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pjc50yesterday at 10:43 PM3 repliesview on HN

Unpopular opinion: deadlock is fine. Most legislation is bad. What really matters is the budget. And the rule that failing to pass a budget can automatically force an election avoids the absurd US "shutdown" that isn't a shutdown.


Replies

fc417fc802yesterday at 11:04 PM

This is now my second favorite idea, after a nationwide ban of first past the post voting schemes.

My third (previously second) is outlawing political parties. The problem with that one is it would be really difficult to implement in a way that doesn't run afoul of freedom of association and freedom of speech. Probably worth figuring out though.

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dralleyyesterday at 11:30 PM

On the other hand, voting needs to mean something. If voting doesn't mean anything, because the whole system is held in a vice grip by a sclerotic institution playing power games with itself, then the broader system eventually collapses.

My personal opinion is that Mitch McConnell's intransigence and unwillingness to do anything lest Obama get credit for it led directly to an increased desire for a "strongman"

jfengelyesterday at 11:22 PM

Deadlock would be fine if the other two branches weren't running amuck.

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