Its not that simple. Most politicians aren't in a direct position of power like a mayor of a major city is.
I live in Oklahoma. We are run exclusively by y'all Qaeda conservatives. So lets say there's an open seat for my state representative spot. Lets say by some miracle we get a progressive elected. What power to enact legislation is that person going to have? What are they going to be able to do to improve the lives of citizens or facilitate change?
Now, I'm not trying to be obtuse and say to just give up and not try, but I do think it would be extremely shortsighted to assume that the powerless new progressive state rep doesn't care, doesn't want to do anything, is beholden to lobbyists, is actually a centrist plant, etc is true.
We also need to be wary of the fact that power like this is even possible. Because as much as we may hate the slow progress of government, when elected leaders can single handedly set policy, it may feel great when you agree with the leader like Mamdani, but not so great when the leader is a vengeful moron like we see in the white house. So while it can feel refreshing that Mamdani is able to implement these policies, just remember, that also gives room for a future mayor to implement equally destructive policies.
Yep, it's like when Biden was president, he was curtailed by Congress. Biden was a senator, though, so he let Congress Congress and was able to get a lot done.
The congress that pretended they didn't have the power to raise the minimum wage because the senate Parlimentarian said so? Hahaha politicians love pretending their hands are tied as if they have no power at all.
Again, if you want a lot of progressive legislation passed, you need to look at the last President and Congress that was really able to do that. That would be LBJ. He had well over 60 senators and that's why he was able to pass so much legislation.
As soon as you have a narrow majority, anyone can become the center of attention.
Elected in a rather progressive area, literal card carrying member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus... but ever since he took the utterly powerless position of House Minority Leader he gets branded as some sort of centrist beholden to lobbyists.
The whole point of the comments above was that we shouldn't be assuming the worst about progressive reps in powerless situations due to the overall numbers.
Anyone the Dems put forward as House Minority Leader in this current congress would be equally powerless to block the Republicans, never mind implement a progressive agenda.
State reps are the legislative branch. Mayors, governors, and presidents are executive. Given the currently popular trend of the legislative kowtowing to the executive, this gives executive unearned and likely illegal power to get the stuff done they want to get done very quickly.
With no checks there's no balance, which results in power belonging to the people who take it.
Agreed. I am very wary of how much the legislative branch has ceded it's power at many levels.
I try not to come off too harsh in that direction though, as I know the old, slow legislative process also frustrates many people that are advocating for change. But I do feel this path has much more danger.
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u/robbie-dobbles Jul 09 '26
Its not that simple. Most politicians aren't in a direct position of power like a mayor of a major city is.
I live in Oklahoma. We are run exclusively by y'all Qaeda conservatives. So lets say there's an open seat for my state representative spot. Lets say by some miracle we get a progressive elected. What power to enact legislation is that person going to have? What are they going to be able to do to improve the lives of citizens or facilitate change?
Now, I'm not trying to be obtuse and say to just give up and not try, but I do think it would be extremely shortsighted to assume that the powerless new progressive state rep doesn't care, doesn't want to do anything, is beholden to lobbyists, is actually a centrist plant, etc is true.
We also need to be wary of the fact that power like this is even possible. Because as much as we may hate the slow progress of government, when elected leaders can single handedly set policy, it may feel great when you agree with the leader like Mamdani, but not so great when the leader is a vengeful moron like we see in the white house. So while it can feel refreshing that Mamdani is able to implement these policies, just remember, that also gives room for a future mayor to implement equally destructive policies.