A “democracy based on meritocracy” is a contradiction in terms. A real democratic system is one in which everyday people from all walks of life are picked by lottery to serve in government, like we already do with juries. That would break the power of dynastic gerontocrats like Clyburn instantly.
He also named "MacBeth" as his favorite of Shakespeare's tragedies. Like Claudius, MacBeth commits regicide to obtain ultimate power, then is wracked by guilt. Maybe Lincoln had a conscience and was sensitive to the temptations of power--unlike many politicians today.
@lioneltrolling.bsky.social Wondering about your thoughts on the adoption of citizens’ assemblies in recent French politics.
open.substack.com/pub/nickcocc...
My review of a new film and book on #democracy.
open.substack.com/pub/nickcocc...
The answer is Democracy by Lottery:
www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
Just turned them on and ran it--came out at 32.4.
Models were off.
Huh. When I ran it last night, came out at 44% and I freaked.
Depraved.
Damnit, John, just as I was resolved to high tail it for Canada, this thing is saying don’t freak out. But does it factor in a mad king who could escalate to a catastrophe every other week and now has his own SA?
So the lower the number, the better (for democracy)? Sorry, I stupid.
Pointed to Paxton's hypothesis myself 3 years ago: open.substack.com/pub/nickcocc...
Great to see our friend Terry Bouricius make the case for sortition in Jacobin.
#sortition #democracy
jacobin.com/2025/12/sort...
ProtonMail?
What a grotesque insult to the Union dead who lie in a cemetery right on the battlefield. So much for not dying in vain.
If you ever wondered what you would do in 1930s Germany, you have your answer. This is a spiritual emergency and we have to summon all our courage. We know what happens inside #Broadview is torture. For me it’s simple - I wouldn’t stay silent if they locked Jesus up there, and I won’t be silent now
Best profile of Buttigieg and the danger he represents is @nathanjrobinson.bsky.social’s piece from 2019:
www.currentaffairs.org/news/2019/03...
Buttigieg will do the same if he’s the nominee in ‘28, and, like Harris, he will lose. Or at best barely win and be another Biden (who considered Buttigieg his surrogate son.)
Key to this is making it sound like the Dems ran on identity politics in 2024 and that’s what caused their loss. When it fact Harris lost because she ran precisely as another neoliberal in the Clinton mild. She couldn’t speak to the material conditions off voters in the most basic sense.
You have to understand, Buttigieg is a creature of neoliberalism, a Manchurian candidate for capital. He worked for McKinsey for God’s sake. His job is to seduce liberals away from the Sanders wing with his smooth talk and “intelligence.”
The Constitution is very anti-democratic, as it uses elections—which all political philosophers have called an aristocratic practice
Democracy uses sortition, or lottery. Trump is being stopped by juries, which use sortition. Trial by jury is the only true democratic piece of the constitution
What? It’s one of the great political satires of our time. And the ending is fine.
Our very own @nickcoccoma.bsky.social joined The Democratic Constitution Blog to ask a basic question: what is democracy? (Hint: It's not elections, parties, or parliament.)
#democracy #citizensassembly #sortition #constitution
assemblingamerica.substack.com/cp/173659014
And it might occur to Lofgren to consider that perhaps it’s the very antidemocratic nature of our political and economic system that contributed to so many people opting for a strongman who promised to make them rich and powerful.
Didn’t say it’s not hugely concerning that he has so much support. Just that it’s wrong to blame democracy for his ascent to power.
