Hell is: Democracy | 64 comments (64 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: You are probably aware of bloggers (none / 0)

It may vary state by state, but we don't have to declare a party here. In primaries, you have to pick one at some point, but that is for obvious reasons.

That's because Illinois has open primaries.

for the VAST MAJORITY of Americans, you register, you get a card and a letter telling you where to vote, and you go vote.

Not including in "the vast majority" are the following states where if you haven't declares a party affiliation you don't get to vote in the primary:

States, commonwealths, districts, and territories that have closed primaries[citation needed]:
Arizona
California (Republican closed, Democratic semi-closed)
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida [1]
Kentucky
Maryland
Massachusetts (Semi-closed primary)
Nebraska
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina (Semi-closed primary)
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island (Semi-closed primary)[2]
South Dakota
Utah
West Virginia

Florida wasn't stolen because of people being unable to vote, but because of stealing an election. I don't see how your system prevents that, given that it is even less transparent than ours.

Care to expand on that?

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 31st, 2008 at 02:06:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You are probably aware of bloggers (none / 0)

I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I didn't mean the vast majority didn't have to declare a party, but that they are not purged from a voter list. And I did say that in all primaries one eventually has to declare a party, even if unofficially, but that is for the primaries, because they need to know what ballot to give you. :) No one is required to vote in a primary in order to vote in the general election. Until this year, few people voted in primaries. Anyway, I think there is a different attitude toward parties in America and Europe, and that's fine. But we've discussed that many times before.

As for the last part, I say that based on what Fran has told me. Here, there are private citizens present at every step of the election.

Anyway, my aim is not to say one system is better than another, but to let you know how ours works at the micro level, and maybe why we decided to do it like we do. It's a DEEPLY FLAWED system we have, but I think for different reasons you think it is. I think it should be standardized, the same in every state, in every precinct. And I think it's obviously open to corruption. But I also think there are really wonderful aspect of it.

I mean, I did title this diary "Hell is Democracy".

:)

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.

by poemless on Fri Oct 31st, 2008 at 02:22:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hell is: Democracy | 64 comments (64 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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