Sly Bald Guys Forum
Discussions About Being Bald => General Discussion => Topic started by: Chavster on October 04, 2011, 10:52:53 AM
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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?
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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!
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:o 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? :o
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.
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Picture this...two 800 pound gorillas in a room with five or six 50 pound monkeys.
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:o
Sounds a little like my local supermarket.
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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%
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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 :D 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 :D
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Why does Palin scare you??? The left over here hates her and a large portion of conservatives love her.
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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.
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Why does Palin scare you??? The left over here hates her and a large portion of conservatives love her.
Have you listened to her speak? Scary, scary, scary!
With all due respect to Razor, she doesn't need any help from the media to make me quiver with fear at the thought of her anywhere near the Oval Office.
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The US media is owned by Disney, Westinghouse, General Electric, Murdoc...every one of those multi-national corporations are the worst kins of "Leftists".
:*)) :*)) :*)) :*))
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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.
I watched "Media Malpractice" (streamed from Netflix) which is a great example of how the media spins there own version of events. I highly recommend it. Just because you see and hear someone say something doesn't mean that you got the whole context! In one instance, they explained how you could have learned more from Saturday Night Live about certain political events then you could have from NBC's "real" news broadcasts.
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I only have one thing to say on this thread......nothing.
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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.
I watched "Media Malpractice" (streamed from Netflix) which is a great example of how the media spins there own version of events. I highly recommend it. Just because you see and hear someone say something doesn't mean that you got the whole context! In one instance, they explained how you could have learned more from Saturday Night Live about certain political events then you could have from NBC's "real" news broadcasts.
I bought Media Malpractice when it first came out....it's eye opening. Ziegler does a great job in this production.
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I only have one thing to say on this thread......nothing.
Likely the wisest man among us! O:O
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Well you're all getting too political for me. I dont understand 94.3% of what most of you said :o
I find SP scary because, to me, when she speaks, there's an underlying 'hatred' in her voice and in her attitude. I dont know what the hatred is for, but she seems like a very angry woman, and a very hateful woman, and for me, when someone is potentially angry and hateful, they have the potential to be dangerous. Sometimes, things like passion and determination can come across as a type of hatred, but in her case, at least to me, it comes across purely as hatred, and that scares me.
However it has to be said that I feel exactly the same about Judge Judy :o and as far as I know, she's not a politician, so as I said earlier, my feelings about SP arent political, because I dont know anything about politics. I just dont like people who seem to exude hatred. They scare me, because I wonder what their real motivations are, and what they'd do with their hatred if ever they were in a position to let the hatred loose.
Just like (I assume) the rest of you, I'm eligible to vote in US presidential elections, and I'm also eligible to vote in UK general elections, but I've never voted in my life, because what would be the point of voting when I dont even know what the difference is between dem and rep? I have absolutely no interest in politics, on either side of the Atlantic.
So, to clarify for one last time - Sarah Palin, Judge Judy, Pee Wee Herman, Bono (of U2 fame), Hillary Clinton, Robert Mugabe (president of Zimbabwe), Meg Ryan, Grace Jones, and a few other well-known people scare me. Its not because they're politicians or musicians or morticians or beauticians. Its because they come across to me as scary people.
I'm a fairly intelligent man, and I know quite a bit about quite a bit, but when it comes to politics, I get bored rigid. I started this thread purely to ask if America has only two political parties, because I've only ever heard two parties mentioned. In the course of the thread, I mentioned Sarah Palin scares me. Thats about the extent of my interest in her and, separately, in politics ;)
:@`
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I find SP scary because, to me, when she speaks, there's an underlying 'hatred' in her voice and in her attitude. I dont know what the hatred is for, but she seems like a very angry woman, and a very hateful woman, and for me, when someone is potentially angry and hateful, they have the potential to be dangerous. Sometimes, things like passion and determination can come across as a type of hatred, but in her case, at least to me, it comes across purely as hatred, and that scares me.
I think it probably is passion and determination that you're misinterpreting because I've never heard her say anything hateful and I don't think she's a particularly angry person -- although she has expressed some justifiable anger at some of the outrageous things that have been said about her in her children in the press.
I have no problem if people disagree with Palin's -- or anyone else's -- politics and if they want to take issue with her ideas. But Sarah Palin and her family have been subjected to some of the most vicious and outrageous attacks that I've ever seen -- which is pretty much standard operating procedure for the left wing media's treatment of conservatives. If you don't tow the liberal line, you'll be painted as unintelligent and an extremist.
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I dont know about any of that, X Man, because I dont follow the news stories. I have no idea whats been said about her or her family.
I remember when she first came onto the scene (I dont remember when that was, but I guess it was during the last elections?), one of the news channels here showed her giving a speech. Nobody (here) had ever heard of her before, and she had a completely clean slate, and I remember thinking, just from that very first time I saw her, 'wow, thats a scary/angry/hateful woman'. Not a scary/angry/hateful politician, but a scary/angry/hateful woman.
You could be right, maybe I am misinterpreting, but I kinda dont think so.
Another thing that does scare me, I must admit, is that it doesnt seem possible to mention a political figure without the conversation becoming political (and thats not aimed at you or anyone in particular, its just the way it is, or at least the way I perceive it to be, certainly in America). Gordon Brown, the ex-prime minister of the UK, looks - to me - like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, or what I perceive the hunchback should look like. Its not a political comment, its an 'I think he looks like Quasimodo' comment, so IMO, things dont always need to get political just because we happen to be talking about someone who happens to be a politician. I've never once made any reference to SP's political views, because I literally have no idea what her political views are, and quite honestly, I have no interest in them (or in anyone else's).
Anyway, you're all a lot more clued up than I am when it comes to politics, so if you carry the thread forward, enjoy yourselves :) but I wont be able to participate because its all gone way over my head.
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A good rule of thumb around here is to stay away from anything that smacks of religion or politics or else you are going to have a fight (argument) on your hands.
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Actually, I find that SBG is much better than average about dealing with "hot topics" than other places.
There's obviously a wide variety of political, religious, and cultural differences here, and yet for the most past, everyone is treated with respect. RazorX obviously has a vastly different opinion of Palin than I do, for example, yet I count him a friend and respect his right to have a different opinion than mine. I feel I get the same respect from the general membership here.
That's rare on the webs these days.
Maybe there's something about being sly that helps mental clarity without all that hair getting in the way.... ;)
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Well I dont care who y'all vote for. I think you're all very, very nice people :D :@`
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Maybe there's something about being sly that helps mental clarity without all that hair getting in the way.... ;)
Yeah - that must be it! ;D 8)
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Well I dont care who y'all vote for. I think you're all very, very nice people :D :@`
And we like you too, GSGUK O:O
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Well I dont care who y'all vote for. I think you're all very, very nice people :D :@`
And we like you too, GSGUK O:O
You smoothie you :D :@`
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Well I dont care who y'all vote for. I think you're all very, very nice people :D :@`
Ass kisser............. ;) :*)) ;D
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Only when absolutely necessary. To get myself out of Sarah Palin-related hot water, it was necessary :D
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How about Michelle Bachmann.
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Never 'erd of her, guvnor.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Bachmann
:o She looks like Sarah Palin! :o
OMG there's a Sarah Palin factory somewhere! :D
*runs away very quickly*
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Never 'erd of her, guvnor.
Oh you are in for a real treat squire.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Bachmann
:o She looks like Sarah Palin! :o
OMG there's a Sarah Palin factory somewhere! :D
*runs away very quickly*
LMAO.
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Why, who is she? Politicians all look the same to me... I just read about 2 seconds of her story on Wikipedia before going into a coma :(
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Why, who is she? Politicians all look the same to me... I just read about 2 seconds of her story on Wikipedia before going into a coma :(
She's very much cut from the same cloth as Palin. However, as with Palin and the Republican field of prospective candidates as a whole, the support of any one of the "contenders" moves up and down faster than the New York Dow averages--not a small feat these days.
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Well, whatever their politics may be, at least you seem to have female politicians that wont make you go blind. Have you ever seen any of our lady politicians? OMG.
If ever you get a chance, google Anne Widdecombe and Margaret Beckett. And Cherie Booth (Tony Blair's wife) is like something from a horror movie.
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Actually, I find that SBG is much better than average about dealing with "hot topics" than other places.
There's obviously a wide variety of political, religious, and cultural differences here, and yet for the most past, everyone is treated with respect. RazorX obviously has a vastly different opinion of Palin than I do, for example, yet I count him a friend and respect his right to have a different opinion than mine. I feel I get the same respect from the general membership here.
That's rare on the webs these days.
Maybe there's something about being sly that helps mental clarity without all that hair getting in the way.... ;)
You hit it right on - - -I agree with you all the way - - - -It is just sad that we can't take care of ourselver here in the US - - - but can take take care of the rest of the world
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It is just sad that we can't take care of ourselver here in the US - - - but can take take care of the rest of the world
Well I'm not into political stuff as you know, but the viewpoint outside of America is that America certainly doesnt take care of the rest of the world. America 'gets involved' with issues in the rest of the world if those issues affect America, but 'taking care of the rest of the world'? I'd have to disagree on that.
When it comes to things outside of the US, America protects its own international interests, which is quite right. Thats exactly what every country should do. But thats not a case of America taking care of the rest of the world. Thats a case of America taking care of America within the global arena, and that in itself is to be applauded, but I dont think the two issues should be confused.
There are plenty of truly awful things happening in the world (the whole situation in Zimbabwe, for example), but America doesnt and wont get involved because what happens in Zimbabwe has no direct impact on the American people. If the US was purely the defender of the rest of the world, there are dozens of situations it would be helping to rectify, but that just aint happening.
Please dont believe that Planet Earth is made up of a) The United States and b) every other country, because that isnt the case.
/soap box