Education, Not Income, Predicted Trump's Victory

[Cavebear]

My preferred map was the one that best reflected the electorate, although the competitive one was my second choice.  The competitive one is too easily swung by a one-off event or an overload of outside spending; like the highly competitive map, the partisan makeup map also starts off both parties nearly at par with each other but with two significant differences.  First, it takes into account the known voting patterns of the state; and second, with fewer highly competitive seats it's less sensitive to how much the Koch brothers et al. feel like spending that year or to external one-off events.  And it makes events like the 2012 Pennsylvania Congressional elections, where the Democrats won a majority of the statewide vote but ended up getting only 5 of the 18 seats, almost impossible.

A districting map that reflects overall state votes in House seats is the best.  The problem is how to achieve that.

The ideal (in my view) would be that every house district be competitive.  Next best would be that some slightly arranged districts also reflect statewide votes, but that would require constant fine-tuning.

As I see it, a major part of our electoral problems are that entire States have gone over to one party or the other, and no competitive redisctricting is possible.  We are going beyond States in partisanship into Regionalism.

I can't think of any way to balance that short of civil war part 2.  And since that is pretty unlikely, we are faced with each side trying to beat the other into utter submission. 

Personally, I think it is time for "Radical Moderatism".   

[Baruch]

Things will be uniform, when every political office is held by Republicans ;-)

[Cavebear]

Things will be uniform, when every political office is held by Republicans ;-)

Germany, 1936...

[Baruch]

Germany, 1936...

Things will be uniform, when every political office is held by Democrats ;-)

Russia, 1936 ...

[Cavebear]

Things will be uniform, when every political office is held by Democrats ;-)

Russia, 1936 ...

I desire a competitive political democracy, not a uniformly controlled government by one party or the other. 

My State has gerrymandered congressional districts to the benefit of the party I usually support.  I have written to my Representatives objecting to that.  I want competitive districts everywhere.  And the courts are turning their attention to that (finally).  Let it end.

[Baruch]

So ... you are retired.  Why aren't you spending all your wealth, getting elected?  If you don't get elected, you can't do anything, even any improvement.

[Cavebear]

So ... you are retired.  Why aren't you spending all your wealth, getting elected?  If you don't get elected, you can't do anything, even any improvement.

I considered politics (remember, Poly Sci major?) but I was wretched at the game.  Best I ever managed was Dorm President and Senator-At-Large for the 3 dorm complex at U of MD.  That wasn't bad, but I discovered I was too honest.  Besides, who would elect an atheist? 

And you are assuming that elected officials are the true power source. 

Unless you folks all want to crowdfund me...

[Baruch]

Ah ... so irony ... the first thing you do, like Trump, is ask for more money?  Not voting for you.  Sell yourself on the issues, then people will vote for you.  The problem isn't that you aren't clever, it is that you take no cognizance of where the public wants to go on the issues (preaching to the choir ... did you support Bernie?).  No amount of obfuscation would stop an actual winner.

[Cavebear]

Ah ... so irony ... the first thing you do, like Trump, is ask for more money?  Not voting for you.  Sell yourself on the issues, then people will vote for you.  The problem isn't that you aren't clever, it is that you take no cognizance of where the public wants to go on the issues (preaching to the choir ... did you support Bernie?).  No amount of obfuscation would stop an actual winner.

I support professionals who know how govt works.  But less of the cynical power-grabbing.  I'm the city-manager type.

[Baruch]

I support professionals who know how govt works.  But less of the cynical power-grabbing.  I'm the city-manager type.

You and I are e-coli in the gut of the government.  We aren't leaders.  You support fellow e-coli ... well that isn't supporting leaders.  If anyone actually presented a reasonable vision I would vote for them.  Wrong species.

[Cavebear]

You and I are e-coli in the gut of the government.  We aren't leaders.  You support fellow e-coli ... well that isn't supporting leaders.  If anyone actually presented a reasonable vision I would vote for them.  Wrong species.

My political leaders were Nelson Rockefeller, Gerald Ford, Charles Percy, Mike Hatfield  et al.  I'm too tired to think of the others.  Thoughtful managers who agreed in the center to keep things working...

[Baruch]

Chaos Capitalism is new ... it says that we can make money on volatility, not fundamentals.  That is because of the self destructive financial markets.

[Cavebear]

Chaos Capitalism is new ... it says that we can make money on volatility, not fundamentals.  That is because of the self destructive financial markets.

I missed converting everything to securities BY ONE WEEK!  So I'll wait again a few years...

[Baruch]

I missed converting everything to securities BY ONE WEEK!  So I'll wait again a few years...

There is no security in securities!  It's a trap! ... says crawfish admiral.

[Cavebear]

There is no security in securities!  It's a trap! ... says crawfish admiral.

My securities gained 3% while the stocks tanked.  How have you been doing?