It doesn't explicitly mention a license, but it has this right underneath "Overview of the Insights" near the top:

> A quick note: All of the data visualizations in this roundup are free to use as common content. You are welcome to share and republish them.

I didn't even notice substack was being an ass because I've told my browser (Brave) to Force Enable Zoom.

If you single tap on android it opens it with the three dots in the top right (which gives you the download option). Also after you tap once, you can pinch to zoom.

The system does generally push towards a duopoly. Still there's more influence of voters inside the parties at the local levels than it seems at first. Many important issues are handled at the state level. There's more variation of the parties beliefs as well at that level. A Wyoming Republican can have fairly different views and priorities from a South Carolina Republican. Side note, personally I believe that the growth of the scope of the federal government reduces representation significantly.

A big difference with China or Russia's one party systems is that the presidential candidates are chosen in primaries, which can have a large effect. Both Obama and Trump were relative outsiders who were able to win their parties primaries without being heads of their parties.

To me the USA's executive branch system allows more choice in representative leadership than parliamentary systems where the parties choose the prime minister.

I wholeheartedly agree. To make matters worse, the “culture wars” have led to a situation where many voters for one party would never consider voting for members of the opposite party due to where the fall on cultural matters such as abortion, LGBT+ issues, race relations, etc. Someone’s position on abortion is far more predictive of political party than one’s positions regarding how the national debt should be dealt with. It’s easier for people to compromise on non-cultural matters.

Unfortunately, one effect of this is that people are “locked into” one party. The party then could take its voters for granted. “What are you going to do, vote Democratic/Republican?” is the attitude, which breeds apathy, which creates conditions that are ripe for bad actors to exploit.

I wish there were more choices, where conservatives have options beyond MAGA and where liberals and progressives have choices. I also wish there were a wider spectrum beyond liberal/conservative. Unfortunately the current system is such that the two main parties are entrenched, with third parties being massively disadvantaged.

I wish I had solutions. All I know is 2026 is coming fast, and we better be prepared.