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barnhart wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2023 1:26 pm I would feel vaguely positive if both Biden and Trump were somehow disqualified before the election.

Political parties used to do that kind of screening. I would feel very positive if both parties would give us better choices in the next election.

One of the problems is there is really no agreement on what a “decent” candidate is - there’s just blatant partisanship and culture wars on both sides denouncing the other side. This leads to irresponsible and ultimately undemocratic government, where candidates are chosen based on how much hatred they can stir up for their political opposition.

Bootstrap wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2023 1:42 pm

barnhart wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2023 1:26 pm I would feel vaguely positive if both Biden and Trump were somehow disqualified before the election.

Political parties used to do that kind of screening. I would feel very positive if both parties would give us better choices in the next election.

Exactly how? The strong political parties that did screening of candidates that you're pinning for were pilloried for their undemocratic/corrupt practices as "men in smoke-filled rooms" and the parties rewrote their rules for presidential candidate selection just in time for the 1972 election. Thus did we get the modern primary system so as to expand democracy, weaken the power of parties and give voters more say in their own candidates.

We have the awful candidates that we have because the majorities of both parties want them. I don't like it as much as you but that's the system as it's been for 50 years. If you want stronger parties, better screening or party bosses choosing the candidates; you'll need to attempt a take-over of the party a la Trump.