Election 2020

Back in 2016 I predicted a recession, violence, and suffering. We saw the violence and suffering but I didn't realize you could postpone a recession by just printing money and giving it to rich people. As for the future I don't expect to see any of the last administration's crimes prosecuted. When you're rich the rules don't apply to you. I expect the next ruling party won't be as nakedly corrupt but we'll continue our wars and make no effort to address the vagaries of laissez-faire capitalism. The republicans and evangelicals will return to their preferred role as victims and will refuse to concede an inch while the democrats dither and bicker and relent.

I read an interesting argument recently.

• The United States of America has the highest prison population in the world (both per capita and in raw numbers). source 1
• We have so many people in prison allowing them to vote could swing an election. source 2
• A government that denies it's prisoners the right to vote is government with a vested interest in jailing it's political opposition.
• A disproportionate number of black and latin americans make up the prison population and more than half are being held for non-violent offences. source 3
• Prisoners still get counted in the US census which means the more prisoners a county has, the more representation it gets source 4.
• The southern states have the highest prison populations in the world. source 5

So the southern states can increase their political power by jailing minorities.

Our election process seems designed to favor the right wing.

What would all those professional victims would say if the colors in these maps were reversed?

• Before the 2020 election the 'justice department' closed more than 1000 polling stations in areas prone to racially discriminatory voting practices.
• Voting isn't compulsory (but jury duty is) and the people who neglect to vote are typically left wing.
• Puerto Rico, Washington DC, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Mariana Islands, and Samoa are American territories without political representation.
• Monterey county has a population almost as large as Wyoming but we don't get any senators. My opinion counts for less because of where I live. One could argue that because I live in California, I'm less of an American.
• Puerto Rico has a population greater than twenty other states but has no representation at all.

This election might have gone to the less openly racist and authoritarian candidate but it seems like everyone is ready to go to war.

For once I wish I could vote for a candidate who supported the things I find important rather than being given the choice of selecting the least worst of two.

update 20210120:

I didn't expect a coup. Today there's a lot of relief that the inauguration wasn't violent and the guys on metafilter are getting emotional about having adults in charge again but I'll reserve my judgement to see if they squander this opportunity to close the loopholes that got us into this mess to begin with. Americans are clearly excited to elect a fascist - it's only a matter of time before a competent one comes around.

posted by na on November 19, 2020 20:51