[geeks] Glad I don't live in Texas!

[Eric Dittman]

> > The best option is to abolish the party system.  Get rid of
> > people voting for the party and not the candidate.  Make the
> > candidates stand on their own merits, stating their own views.
> 
> In theory, that's what we have in the UK (dunno about the US).  In practice,
> it's just another party system.  I see no way of stopping any system of
> individual candidates from developing this way.

I always hear about a lot of different parties in the UK.  How
are they set up?

> > Another good idea would be to require the politicians to follow
> > the will of the people they represent rather than their party.
> 
> And how, pray, does one divine "the will of the people"?

Look at opinion polls and read letters.  Have staff in the
area keep a finger on the public pulse.

If almost everyone tells you they are against subsidies for left-
handed crabgrass farmers, then you vote that way instead of how
the LHCF lobby tells you.

> Nah, the way to fix our broken sham-democracies is by allowing recall of
> representatives.  And the chances of that happening are somewhere less
> than zero.  Consequently, seeing that they can't be fixed, they should
> be swept aside and replaced, by force if necessary.

We do have recall elections, but most citizens would rather
complain than do something about politicians they don't like.
-- 
Eric Dittman
dittman at dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/