"Democracy", so-called, in America

Yes, Americans are all enfranchised to vote. Even blacks and hispanics.

But what are they enfranchised to vote for?

There are a small handful of independants in congress. The rest are Democrats and Republicans bought and paid for by the same corporate interests.

In effect, Americans vote for a single party. Much like the Chinese do.

The "two"-party system has turned into an elaborate device disguising its origins in big business. Worse, Americans have been brain-washed by propaganda into thinking that these two parties are somehow different and somehow give them a choice. A choice which gives them the same policies under different labels.

While there are Democrats who advocate different policies, big business has infiltrated their party and effectively undermined them. Many Democrat representatives are simply Republicans in disguise. Some of them - the blue dog Democrats - even admit it.

America will get no dramatic changes in its fortunes until its political system allows effective plural oppositions. Free of corporate influence.

 

A two party form of government is just one rung above a one party form of government.

 

My point is that it is already is a one-party system in all but name.

 

Yeah, Australia shows just how useless parliamentary democracy is when fringe radicals like Greens suddenly get power. We don't want communists/socialists and other fringe elements gaining a voice in our Government. Mainstream ideas or go home.

 

I believe that this has been the case in the US for several decades. It is now the situation in the UK also. Other European nations do certainly have more representation and democracy.

 

For those who don't know the lingo, "mainstream ideas" translates as "good wholesome American values that make the banks and hedge funds heaps of money".

Thought you needed to know that.

 

A multiparty system has worked in Australia in the past irrespective of the political leanings of the parties.

Hung parliaments are quite rare in Australia.

 

We used to have a multi party system when I was growing up. Now...it's just one party...CASH.

 

As they are in New Zealand. Under MMP, we have never had one. And we have 7 parties in Parliament.

 

This is one reason when Australia had a referrendum to become a republic, Australia chose no.

The models suggested were too close to the American model.

 

One of the main ideas America was founded on was the right to express opinions. Who cares if someone does not fit the mainstream view? If you have a problem with someone not following what everyone else does then perhaps you should move to Iran, or one of those countries that executes people who express non-conformist views.

 

Sheep breed sheep.

 

In the US they also breed dogs to keep them in line.

 

I'm so sick of you people's insults. You have no idea how good life in America is and I don't need to move to (*)(*)(*)(*)ing iran to live around people who share a similar socio-economic/moral background and to maintain that background against the social cries of leftists seeking revolutionary change.

Democracy is nothing but fad made law. Our Republic keeps fad-voters from (*)(*)(*)(*)ing up our nation.

Like the whole carbon tax/global warming thing. That is nothing more than a passing fad much like the rest of the socialist garbage coming from the left these days. All temporary fads.

 

Run-off voting.

 

You mean THE peoples' insults.

 

What do you mean "the" people? I don't know where you live but where I live we are a separate entity from the rest of the country. We don't want to adopt any changes to our society or our economy because here the system works.

(*)(*)(*)(*) everyone else. People in big cities like NYC, LA, San Fran, etc are foreigners to me. Their thinking is completely alien and dangerous and I don't want it forced on me from some big national government that to me is equally foreign.

I could care less if California or NY disappeared tomorrow, I feel no national kinship to such people at all.

 

"The system works"? You have a one-party state that is run by big business. What political contest that is going on is going on in the streets. Your politicians have an approval rating of 9%. Your economy is in tatters. You are losing two wars at once.

If that is a system that works, show me one that fails.

 

That's just our capitalist system....you know...the markets at work. Free enterprise!

 

Then why are you arguing with them?

 

Americans can vote for whoever they want whenever they want, and the people they vote for can pass virtually any law they want. In effect, the US is the largest direct democracy on the planet and, just as the Founders predicted, it will end in financial ruin and amoral barbarism; of course, it'll all maintain a "professional" ostensibly "modern" veneer, yes, the skull-bashing and hand-cuffing, but, ultimately, it'll be nothing more than a bunch of apes with big brains acting like the savages they are, and getting nothing less than they deserve...

 

So why do democracies in, say, Scandinavia and Australasia, succeed when yours doesn't?

 

One, they're small. Democracy works better on small scales, which is why the Founders tried to restrict democracy mostly to local and state affairs.

Two, like most western nations, their national security is subsidized by the US's military hegemony. This provides them with a surplus they can use to finance what would otherwise be an unsustainable social welfare system.

If the US house of cards comes tumbling down, and I think it might, then these purportedly successful democracies will have to find out how to exist in the post-American world which they all seem to be so-desperately aching for. I can assure you, though, my Kiwi friend, that it won't be as easy as you or they would like to believe!

 

Man...I'd be SOOOOO happy just to get big money OUT of the system and OUT of politics and dismantle corporations. I might actually become an optimist if we could accomplish this.

 

Oh, but you can! And you may yet accomplish it! And, just as has been the case with every other democratic-socialist movement in history, it will descend into financial ruin and amoral butchery. But at least there will be catchy slogans that we can all chant in unison like a mindless hive of drones!