Monster Eats Itself

Yesterday an interesting thing happened, where disenfranchised folks walked right up into the US capitol after Donald Trump told them to do so. They weren’t welcome there, and a few people ended up dead in the scuffles, and a lot of people were mad for a variety of reasons.

There were a few really interesting things that happened in the aftermath which I felt like writing about. Or rather, there were things that didn’t happen. Things people weren’t saying spoke more about the problem than what they were saying.

I was watching the politicians give their self congratulatory speeches live on C-SPAN after the whole thing was resolved, and I couldn’t help but notice how absurd the whole thing seemed.

Recognizing deeper challenges #

A key theme from yesterday’s events highlights the need to look beyond individual actors to examine systemic issues. While it’s easy to focus on specific personalities, the deeper conversation about institutional resilience and democratic health remains essential.

When tens of millions of citizens feel their needs aren’t being met through traditional political channels, it suggests opportunities for meaningful democratic renewal and institutional improvement.

The polarization we’re witnessing reflects broader societal dynamics rather than being solely attributable to individuals.

Labelling them as “a mob”, “rioters”, “terrorists”, etc #

I get that what they did wasn’t right, but in a way I am sympathetic. Politicians have long enjoyed zero repurcussions (including Trump), and it’s about time they get a reminder of who they actually work for. Hint: it’s not themselves.

There are so many massive problems in the US, and it affects the entire world. Why does the US get a free pass? Why are politicians never held accountable?

Zero talk of political reform #

My opinion is that the US constitution is dated, ineffective, and needs intensive reform. It’s a document that was crafted more than 200 years ago, in a very different time, and one which still has glaring problems. All the politicians and so-called “patriots” love to shout to the rooftops about how great the constitution is, but all I see is an insanely convoluted, complex, and undemocratic system that doesn’t work anymore.

The US constitution hasn’t been meaningfully reformed since 1971, when the last real constitutional amendment was proposed. A functioning government should be updating itself with the latest firmware as needed, and it is damn needed right now.

Here are some ideas of what should happen very quickly to fix the government:

• eliminate the electoral college and the whole circus surrounding it
• standardize voting practices
• ban gerrymandering
• switch to ranked-choice voting
• implement proportional representation
• curb presidential powers–or better yet, eliminate the position outright
• increase the total number of politicians in the government to provide better representation of diverse groups
• introduce direct democracy reforms to allow people to vote directly on large issues
• hold politicians accountable to their constituents by measuring their voting in government to how their constituents vote on issues

Facing our greatest challenges #

We stand at a critical moment where our response to climate change will define our future. The magnitude of this challenge requires transformative thinking and coordinated action. While progress has been slower than needed, growing awareness and momentum for climate action offer reasons for cautious optimism.

Many people are beginning to shift their priorities, with increasing interest in sustainable lifestyles, regenerative practices, and systemic solutions that address both environmental and economic concerns.

Fewer speeches, less bullshit, more action #

Watching the politicians talk about how great they are was exhausting, and I couldn’t help but notice all the other politicians in the background who weren’t even listening to each other. They were all just sitting there playing on their phones, scrolling through Twitter or Instagram, fidgeting with their pens and paper. None of them actually listen to each other: they’re just there to get their 5 minutes of fame and get out. They don’t actually care about “working together” or any of those other vapid tropes.

The best thing we can do, to avoid complete collapse, is to limit the amount of influence any one politician has on the 300+ million people living in the USA.

Thanks for reading #

If you made it this far, a big special thanks for reading my perspective. I’m interested in continuing these important conversations about institutional resilience and positive paths forward.