Tom Gregg, I am fully aware that in our system of government, there are certain parameters pertaining both to the structure of government and to certain fundamental rights that cannot be changed except by a supermajority. But _within_ those parameters, the point of any system of representative government is that our putative leaders have to earn their power by convincing _most_ of us that their ideas deserve to be implemented. Ideally “most” would mean a sizable majority, but 50% plus one is sufficient.

The problem in American now is that the Republicans don’t have to do the hard work of convincing more than an angry, out-of-touch minority who would support them no matter what, and thanks to gerrymandering and voter suppression, they will continue to wield power.