Some of the shenanigans of the US government are truly shocking. Which makes me wonder: is that sort of thing not happening here, or does it just not come to light? Nearly all European countries have fewer checks and balances and more trust in government, so if anything, it should be worse here.
Only thing that we have that's good is that outrages are less politicized. When there is something truly bad, you don't have half the country defending it because it was their party. That proportion exists, but it's far smaller. People's personal lives are also far less politicized. The notion of not being friends with someone because of his politics will be laughable to nearly everyone.
Specifically regarding the coronavirus, draconian measures had huge support during the height of the pandemic, but it did not become a partisan virtue-signal. Supporters almost universally regarded things like coronavirus passports and masking as necessary evils, not as inherent goods that should be extended for as long as possible.
I don't know why this is, but thank God for small blessings.
When there is something truly bad, you don't have half the country defending it because it was their party. That proportion exists, but it's far smaller.
Why do you feel this is good, or better than 50/50 2-party?
With America's system, you only have to convince a tiny amount of people to flip the outcome from one 50 to the other, but if you have like 80/20 and the 80 is wrong then there's no prayer of finding and convincing 30% of the population to switch. That's impossible, but finding 1% that will listen to reason is totally possible.
Put another way, Hitler took over with about 1/3 of parliament. Mussolini with only 7%! Democrats in USA can barely get their way even with allegedly >50% of the vote.
American winner-take-all works because most people are idiots and they're kept busy yelling at each other on the twitters instead of ruling.
With America's system, you only have to convince a tiny amount of people to flip the outcome from one 50 to the other, but if you have like 80/20 and the 80 is wrong then there's no prayer of finding and convincing 30% of the population to switch. That's impossible, but finding 1% that will listen to reason is totally possible.
Problem is that it can also go the other way. It is true that exercising any sort of political influence is almost impossible in a parliamentary system. I guess the saving grace is that this is also true for leftists more radical than the elites already are.
Put another way, Hitler took over with about 1/3 of parliament. Mussolini with only 7%!
Rest assured that in today's Europe, you couldn't get your way with 2/3 of the vote - if you're up against the elites.
Democrats in USA can barely get their way even with allegedly >50% of the vote.
I disagree. On the stuff that matters to the elites, both parties agree.
It'd be great if the Euros would ask why their right wing is less distrustful of their governments than ours.
Some of the shenanigans of the US government are truly shocking. Which makes me wonder: is that sort of thing not happening here, or does it just not come to light? Nearly all European countries have fewer checks and balances and more trust in government, so if anything, it should be worse here.
Only thing that we have that's good is that outrages are less politicized. When there is something truly bad, you don't have half the country defending it because it was their party. That proportion exists, but it's far smaller. People's personal lives are also far less politicized. The notion of not being friends with someone because of his politics will be laughable to nearly everyone.
Specifically regarding the coronavirus, draconian measures had huge support during the height of the pandemic, but it did not become a partisan virtue-signal. Supporters almost universally regarded things like coronavirus passports and masking as necessary evils, not as inherent goods that should be extended for as long as possible.
I don't know why this is, but thank God for small blessings.
Why do you feel this is good, or better than 50/50 2-party?
With America's system, you only have to convince a tiny amount of people to flip the outcome from one 50 to the other, but if you have like 80/20 and the 80 is wrong then there's no prayer of finding and convincing 30% of the population to switch. That's impossible, but finding 1% that will listen to reason is totally possible.
Put another way, Hitler took over with about 1/3 of parliament. Mussolini with only 7%! Democrats in USA can barely get their way even with allegedly >50% of the vote.
American winner-take-all works because most people are idiots and they're kept busy yelling at each other on the twitters instead of ruling.
Problem is that it can also go the other way. It is true that exercising any sort of political influence is almost impossible in a parliamentary system. I guess the saving grace is that this is also true for leftists more radical than the elites already are.
Rest assured that in today's Europe, you couldn't get your way with 2/3 of the vote - if you're up against the elites.
I disagree. On the stuff that matters to the elites, both parties agree.
This is why America is failing right now, the uniparty, and it's probably because of blackmail or the need to raise lots of money.
The adversarial system only works when they are adversaries not best buds.
Not sure if Trudeau is a good example of someone who is less bad than the Democrats in the US, but point taken.