Query

[Statica]

Hey folks .. hard not to get caught up in this whole situation, but being as I am of a different nationality I have a query of the US presidential (s)election [seems like its going to be more like some1 selects one man to run the show, doesnt it?] ..
Doesnt your constitution envisage the formation of coalitions? For example in India, where there hasnt been a majority leader for the past decades or so .. the larger parties form mergers with the smaller ones that have succeeded in getting seats into the Parliament, thereby bringing the alliance into majority... all about alignment and bargaining etc.
Having a Dem-Reform coalition mightnt be a bad idea at this point.. eh?

[Kubie]

That would take compromise. And as you can see, the parties don't do that here.

[troysvihl]

that already occurs. It's just that the alliances occur under the banner of one party rather than two different parties. That's why both major parties have such inconsistencies in many of their policies.

[Karel]

Coalitions have been the natural way over here for ages. Works fine 99%.

Smaller parties get their programs realised because bigger parties need them to realise theirs. Compromise is simple, really. Ask any married guy, roommate, co-worker.....and so on, and so on.

[StuartW]

Discussing this with an American collegue today, he said that in America everything tends to be diametrically opposed, with compromise and 'the middle ground' anathema to any way of thinking. Like Karel's country, we often have a government with a small majority, seeking an alliance with a smaller parliamentary party (usually the liberals), in order to pass a particular piece of legislation.A lot of horse trading goes on.
If the American situation were happening here, we would probably muddle a long to a compromise solution, on the lines of Gore being President for two years, followed by Bush for another two years; or vice versa.Who goes first to be decided by a toss of a coin.

[Statica]

When I mentioned coalition it wasnt meant as a compromise. A compromise probably wouldnt have worked earlier when the "3rd party" in the US wasn't existent or under any circumstance an important factor... that certainly isnt the case.
Coalition might be something like a Gore - Buchanan (sp?) join the dems in florida and in some other state gore gives votes from a comfortable lead so as to form 5%!

Its unfortunate when elections are decided in courthouses, eh?

[Bronco]

Of course we can do coalitions. That was never a problem when you look at
THIS.


Bush runs the country

[Edited by Bronco on 11-13-2000 at 04:09 PM]

[Bronco]

Let me put this one out in the ozone......

Put algore in charge of the counties that he won in this election & GW in charge of his. Than let's have a re-vote next year

[Statica]

Bronco:
In case you didnt catch the gist of this thread it was to gain insight into your electoral process being as I am from another country .. and this being such a hot topic thought it would be a good enuff moment, and I appreciate the thoughts shared by the others, but let me tell you in case you didnt catch it the first time around .. am not am American and I couldnt care less who came into power. And as for your preferences as to who should come into power, I care even less .. so let it be .. and pl.take your "Elect INSERT_NAME_HERE" placard to some other thread. What really bugs me is how you can assume that I would be interested in your link when I wasnt interested in it the first time around. Cheers that you found that on the net .. more power to you.. and it has been posted the first time around.
It's like if you were to talk abt how to get your CDROM working and I barged in on your thread to tell you about the merits of using good mayonnaise in an egg salad ...

Thanx

the Rant was for the assumption that I'd care ...
& this is my 6th edit cos I cant quite adequately put forth my disgust.

[Edited by Ex-Static-Cling on 11-13-2000 at 05:39 PM]

[StuartW]

Originally posted by Bronco Put algore in charge of the counties that he won in this election & GW in charge of his. Than let's have a re-vote next year

And Hillary Clinton gets to practice being President ready for when she is elected in four years time.

[troysvihl]

lol. don't hold your breath StuartW