Stuck In The Middle With You (Common Ground Thread)

[Stevesie60]

This isn't something that would ever happen, but I daydream of a world where you get to cast a vote that's +2 for someone, a vote that's +1 for someone, and a vote that's -2 for someone. It would essentially guarantee a/the third party candidate would win every election. A "lesser of two evils" concept, where most people's second choice would most likely win.

[CNS]

Idk. That seems a lot like math. This is America.

[Stupid Fitz]

Idk. That seems a lot like math. This is America.

ha, can you imagine the long 3 page instructions on the ballot designed to confuse you and make you vote opposite like we have now with ballot initiatives.

[hjfklmor]

Thank H&R Block and TurboTax, specifically. The IRS did create a program called Direct File that Republicans are dead set on ending. The only reason I can think to want to end it is if you are paid by those two companies - it is universally a good thing for taxpayers.

Also you're not going to jail for your taxes.

There a tons of example of R's doing the bidding of corporations, but this one is baffling. One, there is already a free option even through these companies. They won't advertise it much, but it's there. It has always made way more sense for the IRS to just do it, which they did. No company involved, just file the taxes owed for free directly with the organization in charge of determining and collecting. Republicans, "nope, you have to use a corporation". It's the dumbest thing ever and they get pass after pass for doing crap like this.

Direct file and free file, two different programs, are both highly restrictive. If you aren't filing a 1040 ez, it's highly unlikely that you can file either way.

DirectFile is available for married taxpayers who make $250,000 or less and live in one of 25 states. Its certainly not all encompassing, you can't have a ton of investment income from different sources or anything, but it does cover a pretty wide swath of taxpayers who would otherwise be using H&R Block or TurboTax. Free file is restrictive, I'll give you that. It's also administered by third parties that have.. creative sounding names.

[Justwin]

If anyone would like to file their federal taxes for free, you can use freetaxusa.com. I have used them for 10-15 years. I have not run into any situation where filing is not free. W-2, all 1099 types, K-1, Schedule C, Schedule E, Schedule F, etc. have all been free to file.

They make their money by charging for filing state taxes. It costs $15 to file your state taxes through them.

[Pete]

we must de-tribalize

rank choice voting is the clearest path

I don't love the idea of ranked choice voting because it adds an unnecessary game-theory aspect to voting which could result in some really wacky scenarios. 

I'd love the idea of a more diverse menu of realistic voting options, but I'm not convinced ranked-choice is the best avenue for that.

Yeah I don't fully understand parliamentary governments but having a boatload of parties seems better on the surface

I love the idea of a boatload of parties. Easy spot where the rough ridin' weirdos are, and you only have to deal with them when you need to negotiate something super important.

[Cire]

Maybe MIR posted but anyone wanna guess which side is going to make sure ranked choice absolutely does not happen?


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[Pete]

Maybe MIR posted but anyone wanna guess which side is going to make sure ranked choice absolutely does not happen?


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One side (which I voted party line with in each election since 1992) is alleged  to have usurped the democratic process to determine their presidential primary candidate in 2 of the last 3 presidential elections, so this case isn’t as open as shut as it might seem.

[star seed 7]

Maybe MIR posted but anyone wanna guess which side is going to make sure ranked choice absolutely does not happen?


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One side (which I voted party line with in each election since 1992) is alleged  to have usurped the democratic process to determine their presidential primary candidate in 2 of the last 3 presidential elections, so this case isn’t as open as shut as it might seem.

Personally I hold party elections and public elections to totally different standards. Parties are free to do whatever they want. 

[star seed 7]

I may think this way because I have never and will never be a member of a political party.

[Cire]

Maybe MIR posted but anyone wanna guess which side is going to make sure ranked choice absolutely does not happen?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

One side (which I voted party line with in each election since 1992) is alleged  to have usurped the democratic process to determine their presidential primary candidate in 2 of the last 3 presidential elections, so this case isn’t as open as shut as it might seem.

It’s the GOP


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[Cire]

Transparency is the best

https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2025/02/07/pentagon-cuts-off-hegseth-town-hall-webcast-after-transparency-pledge/


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[mocat]

Maybe MIR posted but anyone wanna guess which side is going to make sure ranked choice absolutely does not happen?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

One side (which I voted party line with in each election since 1992) is alleged  to have usurped the democratic process to determine their presidential primary candidate in 2 of the last 3 presidential elections, so this case isn’t as open as shut as it might seem.

Personally I hold party elections and public elections to totally different standards. Parties are free to do whatever they want. 

yeah i have tried to be objective as possible when looking back at the kamala nomination situation, and i just really don't get the outrage over the party choosing their candidate. the general public obviously punished them for their choice, but i don't think of it like some dubious crime against democracy.
i mean, america already decided to elect biden, knowing she was the backup in the quite likely scenario of biden dying in office.

[CNS]

Maybe MIR posted but anyone wanna guess which side is going to make sure ranked choice absolutely does not happen?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

One side (which I voted party line with in each election since 1992) is alleged  to have usurped the democratic process to determine their presidential primary candidate in 2 of the last 3 presidential elections, so this case isn’t as open as shut as it might seem.

Personally I hold party elections and public elections to totally different standards. Parties are free to do whatever they want. 

yeah i have tried to be objective as possible when looking back at the kamala nomination situation, and i just really don't get the outrage over the party choosing their candidate. the general public obviously punished them for their choice, but i don't think of it like some dubious crime against democracy.
i mean, america already decided to elect biden, knowing she was the backup in the quite likely scenario of biden dying in office.

I don't think it was a dubious crime.  I just think it was a rough ridin' stupid decision. 

[Pete]

Maybe MIR posted but anyone wanna guess which side is going to make sure ranked choice absolutely does not happen?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

One side (which I voted party line with in each election since 1992) is alleged  to have usurped the democratic process to determine their presidential primary candidate in 2 of the last 3 presidential elections, so this case isn’t as open as shut as it might seem.

Personally I hold party elections and public elections to totally different standards. Parties are free to do whatever they want. 

yeah i have tried to be objective as possible when looking back at the kamala nomination situation, and i just really don't get the outrage over the party choosing their candidate. the general public obviously punished them for their choice, but i don't think of it like some dubious crime against democracy.
i mean, america already decided to elect biden, knowing she was the backup in the quite likely scenario of biden dying in office.

This is not an emotional topic for me, it just seems like if a party is inclined to adopt rank order voting, they should also be inclined to allow the electorate to decide the nominees.

[DQ12]

I actually was legit impressed by the democrats just saying to hell with the primary system.  I wish the pubs had done that back in ‘16.  The electorate is dumb.

[steve dave]

can we all agree that you shouldn't be able to vote if you're really old (over IRS retirement age)? seems like it should be common ground but testing the waters ITT.

[steve dave]

I'd be for raising the voting age to 20 as well as a give back. We need prime earners to be calling shots. Not Methuselah and Xyyler.

[steve dave]

[steve dave]

you get 47 years of voting. you suckle the teet before and after that timeframe and you don't get a say.

[BIG APPLE CAT]

SD4PREZ

[catastrophe]

I'd be for raising the voting age to 20 as well as a give back. We need prime earners to be calling shots. Not Methuselah and Xyyler.

Or maybe you can only vote on Congress (whose main job is controlling the purse) if you pay some minimum amount of taxes. That would tend to naturally control for the too old and too young.

Obviously joint filers would both be considered taxpayers.

[wetwillie]

Bring back requirements to own land and pass a literacy test

[michigancat]

IMO the best thing to do to reduce the power of old people is to shift to 100% online voting. You don't keep anyone from voting but you make it a lot easier for young people with jobs to vote.

Short of that you could also make election day a Saturday, make it easier to vote from home, make it "election week", etc.

[CNS]

Voting should be on blockchain. Everyone gets a token, “gives” that token to their candidate. Candidates with most tokens wins. Tokens should be able to be completely viewable from creation, to voter, and to candidates.

Full disclosure:  I have no idea what I am talking about and am mostly a moron.