[fluff]

I am heartily fed up with the crap that gets passed off as democracy these days. You guys get the option of Sh!t or Sh!ttier, and what we have is little different, although at least you have an elected second house unlike our anachronistic pile of faeces called the house of lords.

There are better ways, how would you like to see democracy work in your country?

 

[Skookum]

In my state they just recently changed the balloting where you have to choose a party and you are forced to then vote for candidates within your own party. It's total crap since what's good on the federal level may not be good for the state or county level. We do live in a fairly big diverse country.
I'd also like to see the stop of special interests/big business running our country. (Yah dream on....)
I'd also like to see the electoral vote done away.

 

[Westy]

I would like to see an end to the two party system. Here is how I see the way things work today. In the primaries a party elect a candidate they want the most. In theory the candidate would reflect the average beliefs of either the conservative or liberal candidate. Then in the general election the public chooses from the two. But the way the primary system works the only choice is a candidate that reflects the Democrats beliefs or the Republicans. Theoretically the candidate will always be to the left or to the right, never accurately representing the true cross section of people.

I would also like to see the end to the electoral college.

Maybe aboloshing the primary system and just having a general election, repeat elections until one candidate gets a clear victory, say 51%

 

[fluff]

Maybe aboloshing the primary system and just having a general election, repeat elections until one candidate gets a clear victory, say 51%

I've recently had a think about this and a look into other voting systems. Previously I'd only considered 'first past the post' and proportional representation but there's some interesting options like transferable votes which are quite similar to your suggestion but without the repetitive polls.

I would dearly love to see more referenda on major issues (like war) and state funding of political parties (and no private funding).

 

[Westy]

I would dearly love to see more referenda on major issues (like war) and state funding of political parties (and no private funding).

Agreed, it could inspire larger voter turn out and then the public would not have anyone to blame but themselves. I would even like to see referenda on stupid emotional issues such as gay marriage, let the law makers work on real issues.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I don't think the nation is divided 50-50 Bush/Kerry.

I think the US is a bit more conservative than liberal. Heck even liberals who want to win elections (aside from those in ultra-liberal areas of the nation) posture themselves at least as centerist.

I'll bet the nation is more like 60-40 or 65-35.

 

[fluff]

I don't think the nation is divided 50-50 Bush/Kerry.

I think the US is a bit more conservative than liberal. Heck even liberals who want to win elections (aside from those in ultra-liberal areas of the nation) posture themselves at least as centerist.

I'll bet the nation is more like 60-40 or 65-35.

That's fair enough, if most people vote Republican then they get a Republican govt, that's good democracy. Better electoral systems do allow minorities better representation though.

Both your presidential candidates are right of centre.