• IcePee@lemmy.beru.co
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      11 days ago

      I think it’s OK to blame voters, for they do have agency, but not exclusively. I think the military industrial complex as well as the politicians and political parties (but, I repeat myself) should probably shoulder at least two thirds of the blame.

      • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        10 days ago

        https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/abs/testing-theories-of-american-politics-elites-interest-groups-and-average-citizens/62327F513959D0A304D4893B382B992B

        “Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence. The results provide substantial support for theories of Economic-Elite Domination and for theories of Biased Pluralism, but not for theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy or Majoritarian Pluralism.”

        Just as a side, we have had data for over a decade that shows the US is not a democracy and regular people AND coalitions of people regularly and systematically lose to rich people and buisness lobbyists.

        • FlowerFan@piefed.blahaj.zone
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          10 days ago

          Oh sorry, I forgot that the oligarchy voted in Trump against the will of the people. I really thoight he was voted in with millions of votes from regular americans

          Even your source says influence on policy, not elections.

          But everything so you can feel better about electing a literal Hitler 2.0

          • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            10 days ago

            Its almost like voting is part of policy. Policy determines who votes where, when poling places open and close, how mail ballots are counted, when the voter rolls purge, the rules around election spending, and the size and shape of the districts that directly effect the outcome of the elections. But go and rage out like a baby instead at the first sight of information that challenges your shallow world view.

            • IcePee@lemmy.beru.co
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              10 days ago

              Basically, it sounds like you are seeing this as a systemic failure. However, while I agree with your analysis, fuckery at the voting stations can only take you so far. The last election saw Trump win beyond a margin where election interference would have mattered. It wasn’t marginal. I would also argue this analysis runs the risk of disenfranchising the electorate. They have agency. To be clear I don’t think the blame can be heaped totally on one side or another.

    • zikzak025@lemmy.world
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      11 days ago

      The voters ultimately caused this current situation, so I absolutely blame them. We are seeing the result of the uncontested will of the American people.