Thread by @PopulismUpdates

I like how the standard polisci argument for why the American electoral system is unfair under FPTP but will never change is just that legislators will never vote against their own interests. As if that isn't terrible

To some degree it's true but it's a mistake to think that's something set in iron, and effective mass movements could have a lot of influence here

Hard mode: A third party (I know Yang wants this but anyone really famous could run as a "reformer" and sweep Congress in 2/3 cycles if they're popular enough and truly cut across demographics. That's a *huge* lift)

Easy mode: Run someone in the major parties committed to reform

I don't think there's a huge movement within the GOP for scrapping FPTP at the moment but you can sorta imagine a popular Dem with a real democracy reform slate

Also it's not an easy thing to win a major party primary but it's easier to imagine than launching a successful third party. Advantage of the third party though is that it has potentially greater capability of racking up the majorities (supermajorities?) you'd need to legislate

Hard mode: You recruit Santa Claus to start a third party, he wins ~40% three election cycles in a row, *and* brings his Christmas movement to at least 2/3rds of state legislatures before calling a Constitutional Convention and instituting nationwide proportional representation

You may need to win less seats depending on how intimidating this reform movement begins to seem to legislators in other parties

The "easier" route involves endlessly badgering Senator Jon Ossoff into adopting this push for a Constitutional Convention

Some people don't believe big wins are possible ever again with this polarized climate but I'd maintain that a lot is mediated by popularity. Though major party candidates, Ossoff included most likely, are gonna be constrained in ways that a rebel third party campaign wouldn't

All of this is just to say, major reforms are difficult to achieve and may require efforts across years- or generations- but they are possible through leadership and movement building