Trump's base is shrinking to just the rural areas...

[Wounded Bear]

This is the urban/rural divide being played out in real time. Rubes in the hinterland know nothing about how cities operate and will be just fine with Trump "taking control" of them. Most of our problems with gun control is that what is being passed works fine in rural areas, while in places where people are more concentrated, unfettered gun ownership becomes more and more problematic.

Our hope lies in the suburbs, and whether or not they feel the threat Trump is putting out there with his "take over the cities" movement.

You can bet your sweet ass that the rubes would be up in arms (literally) if this (the Portland BS) was happening in small town America.

Keep up the fight. I want 35 blue states. I want 400 EC votes.

[RKP5637]

1. K&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[Wounded Bear]

2. Thanks. I've been ruminating on this concept for a while...

the big divide, though it is manifest in red/blue, is really about urban/rural. It dates back to the earliest days of the founders and is codified in the Constitution.

The Constitution and the Senate rules are written to protect the minority. Not the minority defined by race, that's a different problem, the minority defined by wealth and class. We're not a true democracy and right now, minority rule by oligarchs is looming on the horizon, again, like it was in the post Civil War era through the 'Golden Age' up until FDR in the 1030's.

Crazy times.

[RKP5637]

6. (Oops, 1930's.) Very well said!!!!!! We are going through the same crap yet again. n/t

[Quemado]

3. We need at least 38 blue states to amend the Constitution.

We need to get rid of the Electoral College, and possibly the Senate.

[Wounded Bear]

7. The Senate would be OK without the fillibuster, which doesn't need an Amendment...

That is in Senate rules and is not in the Constitution.

Historically, the fillibuster was rare in the first 100-150 years or so. Looking at pre-Civil War politics, the fear from the South was that the Northern anti-slavery faction would gain a majority in the Senate. Not a fillibuster proof majority, just a bare majority. That's why in the first half of the 19th Century states tended to be admitted in pairs, one free, one slave.

In the modern era, the fillibuster has been used more and more often, until now nothing gets done in the Senate without a super majority, which is very undemocratic.

As to the EC, I don't argue that dumping it is a good idea, it really isn't feasible without a Constitutional Convention. Seems unlikely.

[RKP5637]

8. Absolutely the Electoral College needs to go. It is an obsolete and stupid process to have in

the 20th century. The Senate has become bizarre.

[dawg day]

15. Just need a majority to make Puerto Rico and DC states--

Each with 2 senators and at least 1 (probably 4 for PR, 2 for DC).

[Liberal In Texas]

4. Wonder if we'll see City States in the future.

Where 3 or 4 large cities could combine and act as their own state.

[Wounded Bear]

10. Regionalism is more likely, with groups of states banding together...

50 states are becoming unmanageable unless more of them deign to cooperate.

[RKP5637]

11. The country can no longer have some rural areas making decisions that are not good for

more populated areas. The system needs to be reworked some, but with the way politics are today I have no idea how that might happen.

[2naSalit]

5. I beg to differ...

There are many non-rubes in rural parts of this country, people who left the cities, like myself, and are educated beyond high school.

I will take your comment as lumping me and my neighbors & friends into your us vs them trope as an insult. You probably think I have too much representation in Congress too.

[Wounded Bear]

9. Take it how you like. I'm talking about political power here, not individuals...

If all you country based dems can rise up and unseat the Repubs running your politics, go for it. Would love to support you.

As it is now, the Repub party has been taken over by a bunch of RW militias and CT nutjobs. I feel for you, but what I said stands. Much like my "blue" state has it's share of Trumplodytes and other Repubs, we manage to maintain some progressiveism, though we fall short on taxes and shit.

[Mariana]

13. The OP spoke about "rubes in the hinterland".

If you're not a rube in the hinterland who knows nothing about how cities operate, and you won't be just fine with Trump "taking control" of them, then the OP very clearly is not about you.

[cilla4progress]

12. This is essentially what Mary Trump said

in her Maddow interview.

Maddow has asked her, if, as you say, you and your family, knew how dangerous the man was, why did you not say something in 2015. Mary says, as both family members and New Yorkers, they had no clue the false image of drumpf being successfully sold to the rest of the country. That New Yorkers (and family) have known for decades about drumpf's dysfunction, incompetence, dishonesty and grift, and could not believe it would sell as it did.

I think she should have done something. I'm not in her shoes, though.

[Faux pas]

14. Kicketty Kickin'

[dawg day]

16. One problem is that in states with half-rural half-urban pops

State legislatures end up being dominated by the rural areas because gerrymandering gives them more districts. In my state, this means the GOP-dominated legislature can pass all sorts of laws that harm the urban areas, especially in matters about gun control and education.

[Wounded Bear]

17. Yes, that is happening all over the nation...nt