American political parties and primarys?

[Stuart Mackey]

My question is about American parties,
1} being registered for either {why would you do that?}

2} and what the hell are primaries?

3} I trust none of the above has anything to do with voting on election day for any actual government position?

[paladin]

My question is about American parties,
1} being registered for either {why would you do that?}

Being registered for a party is a way of showing that you are dedicated to that party.

2} and what the hell are primaries?

Primaries are elections to select a party's candidate for the November elections. Usually, only registered members of a party can vote in primaries. Some states have open primaries where any registered voter can vote.

3} I trust none of the above has anything to do with voting on election day for any actual government position?

Actually they do. Candidates from the major US parties (Democrats and Republicans) that were selected in the primaries are the ones that get elected. Candidates from the minor US parties usually do not win the election.

[Stuart Mackey]

Actually they do. Candidates from the major US parties (Democrats and Republicans) that were selected in the primaries are the ones that get elected. Candidates from the minor US parties usually do not win the election.

Ahh, the snipped part I can understand, but this? man you NEED, proportional representation badly.

[Joe]

Actually they do. Candidates from the major US parties (Democrats and Republicans) that were selected in the primaries are the ones that get elected. Candidates from the minor US parties usually do not win the election.

Ahh, the snipped part I can understand, but this? man you NEED, proportional representation badly.

The House is proportional.

[Stuart Mackey]

Actually they do. Candidates from the major US parties (Democrats and Republicans) that were selected in the primaries are the ones that get elected. Candidates from the minor US parties usually do not win the election.

Ahh, the snipped part I can understand, but this? man you NEED, proportional representation badly.

The House is proportional.

?? how so? if your electoral system is not proportional then that makes no sense.

[Joe]

Ahh, the snipped part I can understand, but this? man you NEED, proportional representation badly.

The House is proportional.

?? how so? if your electoral system is not proportional then that makes no sense.

Each state gets representation in the House based on how large its population is.

[Stuart Mackey]

Each state gets representation in the House based on how large its population is.

Ahh, I said your electoral system. ie how you elect your representatives.
Does your system, first past the post I beleive, reflect the actual political opinion of the majority of your population.


Watch the huge blocks of quotes ~ Stormbringer

[Kelly Antilles]

Ahh, I said your electoral system. ie how you elect your representatives.
Does your system, first past the post I beleive, reflect the actual political opinion of the majority of your population.

Well, if everyone actually got out and voted, that would be true. Unfortunately, it isn't. Also, there are people who will vote for someone because they recognize his/her name. Our electoral system is flawed. It is 200 years old after all.

BTW, trim your quotes, Stewart. Don't put so many quotes in one post.

[Kelly Antilles]

And I apologize for misspelling your name.

[Stuart Mackey]

Ahh, I said your electoral system. ie how you elect your representatives.
Does your system, first past the post I beleive, reflect the actual political opinion of the majority of your population.

Well, if everyone actually got out and voted, that would be true. Unfortunately, it isn't. Also, there are people who will vote for someone because they recognize his/her name. Our electoral system is flawed. It is 200 years old after all.

Well no it wouldnt be true, not with two political parties who dominate the political spectrum.

BTW, trim your quotes, Stewart. Don't put so many quotes in one post.

Yeah, I thought of that right after I hit 'submit' .
Oh, its Stuart..btw.

[Stuart Mackey]

And I apologize for misspelling your name.

No worrys.

[Kelly Antilles]

Well no it wouldnt be true, not with two political parties who dominate the political spectrum.

Exactly. And the reason for that? Because people are so conditioned that it's Democratic/Republican, they don't even recognize Independants. Heck, the Whip party didn't last that long (though IIRC, we did have at least one Whip president. It's been too long since American History class.). People don't like change. That's why they vote like they always do.

[paladin]

Actually they do. Candidates from the major US parties (Democrats and Republicans) that were selected in the primaries are the ones that get elected. Candidates from the minor US parties usually do not win the election.

Ahh, the snipped part I can understand, but this? man you NEED, proportional representation badly.

The US does use a form of proportional representation in the House of Representatives. A state's delegation to the House depends on the state's population. A state with a high population will have a large delegation while a state with a small population will have a small delegation. Also, an individual state will be divided into a number of Congressional districts equal to the number of Representatives in its House delegation. Each Representative would have an equal proportion of their state's population that they represent in the House. That number of people in a Congressional district does vary slightly from state to state. Every state in the Union is guaranteed at least one Representative to the House. As you can see the US does have a form of proportional representation.

[Stuart Mackey]

Well no it wouldnt be true, not with two political parties who dominate the political spectrum.

Exactly. And the reason for that? Because people are so conditioned that it's Democratic/Republican, they don't even recognize Independants. Heck, the Whip party didn't last that long (though IIRC, we did have at least one Whip president. It's been too long since American History class.). People don't like change. That's why they vote like they always do.

Even if most people there vote and even if some vote for independents or small parties, you will never have propotionality in your representation.

Mainstream veiws are always going to be held in the two main parties, and that is what 80%-85%* will vote for. As such, seats in your congress will always be held by the two main parties.
The 15%-20%* who voted for non mainstream parties/canidates will never have representation bacause they cannot win a seat. thus you have a situation where 15-20%* of your population, spread over the nation, have exactly no voice in congress.

* I assume here that the balance of American voting habits are similar to my own nation, my apoligies if its wrong, but I am sure you get the gist.

[Stuart Mackey]

Actually they do. Candidates from the major US parties (Democrats and Republicans) that were selected in the primaries are the ones that get elected. Candidates from the minor US parties usually do not win the election.

Ahh, the snipped part I can understand, but this? man you NEED, proportional representation badly.

The US does use a form of proportional representation in the House of Representatives. A state's delegation to the House depends on the state's population. A state with a high population will have a large delegation while a state with a small population will have a small delegation. Also, an individual state will be divided into a number of Congressional districts equal to the number of Representatives in its House delegation. Each Representative would have an equal proportion of their state's population that they represent in the House. That number of people in a Congressional district does vary slightly from state to state. Every state in the Union is guaranteed at least one Representative to the House. As you can see the US does have a form of proportional representation.

True it is a form of proportional representaion, but I submit that it is not democratic, as it does not represent political veiws, which is what counts.

[paladin]

Heck, the Whip party...

I think they became the BDSM party with the platform of "obey me because I am your master."

[Stuart Mackey]

Heck, the Whip party...

I think they became the BDSM party with the platform of "obey me because I am your master."

no, that is the Westminster system of government and political party . it is also known as 'top of the slippery pole' party, to use a well worn phrase.

[Kelly Antilles]

True it is a form of proportional representaion, but I submit that it is not democratic, as it does not represent political veiws, which is what counts.

But it represents the view of the majority.

However, most people don't give a flick about politics.

[Stuart Mackey]

True it is a form of proportional representaion, but I submit that it is not democratic, as it does not represent political veiws, which is what counts.

But it represents the view of the majority.

However, most people don't give a flick about politics.

It may represent the veiw of the majority, but it ignores a large proportion of the population, remember 'no taxation without representation'? .

How can it be democratic if 15 or even 20 percent of your population have no voice in your government? that unrepresented proportion pays tax with exactly norepresentation.

[Kelly Antilles]

But the basis of our government is "Majority Rules". With our current electoral system, there can't be equal representation.

[Stuart Mackey]

But the basis of our government is "Majority Rules". With our current electoral system, there can't be equal representation.

So you would conceed that you congress has no democratic legitimacy?

[MKSheppard]

How can it be democratic if 15 or even 20 percent of your population have no voice in your government? that unrepresented proportion pays tax with exactly norepresentation.

Uhm, they got representation. They do vote after all, and I really don't
want these crackpots in power:

http://www.nazi.org/

Libertarian National Socialist
Green Party

I am NOT makin this shit up people

[MKSheppard]

So you would conceed that you congress has no democratic legitimacy?

Everyone votes, so it's a democracy.

[Kelly Antilles]

It has at some point in our 227 years of independance.

[paladin]

But the basis of our government is "Majority Rules". With our current electoral system, there can't be equal representation.

So you would conceed that you congress has no democratic legitimacy?

No. The type of representation that is based on a political opinion does not last long in the US. For a party to survive it must change and adapt with the times. A party that holds fast to a particular idea without changing will be left behind. See Federalist, Whig, and American(Know Nothing) parties if you think I'm wrong.