Wheel’s Substack

Wheel's Substack analyzes political ideologies, electoral systems, class discussions, and urban living innovations. It critiques Australia's electoral process, suggesting reforms and examining labor-inclusive capitalism's impact. The Substack also explores societal themes like YIMBYism and the role of labor and capital in modern politics, alongside practical considerations like e-bike commuting.

Political Ideologies Electoral Reform Class and Society Urban Development and Living Labor-Inclusive Capitalism Australian Politics Voting Systems Sustainable Transportation

The hottest Substack posts of Wheel’s Substack

And their main takeaways

What stops Labor moving further to the left?

39 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
  1. Labor is often criticized for not moving more to the left due to constraints from the voting public.
  2. The assumption that party views are downstream of voter views is actually backwards; party views can shape how voters think.
  3. Public opinion is influenced by political parties, media, and authority figures, creating self-fulfilling prophecies in politics.
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Mythbusting Kevin Bonham on how voting works

19 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Tactics
  1. Exhausted votes, votes that don't go to the winner, and excess winning votes are considered wasted votes in the voting process.
  2. Understanding where votes go in safe seats versus swing seats is crucial in election campaigning strategies to minimize wasted votes.
  3. The concept of wasted votes impacts the democratic legitimacy and representation in elections, highlighting potential gerrymandering issues.

Australia's electoral system is broken, especially NSW's. Less than one in three NSW voters receive lower house representation, because of Australia's under-reported wasted vote problem.

19 implied HN points • 23 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics
  1. Less than one in three NSW voters receive lower house representation due to wasted votes.
  2. The preferential voting system does not prevent wasted votes, leading to undemocratic outcomes.
  3. Australia's electoral system is flawed and experts are defensive about acknowledging its issues.

Is Australia's lower house "gerrymandered"?

16 HN points • 10 Mar 23
  1. Lack of proportionality in elections can lead to unfair outcomes.
  2. Preferential voting reduces wasted votes, but still results in votes with zero representation.
  3. Geographic concentration of voters plays a key role in election outcomes and can lead to gerrymandering to manipulate wasted votes.

One week with an e-bike has changed my life

1 HN point • 27 Mar 23
🏝 Travel Transportation Infrastructure Safety
  1. Electric bikes are faster, safer, more comfortable, and healthier than cars for city commutes.
  2. Infrastructure improvements, like connected bike paths and dedicated lanes, are crucial for promoting electric bike use.
  3. An e-bike charging network, better cargo bike parking, lockable storage, and a shift away from car-centric cities are essential for making electric bikes a viable alternative.

Coming soon

0 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🕹 Technology
  1. A Substack newsletter called Wheel Reinventor is coming soon.
  2. The newsletter can be found at wheelreinventor.substack.com.
  3. The Substack account belongs to Wheel.