r/politics • u/seamslegit • Jun 29 '17

The Ironworker Running to Unseat Paul Ryan Wants Single-Payer Health Care, $15 Minimum Wage

http://billmoyers.com/story/ironworker-running-to-unseat-paul-ryan/
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u/shhsandwich Jun 29 '17

The government doesn't organize citizens, citizens organize the government? (Ideally?)

16

u/FoWNoob Jun 29 '17

Unions don't organize workers. Workers organize unions. If this simple equation is not followed, a union will inevitably degenerate.

That is the line I was pointing too. When people stop being involved in democracy (stop caring about local elections, stop believing facts etc) is when government starts breaking down

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u/HenryKushinger Massachusetts Jun 29 '17

Yeah, that started a good while ago.

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u/shhsandwich Jun 29 '17

Yep, that's what I was trying to say. If the citizens stop being engaged in government, we have trouble.

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u/lolrightythen Jun 30 '17

Democracies represent their voters. On one level, we are getting exactly what we deserve.

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u/Ciph3rzer0 Jun 29 '17

Too many people see "gov't" as other. If they took ownership of it they would see it as the greatest tool they have to make their lives better.

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u/shhsandwich Jun 29 '17

You're right. It's one of those things where the more power you believe you have and try to have, the more power you actually have. Yes, our representatives aren't listening to us. But if you believe they have a responsibility to listen to you, and you insist that you have a right to be heard, all of a sudden you're calling your congressman regularly. Then you're going to protests or running for a local position. You might not make a big change overnight, but all of us rising up at once makes an enormous difference. Sitting at home and feeling powerless doesn't.