[glinert]

Don not call me stupid, but I have heard American political system very very different than any other democracy, could someone please explain to me how whole system works from top to bottom?

[Boris]

Only two parties unlike a real democracy.

Both Parties are the same. No matter what we get shit Presidents.

Thats one reason besides laziness people don't vote.

[Comrade Ogilvy]

Unlike Canada, where there is one political party and it fucks itself over for laughs.

Ignorance is great, isn't it you twit?

To actually answer the question in a non-biased manner, the only way we are really different than the rest of the world is in the Electoral College.

People don't vote for the President. People vote for their state. Their state has a number applied to it based on things like number of senators and representatives [like 4 for a state with less people and 14 for a state with a lot of people]. You vote for who you want and the person with the most votes in your state gets your STATES vote. It doesn't matter if a hundred billion people voted for Gore and 20 voted for Bush if those twenty carried states with a higher Electoral College value. So if 10 people in New York vote for Big Bird and 11 vote for Kermit the frog, the state of New York would declare it's Electoral College votes for Kermit.

It's not "direct" democracy. America is a representative, constitutionally based republic.

Not a direct democracy.

[Hansmeister]

There is another difference. Parties are quite irrelevant here. You don't vote for a political party, you vote for a person. In the primary you basically select one of two finalists for the post up for a vote. And then during the election you pick the winner. This is why the US is a two party country. Those who complain that the parties are too much alike usually fall on either the left or right extreme, who are unhappy because extremists simply have no chance to get elected in the US system. But no elected official is bound to any required party line, they can make pretty much any decision they want to, and most of the time the party has very little ability to enforce party discipline. So political debate is rarely between parties, it is between different individuals, which leads to very different political dynamics.

[The American Lion]

Only two parties unlike a real democracy.

Both Parties are the same. No matter what we get shit Presidents.

Thats one reason besides laziness people don't vote.

Its not our fault if most Americans enjoy the 2 party system.

Because there are lefits, moderates, and right wingers.
Democrats- Left-moderate
Republican- Moderate-Right

[Goranhammer]

Only two parties? Bullshit.

Last time I checked, the only requirements I heard about to be President is being 35 years old and a citizen of the country for a certain amount of time (I believe it's in the 7-10 year range). Show me one law, mandate, or doctrine that says a potential candidate has to be either Democrat or Republican, and I won't scoff at your horseshit defeatist attitude.

And to answer the question, it's not incredibly different than most. America is still a constitutional monarchy, except that the leader is elected and has more power...instead of, say, Britain where the monarch is determined by birth and has no power whatsoever.

[NewEdition_83]

Unlike most countries, America allows everyone to vote. It is the people that decide to vote for either the Democratic Party which I am a part of and the Republican Party. At least Americans have the right to choose.

[clownboy]

Goran is correct, except that the President must be native born. The two parties that dominate the system today are NOT the same parties we started with, just the most "successful" in getting voter support by a wide margin. There can be and are several parties. There are a small number of those in Congress elected from other than the two major parties. About the same percentage as their individual parties command of the voting population. Funny how it works out that way.

Actually, to correct Bob a bit, Electors are NOT constitutionally bound to vote with their state's popular vote. Nor must they vote alike enmasse. This is determined by the State election rules. It can and has happenned that a state with, say four electoral votes, will split those votes between candidates (usually according to the variance in the popular vote, but this is voluntary, NOT mandated by the Constitution).

[glinert]

Wow thank you much alot. This very helpful, I find American history to be actually very interesting especially Civil War and early period but coudl never find time and books good to read about government. Your government seems very complicated and built so to eliminate mistakes.

Sorry to be pushing too much, but besides elections how does your government work? IN terms of bodies like Justice and COngress?

[DoNotVoteBush]

One word: Corruption. This country is corrupted up the ass. I mean if you were to take the US Government and give it a colinoscopy, you would find pollups of corruption and the stench of it everywhere. Its amazing how many people in this country are blinded to so many of the facts. I mean, if people looked here instead of out there (other countries) then they would see that Bush is actually doing a pretty shitty job. But whatever, that's why its so different. It sucks. Period.

[Goranhammer]

My magic 8-ball just told you to get the fuck out of the U.S.A.

So far it's worth the $7.95.

[Hansmeister]

One word: Corruption. This country is corrupted up the ass. I mean if you were to take the US Government and give it a colinoscopy, you would find pollups of corruption and the stench of it everywhere. Its amazing how many people in this country are blinded to so many of the facts. I mean, if people looked here instead of out there (other countries) then they would see that Bush is actually doing a pretty shitty job. But whatever, that's why its so different. It sucks. Period.

You sound like someone who hasn't travelled much abroad. The US is a paragon of virtue as to how it conducts its business compared to most countries.

[DoNotVoteBush]

Yea... a "paragon of virtue" as you put it. Right, insider trading and false money reports is a "paragon of vitue." That's very hard to swallow.

Go throw your magic 8-ball at your nuts as hard as you can before you come back, okay? Sounds to me like you could use it.

[Boondock Saint]

Sorry to be pushing too much, but besides elections how does your government work? IN terms of bodies like Justice and COngress?

Just to let you know ... the US gov't wasnt made to be a change making body ... its more there to keep the status quo ... thats why it takes decades to change anything ... like civil rights for example ...

Those who hold power only hold power for a short time then power shifts to those holding the opposing views ... this way nothing really ever changes quickly ...

As for justice ...

Well you commit a crime, the police arrest you and you are charged either by local police or the federal gov't depending on your crime. You are then afforded an attorney or you hire one yourself, your choice ... or you can represent yourself (generally considered a bad move). You then plead guilty or not guilty (you dont plead innocent). If you plead guilty then the judge gives you a sentence (depends on your crime) if you plead not guilty then you go to court. The prosecution then had to prove you are guilty and the defense has to show that you are not. A jury of your 'peers' will in the end decide if you are guilty or not guilty depending on the evidence shown. If you are found guilty you get to appeal the case ... if you are found not guilty then you go free.

I am hardly a lawyer so ...

Congress?

The wealthiest people in the nation buy a seat in the most powerful governing body in the world and then proceed to line their pockets by ignoring the needs of the people and paying attention only to the needs of wealthy corporations.

Hey ... he asked ...

[glinert]

I was talking about I never understood checks and balances and stuff like that. How each branch helped decision making.

One word: Corruption. This country is corrupted up the ass. I mean if you were to take the US Government and give it a colinoscopy, you would find pollups of corruption and the stench of it everywhere. Its amazing how many people in this country are blinded to so many of the facts. I mean, if people looked here instead of out there (other countries) then they would see that Bush is actually doing a pretty shitty job. But whatever, that's why its so different. It sucks. Period.

Open you eyes, you very very lucky. I live in Russia we corrupt, we barely democracy, we so corrupt we barely nation. Please calm down appreciate what you have.

Also one last question, was America winning revolutionary war most of war? Why Britain quit?

[Boondock Saint]

was America winning revolutionary war most of war? Why Britain quit?

No we pretty much got our asses handed to us every step of the way ... sure the colonists won a fwe good fights but overall what won the war for the colony was attrition.

Britain quit because France and Spain were putting too much pressure on her and she couldnt afford to commit enough troops to hold such a vast colony so far away ...

It just became too expensive to fight the war anymore ...

[Goranhammer]

England wasn't necessarily whipping our asses. We employed techniques.

It's called "dirty fighting".

The British were known for "gentlemanly warfare"...standing out in front, all in lines...taking your licks and killing as many as you can. Ah, but the colonists weren't like that. They employed trenches, trees, any sort of shelter and vantage point they could come up with.

All's fair in love and war, right?

[Todd D.]

England wasn't necessarily whipping our asses. We employed techniques.

It's called "dirty fighting".

The British were known for "gentlemanly warfare"...standing out in front, all in lines...taking your licks and killing as many as you can. Ah, but the colonists weren't like that. They employed trenches, trees, any sort of shelter and vantage point they could come up with.

All's fair in love and war, right?

.....And then for some reason went back to the same ole tired form of warfare for the civil war. Nobody ever accused us of learning from history.

[Goranhammer]

We also lost the War of 1812.

[clownboy]

I was talking about I never understood checks and balances and stuff like that. How each branch helped decision making.

Three branches to our government. Executive, Legislative and Judicial.

And yes, that IS ole Ben Franklin there. Whata guy!