[wickedwiesel]

Given the current discussion on political apathy in the US I think this data fits well into this pattern.

Looking at the voter turnout for United States (2016) of the of voting-age population you have merely 55.70% voting. (For comparison, the scale goes up to 87.21% in Belgium). Only roughly HALF of the population casts their votes in federal elections. Since a lot of the current policing decisions are made on a state or local level where voter turnout is even worse, this is a democracy in crisis.

What could be the drivers for this? I think you get a hint if you look at the other column, where you see the % of voter turnout based on registration. In most countries listed here, these numbers are almost identical because you are registered as a voter by default if you are a citizen. OR, if you are in the US, the % climbs to a whopping 86.80%, illustrating what a negative impact this system has.

Let people vote. Get rid of this ridiculus competition to cut and slice voter districts to party needs (gerry-mandering) and stop suppressing voters by other means if you want a system that actually allows politicians to work for their voters and not for donors / special interest groups that keep you paid.

[bildung]

One easy change with major effects (that is law in almost all OECD countries IIRC) would be to have votes only on sundays or official holidays. Having to vote on a work day disproportionally disadvantages workers.

[js8]

Also, what's up with these horrible queues at polling places? In my country (Czechia), I rarely have to wait when I come to the polling place.

We have one polling place (one ballot box, one comitee, about two places where you're required by law to fill your ballot) per maybe couple thousands citizens. These places are usually in a local school for the district. During the election, they are open Friday afternoon till 8 PM and Saturday till 2 PM. We have fully tabulated results by late Saturday. We don't have to register, the verification is done through a central registry, we just have to prove our identity at the polling site.

Frankly, I think U.S. deserves a comprehensive electoral reform. Americans should demand it in a general strike.

[zrail]

> if you want a system that actually allows politicians to work for their voters

The people in power don’t actually want this.

[jahaja]

Trump said it out loud didn't he? That the republican party would cease to exist, or similar, if voting-by-mail were widely allowed.

[willis936]

It’s what we all know: current GOP ideals do not line up with majority representation. The GOP would be forced to change its policy to fall in line with the people’s will: a true tragedy, I know. We currently have a tyranny of minority.

[C1sc0cat]

That's because of entryism by far right activists - the sensible Republicans need to talk to Tony Blair and Gordan Brown about that.

[syshum]

Would this imply that the democrat party does align with the majority? If you believe that, this is not my experience.

For me personally, as a libertarian, I would say I agree with about 60% with the GOP platform, and about 20-30% with the Democrat platform. this used to be higher but the recent misadventure of the democrats in to "democratic socialism" and other left authoritarian policy positions has seen me really want to pull back from and oppose the democratic party more so then I have in the past

[willis936]

In this moment, to me, it seems strange to agree with 60% of republican policy but to to disagree with 70% democratic policy on the grounds of authoritarianism.

[syshum]

Well lets take a few issues.

For example by and large I agree with the current actions of the Republicans and Trump in the realm of Foreign / trade Policy. While I am not a huge fans of tariff's our trade agreements have been lopsided not in the favor of the US for many decades now. It was not in anyway a fair or "free" trade, they here gifts to large multinational corporate looking to lower labor costs and avoid environmental regulations that their smaller competitors could not

I am also 100% anti-intervention so Trump pulling the military out of many nations I am 100% in agreement with, something the Democrats just a few years ago also agreed with but modern democrats can not be seen sharing any position with the Orange Man at all, ever.

Now on the domestic Front. I am largely in-favor of the Corporate Tax Cuts, Largely in favor of most of the Deregulation that has occurred. I have largely agreed with Trumps Supreme Court Nominees.

Immigration and Law Enforcement is the 2 area's I disagree with the GOP on, with immigration however democrats have gone off the deep in wanting to open up all Social Welfare programs to anyone that want to come here from anywhere. I 100% oppose that as it is economically unfeasible. I support the idea of open immigration as long as spending on Social welfare programs is controlled. I also oppose the creation of a new Universal Healthcare entitlement which is a cornerstone of the Democrat party platform

When it comes to domestic law Enforcement I oppose the GOP almost completely.

[mtberatwork]

Yes, he tweeted it out even not too long ago: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/12661725709839401...

[DFHippie]

And this isn't an idea that Trump came up with himself, he's just said the quiet part out loud. So, if we take it as given that Republican politicians and strategists are motivated to restrict the franchise by the same belief this means they believe they cannot obtain power under a properly administered democracy yet they believe they have a right to govern. There are an awful lot of people in the US with only a very transactional relationship to the idea of democracy.