• Alexstarfire@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Can’t say that I ever have. But with how many people are covered, even locally, it may be a fools errand to hope for a person like that.

    Generally speaking, local has been pretty decent even if I don’t always get what I’d like. Let’s just say Cop City kinda tainted everyone.

  • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    I live in a fairly small, poor, remote suburb of my city’s district. The city is divided into districts, with a representative for each district, and the power of the city government is largely in the hands of these representatives. My neighborhood is part of a district that, due to geography, is mostly very separated from us (think like a long thin line sticking way out of the main body of the district with my neighborhood on the end of it).

    Certain city boards were trying to make up revenue by taxing our neighborhood specifically in various ways. We were obviously furious about it. We have regularly scheduled community town halls, like all the districts, and our rep shows up at them.

    The town hall after the taxation proposal was released was scheduled to run from 3pm to 6pm. It lasted until well after midnight.

    My district rep stayed there the whole time, obviously exhausted but still asking questions and opinions of the speakers and making promises. He promised to do something about it. And sure enough, within a month, the city boards backtracked on the taxation scheme.

    We’re a poor neighborhood, and we’re not super numerous either. He didn’t have to help us, he could have sacrificed us to subsidize the main body of the district. But he didn’t, he stayed all night and then went and fought for us in the city government. He later went on to higher offices at the state and federal level.

    Also, I once accidentally touched the Mayor’s boob at a party rally, so that could count I guess.

  • Geetnerd@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    The only US politician one I truly trust, and still the one of the 4 or 5 that l like slightly less, is Bernie Sanders.

  • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Hard truth: In democracy you get the politicians you deserve. It’s right in the name. If you don’t feel represented, it’s not their fault, it’s yours. The politicians are only there because you and your fellow citizens put them there. Rhetoric of “them and us” is irrelevant because they are you. It’s the “self” in “self-government”.

    Sure, this won’t be popular. Lots of excuses will be offered as to why voters are responsible for nothing and this alien blob of “politicians” is to blame for everything. It’s always easier to avoid responsibility, and what simpler a target than politicians? But alas the logic is watertight.

  • shalafi@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    This is a good one. Matt Gaetz came out for something to do with childcare costs or maternity leave, I forget, but I was stunned.

  • dependencyinjection@discuss.tchncs.de
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    1 month ago

    At a local level my city in the UK took our Metrolink (tram) and bus services back under council control and I like our mayor as he seems to get things done.

    An a national level, I don’t know think ever, we were meant to get HS2 (high speed rail) and that was canned after spending billions.

  • flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz
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    1 month ago

    Perfectly represented - never. Partially yes - I can always find someone who’s opinions are not completely abhorrent, and some of it agrees with mine. But it’s never all in one candidate.

    So I resort to alternate voting. If any of the acceptable candidates is currently in opposition I vote for them, choosing whichever party is not currently in government but has a reasonable chance to enter government in the next cycle.

  • Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Obviously Bernie. That’s my dude, but I’ll admit to another that turned sour.

    Mother fucking Fetterman.

    He’s local to me, and hearing about everything he did as mayor just made him sound like an awesome guy. Living in a foreclosed car dealership, seriously improved living conditions for the poor, hoodie and jeans, tattoos honoring people he never met, he just sounded like somebody I could relate with.

    Well, then he had a stroke, joined the Senate and has been embarrassing himself and me ever since. 🤦🏻‍♂️

      • Sanctus@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        I’m done licking wounds though. Anyone can wear the mask. Run for something. If you aren’t running for something fuck up government infrastructure. Their next move is to “deport” US Citizens. They already have and we cannot allow it. This is a war on us from our own government.

        • DandomRude@lemmy.worldOP
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          1 month ago

          I’m not from the US, but I still think it should have been Bernie. If he had become president, we wouldn’t all be in trouble now.

            • DandomRude@lemmy.worldOP
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              1 month ago

              Where I come from (Germany), Sanders would be a moderate left-wing politician. What scares me most is that Trump & Co. are using political pressure and economic sanctions to extend the inhumane conditions in the USA to democratic countries where there is still a halfway fair welfare state (this is a competitive disadvantage in hard-core capitalism that no longer cares about people).