The money in politics myth

[mindstalk]

Money isn't as decisive as some people think. Tends to buy apathy not action, and to matter less when voters pay attention. (Like my idea that ads mostly work when people have little opinion anyway.) Big issues have money on both sides, stalemating. Lobbying is often providing information (fight by having better paid staffers) and, ahem, votes. Leftism is hampered by structural problems (gerrymandering, the Senate) and the actual conservatism of many Americans.

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/9/10941690/campaign-finance-left

Comments

[mtbc]

I wonder how much prospect there is of ending gerrymandering and how much difference that would actually make.

[mindstalk]

There's some state movement to have districts drawn by independent commissions. Iowa already had one, with I think relatively competitive House seats; California installed one by initiative -- which led to even more Democratic legislature, apparently the old system had been protecting the GOP -- I think some more elsewhere.

Congress could fix it by law, or even require House state delegations to be elected by PR, but that would require incumbents messing with the system that elected them.