When is USA gonna ditch the stupid liberal/conservative argument & embrace a real democracy?

Question

The current democrat/republican division is juvenile/inane and ultimately false. From the outside both parties look just as corrupt and virtually identical. When is the American public going to take the next step toward a real democracy? Steps which have been taken in other democratic countries to broaden representation are sadly lacking in the US. You may not realise it yet, but you are no longer viewed as the pinnacle of democracy by the rest of the FREE world, you are viewed as backward & reactionary; retarded by crooked politicians and business people. It is time to reform your governmental system, to catch up with the rest of us. When are you going to embrace the Third Way, or do you want to be left behind?

Great answers so far

ee_eh yep, I am so uneducated, and I really thank you for your intelligent and thoughtful answer. Ha.

Aubry65355 you haven't travelled much have you? Let me see, New Zealand, Germany, Japan, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, +++. Low gas prices is due to lack of taxation which leads to excessive consumption. Your hospitals are only good if you can afford to pay. Your universities are the same as the univeristies in all English speaking countries. New Zealand Universities are very attractive to Asian students. Perhaps you should broaden your horizons and you may see what I am talking about. Thanks for your "diatribe" in reply. Cheers.

PS we already have a way better system running in New Zealand. Sorry.

ee_eh what links? I'm living it dude. I am recognised by my government as a soveriegn individual. Yep I am so ignorant.

Answer 1

Great question. I am amazed at the game/team mentality concerning politics. When did they change the rule and say if “I'm a liberal, conservative or libertarian etc., whatever my group think is I have to go along with it?" It seems people are processing too much information and not thinking for themselves. I often think the elected officials in Washington D.C. are all members of the same “pack.” It seems Americans think more about what other citizens will think about them if they break from the flock. Think independently; vote independently and perhaps we can make this country better then what it is becoming.

Answer 2

The function of American democracy is a function of a system in place to elect our officials as opposed to an ideology. The way we elect our officials to the legislature virtually guarantees a two party system.

Single Member District - Plurality (SMD/P) means nobody has to finish with a majority of the votes, merely be "first past the post". So, Candidate X can win with only 49% of the vote as long as he has one more than the other guy. This narrows out all other parties aside from the two strongest. (Democrat and Republican here in the United States, or if you prefer an international example Labour and Conservative in the United Kingdom)

Single Member District - Majority (SMD/M) allows more parties, and some would say that more voices allows for a more "true" democracy. However, as the French found out there is such a thing as too much democracy. This is why the French Third Republic (I think - been awhile since I studied it so forgive me if I am a little off) collapsed. To win you have to have 51% of the votes, not just one more than the other guy.

To say that our two party system is "juvenile" or "inane" is a misnomer. It is the system that we have used for 200+ years, and which we will only revise once the public demands it.

I think any country that has a government for the people, by the people, and with the people should be respected, no matter the method that they used to select their leaders. I do not see the point behind calling people backwards and reactionary. We are a democracy, just like the United Kingdom, France, Australia, or New Zealand. We just don't do it the same way as someone else might.

The best part about democracy is that we don't have to. You do what works for you.

Answer 3

I can't imagine it happening (i assume you mean proportional representation, preferential voting, compulsory voting, a less powerful and fully elected executive etc etc) for a very long time because it would involve the democrats/republicans giving up power and the american people are too full of propaganda that their system is the greatest for many to know what changes could/should be made, even if they had much ability to change things.

Once a system is set up it's very hard to change it unfortunately. But on the plus side, it was a pretty good system for the 1700's!

Answer 4

Never I hope. America is a Republic, not a democracy.

You should do some homework on those two terms.

"A republic is a government in which a restricted group of citizens form a political unit, usually under the auspice of a charter, which directs them to elect representatives who will govern the state. Republics, by their very nature, tend to be free polities, not because they are elected by the citizens of the polity, but because they are bound by charters, which limit the responsibilities and powers of the state. The fact that people vote for representatives has nothing to do with making anything free. The logical consistency and rationality of the charter, as well as the willingness of the people to live by it, is what keeps people free." - Alexander Marriott

Answer 5

I agree with the two party part of your diatribe, the part about the crooked politicians and business people. But as for the rest of the free world, which country are you referring too? Most of the countries in the world have crooked politicians and businessmen. No other country has as good an economy, gas prices are still half of Europes, Our military is still the strongest, our universities are still in great demand with students from all over the world and our hospitals are considered the best in the world. Do we have our problems yes, do you have a better system? Haven't seen it yet if you do.

Answer 6

I think it's just the "elites" way of ensuring their folks, whether democrat or republican, get into office. You never see a "poorer" candidate make it no matter how wise he/she is.
Clinton, Kerry, Bush, Gore, they're all the same in the end. Educated at the Harvards and Yales--they're are pawns for those power brokers.
It's the system--the way it's set up, a third party will never have a chance.

Answer 7

It works, don't it? USA has the largest economy and strongest military in the world, despite having only 5% of the world's population. Our markets are considered to be the most efficient in the world, which is why US T-bills are still the safest investment in the world.

Third parties will gain success when people finally get fed up with both republicans and democrats. it will start at the local level and work its way up through the government.

Answer 8

Your examples of which country's you are referring to is really a joke! Do you have any idea how much the government controls in those countries? You need a good lesson in economics.

Answer 9

Probably only in the unlikely event that it isntitutes "proportional representation" voting, or a "single transferable vote" or some other system that encourages people to vote for minority-party candidates.

Answer 10

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