America's political system

[Chavster]

Sorry, I know as much about politics as I know about the density of rocks on Jupiter, but does America only have two political parties? Democrat and Republican?

[Slynito]

Yup, that's all! The other ten parties are not financed by corporations or the wealthy elite. The parties/candidates in the 2012 election may be spending up to $5 billion. But, the US has the best government that money can buy!

[Chavster]

So when it comes time to vote for a new president, 350,000,000 people have a choice of just two parties?

Here, we vote for the party rather than the person... and whoever happens to be the leader of the party becomes the head of the government, so we dont go through all that theatrical stuff and banner waiving and balloon-dropping in big convention centres that America goes through when it comes time to choose.

But only two parties?

I think we have five main parties...Conservative (rich people), Labour (working class people), SNP (Scottish people), Liberal Democrat (on the fence people) and the Green Party (people who go camping), but I dont know for sure.

I asked the question because I've only ever heard Americans talking about being either supporters of Dem or Rep, and never any other party.

[tomgallagher]

Picture this...two 800 pound gorillas in a room with five or six 50 pound monkeys.

[Chavster]

 

Sounds a little like my local supermarket.

[Slynito]

There aren't that many voters... In 2010 (an off year election) there were 235,809,266 eligible to vote and a turn out of 90,682,968...37.8%

[D.A.L.U.I.]

There are other political parties, the Libertarian Party for example.  There are socialist parties, a communist party, etc.  The problem for the other or so called "third" parties is that it can be expensive and logistically challenging to get on the ballot in one state or jurisdiction, much less nationally.  It requires a certain number of signatures, etc. certified as registered voters, generally and a fee to get a candidate on the ballot.  Then there is the expense of running a campaign, the legal costs for representation through a mine field of voting laws and regulations.  The net effect is that for most purposes there are only two parties represented nationwide in all elections.  Sort of like the position of the Liberal Party in the UK up until this last election where they got to take part in government.  Ross Perot was an independent candidate for president as was Ralph Nader.  Nader who ran in 2000 was blamed by many for the "election" of George Bush whose presidency was the first decided by the US Supreme Court.  

[Chavster]

That just doesn't seem like very much choice for a country with such a big population. It sounds like a case of 'vote for one, or the other, or nobody at all'.

Which party does that Palin woman belong to?

As an aside, Forgetting politics, and regardless of which party she's with, that is one hell of a scary broad. She's like Rambo with tits.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

That just doesn't seem like very much choice for a country with such a big population. It sounds like a case of 'vote for one, or the other, or nobody at all'.

Which party does that Palin woman belong to?

As an aside, Forgetting politics, and regardless of which party she's with, that is one he'll of a scary broad. She's like Rambo with tits.

It is a system where the winner takes all, not the proportional system where if a party scores a certain percentage, even below 50%, it can be represented in the government.  The other complicating factor in Presidential elections is that the vote isn't direct, each state's electorial college votes are usually allotted winner take all.  The national plurality can be frustrated by such a system but the possibility of changing that system aren't good in the near future IMO.
 
Palin is a Republican who was raised from obscurity by John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate in 2008, as his running mate--presidential candidates of the major parties pretty much chose their running mate for Vice President.  She has a devoted following but isn't in the chase for the big office at the present time nor are her polling numbers what they were recently. 

[Chavster]

Thank goodness. I'm not sure how safe we'd all be if she had her finger on the button. She seems like the type to push it just for fun.

[Chavster]

P.s. That ^ isn't a political comment, because I know nothing about politics. It's a 'she's a scary broad' comment regardless of which flag she flies. She gives me the creeps from start to finish. I don't know who McCain is, I'll google later. I'm using my phone now and I don't have my reading glasses with me

[tomgallagher]

There are other political parties, the Libertarian Party for example.  There are socialist parties, a communist party, etc.  The problem for the other or so called "third" parties is that it can be expensive and logistically challenging to get on the ballot in one state or jurisdiction, much less nationally.  It requires a certain number of signatures, etc. certified as registered voters, generally and a fee to get a candidate on the ballot.  Then there is the expense of running a campaign, the legal costs for representation through a mine field of voting laws and regulations.  The net effect is that for most purposes there are only two parties represented nationwide in all elections.  Sort of like the position of the Liberal Party in the UK up until this last election where they got to take part in government.  Ross Perot was an independent candidate for president as was Ralph Nader.  Nader who ran in 2000 was blamed by many for the "election" of George Bush whose presidency was the first decided by the US Supreme Court.  

And Ross Perot was blamed for the election of little Billy Clinton. Those Independants can sure screw up a good electon.

[Chavster]

P.s. That ^ isn't a political comment, because I know nothing about politics. It's a 'she's a scary broad' comment regardless of which flag she flies. She gives me the creeps from start to finish. I don't know who McCain is, I'll google later. I'm using my phone now and I don't have my reading glasses with me

Just to reiterate My comment about Sarah Palin isnt a political one. I've just mentioned to someone that I dont even know if President Obama is a dem or a rep, which is true, so beileve me, I know nothing about SP's politics

She scares me from a human perspective, but that would also apply if she worked at a Dairy Queen in Brownsville TX.

So if you're an SP fan, dont beat me up. Its not a political thing for me

[b.driscoll]

    Why does Palin scare you???  The left over here hates her and a large portion of conservatives love her.

[Razor X]

    Why does Palin scare you???  The left over here hates her and a large portion of conservatives love her.

Because the leftist media has vilified her mercilessly.