Republicans for Gay Unions.

[Dinner]

Imran: As long as the public is footing the bill for the "private primaries" then everyone should get to vote. If the parties want to start footing their own bills without sucking up the public's money then they can be as exclusive as they want but as long as the public is paying the bills it is only fair the public gets to vote.

[Elok]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
What I want to know is why I, as a third party member, have to pay for the primaries of other parties?

Because you're a filthy parasite stealing votes from the honest candidates and therefore you're the reason Bush won. Both times. Kind of like the Jews had to endure two milennia of hazing for "killing Jesus," only you actually deserve what you get. Now bend over and pay the system, biznatch!

NOTE: I think the above post was meant to be facetious, but even I'm not sure. If anybody knows what I mean by it, please tell me.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Imran: As long as the public is footing the bill for the "private primaries" then everyone should get to vote. If the parties want to start footing their own bills without sucking up the public's money then they can be as exclusive as they want but as long as the public is paying the bills it is only fair the public gets to vote.

So can I vote in all 50 states during a federal election because the public funds are going to every state? Hey, its only fair that I get to vote in each state since I'm paying the bills for every state to have their election

[Odin]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Well, it's pretty democratic in a system that has RP (or partial RP like Germany) and it prevents gridlock, and gets things done (note: I'm speaking about the head of the executive in general here, and not necessarily the head of State in particular).

Preventing gridlock is a bad thing. It is best to have gridlock so that any legislation has to be a compromise and not just one side pushing things through because they have 50%+1 as goes on in Europe.

I guess it is one of those times where saying "The US is a republic, not a democracy" makes sense . I perfer a Republic, btw.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
So can I vote in all 50 states during a federal election because the public funds are going to every state? Hey, its only fair that I get to vote in each state since I'm paying the bills for every state to have their election

Nope, you only get to vote in your district but as long as the public is paying then everyone in that district gets to vote. Don't like it? Foot your own bills.

[St Leo]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Preventing gridlock is a bad thing. It is best to have gridlock so that any legislation has to be a compromise and not just one side pushing things through because they have 50%+1 as goes on in Europe.

Pork is a form of compromise. It's much harder to have pork when there's no need for compromise.

Americans have various silly ideas ingrained in them, like "government should govern least". IMHO, a government that governs smoothly and gets feedback every four years would be much less harmful.