Americans, can you illustrate me about the two-party system you have going on? What I really want to know is how can an small party or independent candidate run for President? I remember reading on Wikipedia sometime ago that Ross Perot told his supporters that he would run for Presidency only if they got him on every State's ballot. How is it possible to run for President and not be automatically included into every State's ballot? That's stupid.
Here, if a person wants to run for President they need the support of a registered political party or they have to gather enough valid signatures to endorse his or her candidature: 1% of the registered voters. And they are obviously then put in the ballot, which is the same for the whole country since we are not a Federal state.
Don't you be criticizing our true form of Democracy, or President Bush will march right over to Ecuador and tell you a thing or two!
In actuality, our system is pretty much broken. Jakey explained some of this to me in a different context, but it might be applicable here. The two party system is in power, and their loathe to give up that power. They make it difficult to allow 3rd parties into the vote, because it disrupts their power. Look at what happened in Florida in 2000. Many people believe Nader stole the election from Gore, because many of his voters would have voted Gore instead. Had Nader never run, Florida might've gone to Gore, and our country would be very different right now.
So, I'm guessing they make it difficult for 3rd parties to get in, because they represent an uncontrollable variable that can upset their election strategies.
In theory our system is the same as yours. Or even better. Any individual can be written in as a choice. But inreality, you have to be a member of one of the 2 major parties (sometimes you alomost have a hpope with the grreen party). the only real good it has is that iof a third party ever gets enough support, one of the 2 major parteies will adopt the issue they were trying to raise.
As far as the ballot question is concerned, while technically you can write in a candidate, your odds are much better if the candidate is actually printed on the ballot - less mis-cast ballots and such. The problem is, there is no uniform procedure for running elections in the United States, and each state sets its own rules for ballot access and structure. So you have 50 different criterion to meet, at different times, and usually with wildly different requirements - some require signatures, other require money, others require god only knows. So it is very hard for anyone without the resources of the two major parties to get on all 50 ballots, particularly the GOP and the Dems dominate the state governments as well. Ross Perot was able to do it in '92 because he was a billionaire.
So I could just write Godzilla McFarts on the ballot and if someone happens to have that name then he gets one vote accounted on his favor? How does this work when you vote with those fancy voting machines and not paper?
We need someone who won't give up, someone who won't let go of the war. We need a guy who can say "screw America, I'm going to get more oil!", possibly while drunk. We need a man, to stand up, and lead us all to a brighter six months from now. He also needs to be from Texas. Cause cowboys are badass. And the war in Iraq needs more troops sent over. Because there's NEVER enough. So -in short- who do I personally believe that we need to be president in 2008?
Vote George W. Bush for '08.
You won't (not) regret it.
So I could just write Godzilla McFarts on the ballot and if someone happens to have that name then he gets one vote accounted on his favor? How does this work when you vote with those fancy voting machines and not paper?
In that case you have to ask for a special ballot so you can write names in. That's also part of the reason why having your name actually on the ballot helps you substantially, most people are lazy and don't want to make the effort to get a different ballot.
Jakey, he also has warm soft hands, strong hands, like sensuous oven mitts ready to envelop you and pull you safely from the oven. Blue eyes, beautiful blue eyes like Canadian skies, and he is kinda tall, and he said my name, and *squeeeee*
I've already made my support for geoko public and I stand by that endorsement. I do not condone the zombie lifestyle and will not support the zombie agenda.
...aaaaaaaaaaaaand now it was announced that Gov. Palin's 17 year old daughter is 5 months pregnant. Abstinence-only sex education works wonders again!
So apparently Acts 19:19 says to destroy all rock music? They must have been able to see the future, to write that thousands of years before it happened.
I forget the bible passage, but the best one is about how when God said that he holds all things together, he was really talking about holding protons together in the nucleus, even though they should repel each other. God is the residual strong force!
I still believe any more than 3 children is being socially irresponsible. Is she one of those people who is against contraception, believing it "ties the hands of God"?
Comments
Here, if a person wants to run for President they need the support of a registered political party or they have to gather enough valid signatures to endorse his or her candidature: 1% of the registered voters. And they are obviously then put in the ballot, which is the same for the whole country since we are not a Federal state.
In actuality, our system is pretty much broken. Jakey explained some of this to me in a different context, but it might be applicable here. The two party system is in power, and their loathe to give up that power. They make it difficult to allow 3rd parties into the vote, because it disrupts their power. Look at what happened in Florida in 2000. Many people believe Nader stole the election from Gore, because many of his voters would have voted Gore instead. Had Nader never run, Florida might've gone to Gore, and our country would be very different right now.
So, I'm guessing they make it difficult for 3rd parties to get in, because they represent an uncontrollable variable that can upset their election strategies.
We need someone who won't give up, someone who won't let go of the war. We need a guy who can say "screw America, I'm going to get more oil!", possibly while drunk. We need a man, to stand up, and lead us all to a brighter six months from now. He also needs to be from Texas. Cause cowboys are badass. And the war in Iraq needs more troops sent over. Because there's NEVER enough. So -in short- who do I personally believe that we need to be president in 2008?
Vote George W. Bush for '08.
You won't (not) regret it.
Edit: In that case you have to ask for a special ballot so you can write names in. That's also part of the reason why having your name actually on the ballot helps you substantially, most people are lazy and don't want to make the effort to get a different ballot.
That made me cum, even.
but this just adds to it - 5 kids, including a baby with downs syndrome, and now a grandchild? When will she ever have time for 'work'?
Work of the devil!!