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[M Holmes]

Ted O. Jackson writes:

> > >Maybe you could elect that idiot Buchannan
> >
> > Ooh, I should stay away from political discussions but I'm only going to
> > say that IMHO, none of the major candidates will make a great change in
> > the way our Government operates.  I really believe we need a third
> > political party so that everything in our Gov't isn't an US vs. THEM
> > battle.  Everything these days is too partisan - and they spend more
> > time bitching at each other while the people they're suppossed to serve
> > suffer.
> >
> > John

> The worst thing about US politics (well, one of many, I guess) is the
> two-party system.

The Libertarians are *very* confident that they will again gain ballot
access in all 50 States. I believe they hit 38 a couple of weeks back.

> I know in Belgium, which is about the size of New
> Jersey, they have seven political parties

The reason for this in continental countries is that they operate a
system based around proportional representation (i.e you get a number of
representatives in proportion to the local or national popular vote)
rather than a First Past the Post system as in the US and UK. The
advantage is that it lets small parties achieve some representation. The
disadvantages are various. Some systems effectively disengage
politicians from any local constituency. Some extremist small parties
gain representation that they wouldn't otherwise have. Decisions are
still made by politicians in backroom deals. More parties mean more
backroom deals. OTOH it may take a true majority to get legislation
enacted. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on whether
you believe that everything should have to get 51% of the public behind
it to be law (some good ideas might never achieve this but would be OK
under FPTP).

> and near 100% voter
> participation.  Here, we have two parties and, what 40%?  Tells me
> something!

You may be right about this.

> theo

FoFP