul for a party than demographics or geography.

This (embolded) with your appalling voter turnout explains an awful lot.

For a person that knows so little about the US, you seem to talk too much about it.

The very many people who did not bother voting last Nov. is available on the internet. About 90 million did not vote which is more votes than either Trump or Harris achieved.
I talk about it because sadly what you yanks do affects Aust. in so many ways, not always benignly.

 

[ZiprHead]

 

[Politesse]

Embarassment of a "government" we have now...

 

[Gospel]

Embarassment of a "government" we have now...

This is what happens when adults try to hang at the kids’ table, a government press release posted solely for likes and shares.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Who says what is fair, the question is fundamental to democratic systems.

The intent was for regional representation. Ohio wise, having Youngstown, Ohio being included with sparsely populated SE Ohio makes little sense. Toledo is drowned out as well with rural areas.

We have computers that provide reasonable districting, that could help keep those representing the districts honest. The trouble is, many states have districts that prioritize the haul for a party than demographics or geography.

This (embolded) with your appalling voter turnout explains an awful lot.

For a person that knows so little about the US, you seem to talk too much about it.

The very many people who did not bother voting last Nov. is available on the internet. About 90 million did not vote which is more votes than either Trump or Harris achieved.
I talk about it because sadly what you yanks do affects Aust. in so many ways, not always benignly.

Sure, we crashed the entire global economy in 2008. We are exceptional!!!

Blaming the issue of governance on those that didn't vote, instead of the governing body is ignorant. The people who do vote, often aren't voting based on reasonable understanding of governance, history, economics, etc... You think responsible governance will pop out of the blue once the people who don't give a fuck start voting?

Trump didn't win because of "low" turnout. Trump won in '24 because of inflation from Covid. It is the same general reason HW Bush lost in '92. He had the Reagan recession hang over him and while it was going away, the people elected 'the other guy'. If the economy goes down, the Party in power generally loses, regardless a 85%, 65%, 45% turnout. The problem in America is that one side of the aisle, the propaganda mill on cable and radio has created a monster in what was the Tea Party, and now is just an angry group of people, upset at whatever the fuck the radio and cable network tells them to. CRT was a big issue for a cycle or too. Transgender has been real popular. When I was younger, Orrin Hatch was a stalwart conservative. When he retired, he was a "moderate". It has swung that much for the GOP.

Oh wait... both sides fallacy? Please don't. A commercial about jeans made some liberals post disagreement online. A commercial with a trans gender woman made conservatives take out guns and destroy cans of "beer". I say "beer" because it is Bud Light and I don't want to offend beer drinkers.

 

[Elixir]

About 90 million did not vote which is more votes than either Trump or Harris achieved.

Guess which party opposes the kind of “mandatory voting” y’all have in your Country.
Go ahead, take a guess.

 

[Swammerdami]

I am once again wondering why US workers still haven't risen up in bloody revolution against their uniquely harsh and unbalanced employment conditions.

Anglophones led the way toward modern workers' rights! The British Labour Party was founded in 1900; the Australian Labor Party (federal caucus) was founded in 1901. But the United States, beginning with help from President Teddy Roosevelt, also had a strong labor movement during parts of the 20th century.

The labor movement in the U.S. had to fight severe violence, often directed by their own government. That glorious movement can be felt in some music at YouTube:


The most famous minstrels of the U.S. labor movement were Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger:


The 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain was the largest armed uprising in the U.S. since the Civil War. Seeger was too young to support those striking coal miners, but he did sing about the 1930's long-lasting Harlan County War. (Those scabs and murderers were led by J.H. Blair, no known relation to the eponym of Blair Mountain.)

His 92 year-old voice almost useless, here's Pete Seeger still singing about labor unions.

I hope I'll be forgiven for posting four YouTube songs to reminisce about America's happier days.

Speaking of videos, does anyone have a link to the 2:45 video "God Made Trump"? It is the most delectable satire about this oaf, but Trump didn't seem to get the joke and reposted it himself on his social media. I can find some brief excerpts, but not the full 2:45. Perhaps someone on Trump's team came to their senses and forced it to be taken down.

I have the video myself, uploaded to my own website but I can't link to that here. The website uses my Real Name, and I try to keep that "firewall" intact.

 

[gmbteach]

About 90 million did not vote which is more votes than either Trump or Harris achieved.

Guess which party opposes the kind of “mandatory voting” y’all have in your Country.
Go ahead, take a guess.

The Liberal/National party, who have split up now IIRC because they tried to ride on the coattails of Trumps success and failed miserably.

Compulsory voting is now 100 years old and we are issued a fine if we don’t vote. But then we hold our election on a Saturday, the polling booths are open for 10 hours, we allow postal and pre voting for those who require it, absentee votes for those not at home… there is no excuse not to vote.

But then when the Lib/Nat party (affectionately known as the Coalition’ because they rarely get into power without each other) are in, our country gets fucked up.

With compulsory voting, we have a roughly 90% turnout of eligible votes. FFS if you don’t want to vote, turn in a blank voting form, or write something extra on it..it becomes invalid. That’s one way to abstain and not cop a fine.

However, Australians as a whole, want compulsory voting.

 

[gmbteach]

I am once again wondering why US workers still haven't risen up in bloody revolution against their uniquely harsh and unbalanced employment conditions.

Anglophones led the way toward modern workers' rights! The British Labour Party was founded in 1900; the Australian Labor Party (federal caucus) was founded in 1901. But the United States, beginning with help from President Teddy Roosevelt, also had a strong labor movement during parts of the 20th century.

The labor movement in the U.S. had to fight severe violence, often directed by their own government. That glorious movement can be felt in some music at YouTube:


The most famous minstrels of the U.S. labor movement were Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger:


The 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain was the largest armed uprising in the U.S. since the Civil War. Seeger was too young to support those striking coal miners, but he did sing about the 1930's long-lasting Harlan County War. (Those scabs and murderers were led by J.H. Blair, no known relation to the eponym of Blair Mountain.)

His 92 year-old voice almost useless, here's Pete Seeger still singing about labor unions.

I hope I'll be forgiven for posting four YouTube songs to reminisce about America's happier days.

Speaking of videos, does anyone have a link to the 2:45 video "God Made Trump"? It is the most delectable satire about this oaf, but Trump didn't seem to get the joke and reposted it himself on his social media. I can find some brief excerpts, but not the full 2:45. Perhaps someone on Trump's team came to their senses and forced it to be taken down.

I have the video myself, uploaded to my own website but I can't link to that here. The website uses my Real Name, and I try to keep that "firewall" intact.

The Labor Party in Australia was also instrumental in introducing such things as the 8 hour working day (8 for work, 8 for play, 8 for sleep), as well as Long Service Leave, which employees are entitled to after 10 years of service in the same company. It allows for 6 weeks (or 12, not sure) of extra vacation leave over and above your 4 week allocation. It was introduced because so many of our residents have family in Europe and it takes so long to get there, especially prior to the innovation of jet travel. Even now, it takes a minimum of 28 hours of travel time (from arrival at airport to departure at destination) for us to get to the UK.

We were the second country to introduce votes for women (NZ was first), however, South Australia as a colony granted women the vote on the 18th December 1894.

We also achieved our ‘independence’ from the UK without a single shot being fired! We did it peacefully and democratically.

Aussies are an amazing bunch!

 

[ZiprHead]

I have the video myself, uploaded to my own website but I can't link to that here. The website uses my Real Name, and I try to keep that "firewall" intact.

This is the Post Video tool on the menu bar above any edit session. Or you can post it on YouTube and embed it here.

 

[ZiprHead]

The 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain was the largest armed uprising in the U.S. since the Civil War. Seeger was too young to support those striking coal miners, but he did sing about the 1930's long-lasting Harlan County War. (Those scabs and murderers were led by J.H. Blair, no known relation to the eponym of Blair Mountain.)

His 92 year-old voice almost useless, here's Pete Seeger still singing about labor unions.

I hope I'll be forgiven for posting four YouTube songs to reminisce about America's happier days.

Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger were huge influences on Bruce Springsteen. Many of his songs are pro labor and labor unions. They just aren't his big hits.

 

[ZiprHead]

The God Made Trump video is included in the start of this video.

 

[ZiprHead]

The God Made Trump video is included in the start of this video.

Here too. Wasn't hard to find.

 

[Swammerdami]

The very many people who did not bother voting last Nov. is available on the internet. About 90 million did not vote which is more votes than either Trump or Harris achieved.
I talk about it because sadly what you yanks do affects Aust. in so many ways, not always benignly.

I've correctly predicted the top scorer in every recent Presidential election, and done so early on. I won't search the archives here, but I'm sure I announced my (correct) predictions for 2020 and 2024. These predictions were easy! -- Didnt_Vote has won the last 15 elections.

The last time that Didnt_Vote failed to win a Presidential election was in 1964 when LBJ narrowly beat out Didnt_Vote 38% to 37% with Barry Goldwater a distant third. I love George Carlin but I'm reluctant to endorse his pretense that he spends his franchise on Didnt_Vote.

Most of the Didnt_Vote supporters are ignorant and/or apathetic but let's not forget that the QOPAnon Party is actively preventing voting. In a recent election, voters in some D-leaning precincts were forced to queue for several hours before voting and election officials selected by QOPAnon deemed it "illegal campaigning" for anyone to provide those would-be voters with drinking water!

 

[Tigers!]

I am once again wondering why US workers still haven't risen up in bloody revolution against their uniquely harsh and unbalanced employment conditions.

Anglophones led the way toward modern workers' rights! The British Labour Party was founded in 1900; the Australian Labor Party (federal caucus) was founded in 1901. But the United States, beginning with help from President Teddy Roosevelt, also had a strong labor movement during parts of the 20th century.

The labor movement in the U.S. had to fight severe violence, often directed by their own government. That glorious movement can be felt in some music at YouTube:


The most famous minstrels of the U.S. labor movement were Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger:


The 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain was the largest armed uprising in the U.S. since the Civil War. Seeger was too young to support those striking coal miners, but he did sing about the 1930's long-lasting Harlan County War. (Those scabs and murderers were led by J.H. Blair, no known relation to the eponym of Blair Mountain.)

His 92 year-old voice almost useless, here's Pete Seeger still singing about labor unions.

I hope I'll be forgiven for posting four YouTube songs to reminisce about America's happier days.

Speaking of videos, does anyone have a link to the 2:45 video "God Made Trump"? It is the most delectable satire about this oaf, but Trump didn't seem to get the joke and reposted it himself on his social media. I can find some brief excerpts, but not the full 2:45. Perhaps someone on Trump's team came to their senses and forced it to be taken down.

I have the video myself, uploaded to my own website but I can't link to that here. The website uses my Real Name, and I try to keep that "firewall" intact.

The Labor Party in Australia was also instrumental in introducing such things as the 8 hour working day (8 for work, 8 for play, 8 for sleep),

Just a correction.
The 8 hour day was introduced in Victoria in 21/04/1856. The Labour Party was formed 08/05/1901.
The Labour party had nothing to do with the 8 hour day.

as well as Long Service Leave, which employees are entitled to after 10 years of service in the same company. It allows for 6 weeks (or 12, not sure) of extra vacation leave over and above your 4 week allocation. It was introduced because so many of our residents have family in Europe and it takes so long to get there, especially prior to the innovation of jet travel. Even now, it takes a minimum of 28 hours of travel time (from arrival at airport to departure at destination) for us to get to the UK.

We were the second country to introduce votes for women (NZ was first), however, South Australia as a colony granted women the vote on the 18th December 1894.

A fine achievement

We also achieved our ‘independence’ from the UK without a single shot being fired! We did it peacefully and democratically.

Aussies are an amazing bunch!