Politics

[Chickenman 9]

I'm not exactly pro-choice, but I'm pissed that they removed abortions from the public option. I don't like to think they can just pick and choose which operations are covered just because they don't like it.

[TheUnknown 39]

I'm glad it passed, but I'm pissed at the 39 "Democrats" who voted no along with all but one Republican.

[Ayingel 24]

i don't want to start anything, but unknown, i'm finding it hard to find an actual "democrat" who is in line with what the party really is.

[Ender 8]

Same with the Republicans. There hasn't been a real conservative in that party since Barry Goldwater.

[Mara 29]

That's why I think the parties should be abolished. It just lets people hide behind a mask.

[TheUnknown 39]

Party is an information short-cut. The lowest turnout races are the ones where there is no party label.

[Ayingel 24]

ender: ron paul.

[Chickenman 9]

The best explanation I've yet found of America's current political landscape.

[Bad furday 57]

Reading the comments makes me weep for humanity.

*then I look at my Cylon action figure and smile wickedly*

[Emperor Fel I 0]

Without political parties it is hard for less than rich people to get into office. With political parties and nothing can be done.

[Chickenman 9]

I'm not saying the parties themselves suck. Just that this two-party system is screwed.

Edited February 12, 2010 by Chickenman

[Drake 53]

Definitely. You guys need more options.

[Princess 35]

Glenn Beck has Nazi Tourettes

[Ender 8]

That was the most epic thing I've seen in weeks.

[TheUnknown 39]

Definitely. You guys need more options.

Hell, having an actual liberal party would be nice.

[Andy 60]

In the meant time we had a General Election which resulted in a coalition government between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats. Nifty!

I voted Liberal Democrat, but I would vote Labour if they were as socialist as they pretend to be. Really the Labour Party are just conservatives these days. :roll:

[Drake 53]

The G8 and G20 summits are happening right now in Toronto. Already the protestors are getting rowdy. The police had to deploy the tear gas today. About time.

Edited June 27, 2010 by Drake

[Chickenman 9]

I know nothing about this man or his politics, but damn if he didn't just get my vote.

[Princess 35]

Oh dear god, my brother and sister-in-law are tea partyers

[Drake 53]

Just had a federal election here in Canada. We went from a Conservative minority to majority. We'll finally be able to get stuff done.

[Radioactive Isotope 29]

I hope your politicians in the Great White North are different from ours. Else, I fear your optimism might be in vain.

[Drake 53]

Our Conservatives are more central and less extremist than yours. :p

[Princess 35]

That gives me some hope

[Pandora 77]

YOu know, REAL American conservatives would not have been considered extremist in 1791. Nor 1915. Woodrow Wilson moved the liberals soooooooo far to the left that we just LOOK extremist. What's extremist about Americans wanting to govern themselves? Nothing. What's extremist about Americans wanting the government to leave them the hell alone? Nothing!

[Andy 60]

So the other week the UK voted at a referendum to reject the Alternative Vote and keep the current First Past The Post election system.

I'm a little disappointed as I believe AV is a fairer system, but democracy is democracy and that's the way the cookie crumbled this time.

Under the current system you simply put an "X" next to the candidate you wish to vote for, and the votes are totalled up and if one party has majority they can form a government. If no party has an majority, then the parties can try to form a coalition government. At the moment we have a coalition that is an uneasy alliance between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems came third in the election, but because of the way the votes went they could form a coalition with either the Conservatives or the Labour Party (who came second). Hardly seems fair that the party that came third has all the power, does it?

If no party can form a government then there has to be another election.

Under AV, you would have a list of candidates and mark your first choice with a "1", second choice with a "2", and so on for as many or as few as you like.

When the votes come to be counted, if a party has a majority then they can form a government. If the party with the most votes doesn't have a majority, then the party with the lowest votes is eliminated and the second choices of those ballots are added to the totals for the other parties. This continues until one party reaches the majority required to form a government. Because you get an alternate choice should your chosen candidate stand no chance of forming a government, this means that votes for small parties are not wasted.

But, whatever! :p

Edited May 10, 2011 by Andy