Is this political? I don’t know - POLL ADDED

Is it time to:


  • Total voters
    45
Status
Not open for further replies.

MattR

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Messages
1,175
Location
North Hampshire UK
Money certainly does favour politicians. The main opposition party, Labour, isn’t short of millionaires, including the shadow cabinet.
That’s true but not to the same extent as the conservatives. Also, there are very tight controls on how much money a UK party can spend on a campaign. Something I don’t think exists in the US


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Checkswrecks

Ungenear to broked stuff
Staff member
Global Moderator
2011 Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
11,489
Location
Damascus, MD
For a country that values liberty so much, why was a libertarian seen as a bad thing?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Not a thing. As AvGeek wrote, the Libertarians got amazingly far in 2016 because the main two candidates were both so reviled. But in the end the problem with a two party system is that so much money goes to those that any new baby parties get trampled to death. This is exactly what I mentioned was foreseen in the 1700s.

My other half is in our State's League of Women Voters, which means she does a lot of research and helps write the position papers that let voters compare candidates. fwiw - They try pretty hard to be impartial in what they publish because they have a lot of people (men too) from both parties. From their research, one of the most realistic things that could be done to overcome the problem and would be most effective to create better candidates would be to implement Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in the PRIMARIES, because that is where the candidates are really chosen.

If you have a group of 3 or more candidates, the problem is that two of the candidates could knock each other out because they split the bigger part of the population, leaving the #3 to take the election. RCV has voters rank their choices instead of picking just one, so rather than the one with the biggest number winning with a minority, RCV cuts the weakest THEN sees where those voters go to.

On the Dem side in 2016, Clinton massively out-polled even combinations of other candidates so still would have been their candidate with RCV. For better or worse, the Republican Party likely would have ended up with Cruz or maybe Rubio as others got eliminated, they would have had more internal support, and there's more of a chance they would have actually gotten a majority of the popular vote. Trump had a core group of 34.4% in the early primaries but couldn't attract the big center of the Republican population who are more moderate. Meanwhile, Cruz and Rubio were splitting the bigger population with about 20% each, so more than 40% total already and their voters had in common, plus the total for one of them probably would have grown faster than Trump's as candidates were eliminated.
 

magic

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2015
Messages
743
Location
WISCONSIN
In most elections here, 47% vote Democrat 47% vote Republican regardless of the quality of the candidates. The remaining 6% decide the election. One exception that comes to mind is Ross Perot in the 1992 election, where he got about 18% of the vote and handed the election to Bill Clinton. A third party vote or a write in vote is usually a wasted vote. Sure, it makes you feel good, but the Democrat or Republican will win anyhow.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,815
Location
Joshua TX
Why don’t you elect politicians that you can trust? Surely there are enough good men and women in the US? You just have to seek them out. Sitting there moaning about how rubbish the current crop are won’t change anything. Find alternatives that you can trust and get behind.
See post #76.
 

Madhatter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2013
Messages
3,846
Location
buda texas
Vast majority of people cannot even trust their spouses in all areas of life. Picking people to represent us, and all are flawed . We all are . To say other wise is to deny reality of who and what men are . Flawed imperfect people. To trust some one especially government people is crazy . Your senator or rep wants your vote and as we have seen , will do anything even lie to stay in office. Can you trust a liar . That’s why we have a checks and balance system. It does not always work. People make Careers out of being in office. They become corrupt. When someone says “I’m a senator “ like they are some one more important they have already missed the mark . They serve the people not the people serve them . It’s human nature to be selfish , we want, and some are never satisfied. Not even in high offices.
 

MattR

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Messages
1,175
Location
North Hampshire UK
Jeez! You can’t trust anyone? Not your best mate? Not the dentist or the doctor? What about the surgeon? How does that work in the military if you can’t trust your buddies to cover your back? It’s a horrendous outlook on life. No wonder you’re so angry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

PhilPhilippines

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2020
Messages
952
Location
Philippines
There seems to be a common theme of arrest and release going on, which is odd to me. Can someone explain why, as I am not familiar with US law. Just read about the guy with the Auschwitz t-shirt and the guy with 500 rounds, a gun and an expired ID trying to enter the capitol area. Both now released.
 

Madhatter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2013
Messages
3,846
Location
buda texas
COVID 19 is the reason for arrest and release because they don't want to put you in jail to get or spread C-19 , even here in my county . a lady I know of was pulled over for driving under the influence , was driven home and issued a ticket . now that's not going to go away for her , they will make her pay , but jail for now is for the really bad folks , like a murderer .at least here.
 

PhilPhilippines

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2020
Messages
952
Location
Philippines
COVID 19 is the reason for arrest and release because they don't want to put you in jail to get or spread C-19 , even here in my county . a lady I know of was pulled over for driving under the influence , was driven home and issued a ticket . now that's not going to go away for her , they will make her pay , but jail for now is for the really bad folks , like a murderer .at least here.
Saves on taxi fares :D
I could murder a beer!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top