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Are you happy with the current two party system?

Progressives want to go to a parlamentary system? Another one of those hillarious moments they're famous for. :rofl
 
sounds like a Tea Party talking-point.

That doesn't bother me so long as it's true.

Do you think the centralization of power isn't the enemy of freedom?
 
That doesn't bother me so long as it's true.

Do you think the centralization of power isn't the enemy of freedom?

A society can have a strong central-govt. while overwhelmingly respecting & supporting civil-liberties.

Strong central-govt. and civil-liberties are NOT mutually exclusive. Such an argument, is ignorant.
 
A society can have a strong central-govt. while overwhelmingly respecting & supporting civil-liberties.

Strong central-govt. and civil-liberties are NOT mutually exclusive. Such an argument, is ignorant.

I don't see how such an argument is ignorant.

Do you have an example of a strong, central government that is overwhelmingly respectful/supportive of civil liberties?
 
It's ridiculous. All this bitching about how other parties don't "have their voices heard" or candidates who are isolated. The American people like their politics simple. Nobody is going to vote for the Communist party anymore than they're going to vote for the Constitutional party for the same reason nobody votes for Kucinich or Paul in any meaningful way. It's because they don't represent the mainstream. Republicans and Democrats represent the immediate interests of both their demographics. Nobody really gives a **** if you want to strike down the 14th or audit the Fed.

Most Americans Want a Third Political Party
Majority of Americans Still Want Third Major Party « JONATHAN TURLEY
Americans Renew Call for Third Party

People don't vote for them because it's a waste of a vote with our current electoral system. Very few people actually believe that the republicans or democrats actually serve their personal views. They are just voting whoever is closer.

If more parties had a fair shot, you'd see a huge divide in power held by both current sides. There is a reason for that. It might take a little time for the new parties to balance out power, but that doesn't mean they are simply insignificant.
 
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I don't see how such an argument is ignorant.

Do you have an example of a strong, central government that is overwhelmingly respectful/supportive of civil liberties?

Britain. Germany.

France. The United States of America. Canada.
 
Progressives want to go to a parlamentary system? Another one of those hillarious moments they're famous for. :rofl

No Sir, not me. I like the current us vs. them system that we have. I would prefer the popular vote over the Electoral College, but I understand what it's like to live in a fly-over State, so no changes.

We've had three party elections a few times in our history that were actually close instead of a just having a third party stealing votes from one of the two major parties.

Top Ten Significant Presidential Elections - Presidential Elections
 
definitely not happy with two parties. i'd like to have several more choices.

i think one of the key steps would be to redistrict the entire country state by state to address gerrymandering. also, we should take another look at the process of getting one's name on a ballot.

long term, the two party system has resulted in a serious consolidation of wealth and power among a relatively small group of people. it's not working for the rest of us.
 
Britain. Germany.

France. The United States of America. Canada.

That's not centralized power.

When I mean centralized, I mean centralized, as in an authoritarian dictatorship. Power is centralized in the dictator.

Those examples you gave me aren't nations who have centralized power. America, as an example, has not only two political parties but different branches of office for the sole purpose of decentralizing power.

Not sure what you're trying to say.
 
I don't think another party would work with our system. In our electoral college system, a candidate needs to get 270 votes to become president. In a close election like the one in 2000 and 2004 if a third party comes in and takes away electoral votes the house of representatives would elect the president. I think we should just elect the president by popular vote.
 
That's not centralized power.

When I mean centralized, I mean centralized, as in an authoritarian dictatorship. Power is centralized in the dictator.....

sorry, but I am going by the common definition of centralized power.

if you wish to redefine "centralized power" as to confirm your personal views, go ahead. But don't expect anyone else to play along.
 
sorry, but I am going by the common definition of centralized power.

if you wish to redefine "centralized power" as to confirm your personal views, go ahead. But don't expect anyone else to play along.

A centralized government is a government which controls all aspects of society from a central location or through a central system.

With those examples you lsted there are many different branches/systems in order to decentralize power.

If you want, feel free to make a thread about the matter.
 
The only people happy with the two-party system are those in congress and ultra-partisian hacks. Campaign Finance Reform, where every candidate is given the same amount of taxpayer money and private donations are illegal would level the playing field, and stop corporations and unions from purchasing legislation.
 
Most Americans Want a Third Political Party
Majority of Americans Still Want Third Major Party « JONATHAN TURLEY
Americans Renew Call for Third Party

People don't vote for them because it's a waste of a vote with our current electoral system. Very few people actually believe that the republicans or democrats actually serve their personal views. They are just voting whoever is closer.

If more parties had a fair shot, you'd see a huge divide in power held by both current sides. There is a reason for that. It might take a little time for the new parties to balance out power, but that doesn't mean they are simply insignificant.

I do not think that is it.I think the reason most people do not vote for 3rd parties is because they do not know they exist or even who the other candidates are. I bet if that you were to ask 50 or even a 100 random people on the street who are very knowledgeable when it comes to politics who Chuck Baldwin is, I bet most wouldn't know who he is and I can guarantee that during the next presidential debate the 3rd party candidates will be weaseled out by the media who plays a part is screwing 3rd parties.
 
I don't see how such an argument is ignorant.

Do you have an example of a strong, central government that is overwhelmingly respectful/supportive of civil liberties?

Canada comes to mind....
 
People don't vote for them because it's a waste of a vote with our current electoral system. Very few people actually believe that the republicans or democrats actually serve their personal views. They are just voting whoever is closer.
THAT is the truly wasted vote, IMO. Voting for a person that you know you will still be dissatisfied with. I used to hold that belief, but now I've been disappointed so many times that I no longer see any value in it whatsoever. And what sucks is, I KNEW I was going to be disappointed, so I can't even claim to have been surprised.

If you vote for somebody you really do like, you can at least hold your head up and and say, "It wasn't my fault. I voted for somebody who was actually qualified.".
 
Canada comes to mind....

When I think of centralized power, I think of dictators like those in North Korea, or authoritartian dictators like those of Stalinist Russia or Communist China in the 60's. Canada has not only a parliament, but also branches of power. Three, to be exact: executive, judicial, and legislative power so no, Canada does not count as a nation that has centralized power, of which freedom is taken away. Centralized power is the enemy of freedom, and nations with dictators are typically nations with centralized power.

The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government,[1][2][3] is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council. In both senses, the construct was established at Confederation, through the Constitution Act, 1867, as a constitutional monarchy, wherein the Canadian Crown acts as the core, or "the most basic building block,"[4] of the kingdom's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy.[5] The Crown is thus the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Canadian government. [6][7][8] Further elements of governance are outlined in the rest of the constitution of Canada, which includes written statutes, court rulings, and unwritten conventions developed over centuries.[9]

Government of Canada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Furthermore under the Federalism part of that page:

The powers of the parliament of Canada are limited by the constitution, which divides legislative abilities between the federal and provincial governments; in general, provincial legislatures may only pass laws relating to topics explicitly reserved for them by the constitution, such as education, provincial officers, municipal government, charitable institutions, and "matters of a merely local or private nature,"[43]
 
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I would welcome the dissolution of all political parties.... but it won't happen, so i don't spend much time worrying about it.
 
People don't vote for them because it's a waste of a vote with our current electoral system. Very few people actually believe that the republicans or democrats actually serve their personal views. They are just voting whoever is closer.

If more parties had a fair shot, you'd see a huge divide in power held by both current sides. There is a reason for that. It might take a little time for the new parties to balance out power, but that doesn't mean they are simply insignificant.

The problem is that you couldn't add just ONE more party. Currently we have a Center-Left Party and a Center-Right Party. If you were to add another party, you would have to add at least a Far-Left and Far-Right Party, and possibly a Libertarian/True Center party (To be called the FenceSitter Party, which wouldn't actually have any core beliefs). At that point our system gets thrown totally out of whack because nobody could ever actually gain a true majority or get enough electoral votes to be declared President.
 
When I think of centralized power, I think of dictators like those in North Korea, or authoritartian dictators like those of Stalinist Russia or Communist China in the 60's. Canada has not only a parliament, but also branches of power. Three, to be exact: executive, judicial, and legislative power so no, Canada does not count as a nation that has centralized power, of which freedom is taken away. Centralized power is the enemy of freedom, and nations with dictators are typically nations with centralized power.
I think you're arguing theory. Totalitarianism is certain centralized, but to the extreme. What you are arguing is what I believe our country was intended to be, and what was attempted by the 10th Amendment, but the Commerce Clause effectively thwarted that and our country is now far more centralized than ever imagined by the founding fathers. A more accurate definition is more relative and less clear cut.
 
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