We will never forget

[memphis mike]

Fortunately, under our system the President is limited to two terms.

[questionnaire]

Yes, but the 'President' is just a puppet placed in office by forces that will still be around when his terms are up.

[memphis mike]

Are you saying our two-party system is converging?

[questionnaire]

At the deep politico-economic level - i.e. the extent to which traditional politicians are hamstrung by the logic of the global market and the dictats of corporations - yes, although their pragmatic approaches to managing the situation bear some notable differences in dimensions such as welfare, criminal justice and the general level of state intervention.

[NRKofOver]

I'm going to have to be a bit harsher about our two party system. For me it is essentially a one party system comprised generally of rich white males (there are a couple of women and a few blacks/hispanics/asians, but they are definitely not proportionally represented, and on top of that most of them are unbelievably rich). I'm not a fan of either party because I believe that special interests dictate entirely too much of what they do and the idea of representing the people doesn't really exist. Opinion polls exist so politicians can say the right thing to hopefully garner popularity. However, what they say and what they do are often quite different. As a nation we really should have progressed at this point to a multi-party system, but unfortunately most Americans take an us against them mentality and will stick with a party, not because it's the party that represents them the best, but because the opposition must be crushed.



Republicans/Democrats spend more time bashing each other, disputing their opponents value, rather than accentuating their own value. And it seems to me after 5 Presidential elections, most voting Americans like this approach.

Read all about ME!

[Rev9Volts]

not quite true mike. i have no problem with usa doing world domination if my life improves.



however so far gas prices are still way up there.



so much for domination...

[DreamTone7]

There is very, very little difference between the two parties. Most of what we see is for distractive purposes. Historically speaking, the candidate with the most money in his/her campaign effort wins. With this in mind, it is big business that really controls the election. They decide who they want to win (ie, whoever gives them the most leway/control when it comes to environmental issues, advertising rights, etc), then pump all their money into his/her campaign. Until we limit the amount of money spent on campaigns, and a way to effectively monitor it, we, the people, have less control over what happens than most of us think.

[Galmin]

Quote:

---

There is very, very little difference between the two parties. Most of what we see is for distractive purposes. Historically speaking, the candidate with the most money in his/her campaign effort wins. With this in mind, it is big business that really controls the election. They decide who they want to win (ie, whoever gives them the most leway/control when it comes to environmental issues, advertising rights, etc), then pump all their money into his/her campaign. Until we limit the amount of money spent on campaigns, and a way to effectively monitor it, we, the people, have less control over what happens than most of us think.

---

No Democracy, then.

[questionnaire]

.... before I leave permanently.



"....... i have no problem with usa doing world domination if my life improves......however so far gas prices are still way up there."







I think this speaks volumes, but I'll leave the observers of this forum to extrapolate what they want from it. Scary. Genuinely terrifying. Stupidity and short-sightedness of galactic proportions. Other nations should not support America whilst it is governed by this sort of thinking. I sincerely hope that the Democrats are elected and show the political courage to do something about this, but I'm not holding my breath on either count.



Now, I've really had enough.



Steve H