The American election system is the BEST IN THE WORLD,at RESEMBLING,on the surface,a "Democracy",whereas in actual function it's anything but.
You could say it's EVERY other type of -ocracy BUT a DEMOCRACY!
We keep it as complicated,State by State,as possible,with ALL DIFFERENT rules and regulations,which is no incentive for voters(often national mobile)to drag their butts down to the 'theme parks' of voting stations which are staffed by many volunteers who don't EXACTLY know how the systems/machines/paperwork function.
The Stations are open at ridiculously restrictive times,for hard working,shift-changing workers,with INADEQUATE,and suspect voting machines,long lines in crap weather and even staff who DELIBARATELY INTIMIDATE,ISOLATE and even PREVENT people from voting.
You think all this is accidental? No it's electoral psy-ops!
The two parties and Congress have got it superficially looking so good,visually, for the media(who are ALREADY bought out).Every two-four years they 'herd' us all out like bleeting sheep,all the political 'sheepdogs'steering a respectful looking amount of people down to the electoral sheep pens to make it look as if it's DEMOCRACY AT WORK,except that, they have ALREADY chosen and PAID FOR their selected,NOT ELECTED,candidate/nominee.
2000-2004 couldn't have been MORE of a visual example of the rigged,corrupt election system presently at work here in the States.
The only salvation may be,that now,after 8 years of an egotistic,arrogant and impotent(politically) President who has PROVED that he is NEITHER a good active LAWFUL Commander In Chief, or an effective GOOD domestic policy enforcer, America may have WOKEN up somewhat,and realised that this next election could be the ONLY LIFE LINE left to real Democracy,OF,BY and FOR the people.
Most of the previous elections in the last 3-4 decades have been DESPITE the will of the people.Yet the media and the pundits have got it down to such a fine art and 'product' sell,that most of America still believe they are actively taking part in a real WORKING Democracy.
If this next election doesn't get the WHOLE Nation,thinking INDEPENDANTLY,watching like hawks what happens in the media and the electoral system and questioning,OUT LOUD,the motives of the media reports then I believe NOTHING WILL.
In other words exercising their Freedom to critize and debate the real long-term motives of the candidates,who are supposed to OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS representing US,is mandatory and a patriotic duty of any voter.
We,as a Nation are so cheaply bought with promises of temporary tax rebates(that might pay 3 or 4 bills),ridiculous "economic stimulus" checks that literally GO NOWHERE FAST.This are ALL TEMPORARY bribes and PACIFIERS,just like waving a juicy bone in front of a hungry dog.
In 48 hrs that bone is gone,along with your precious VOTE, and corporate Government keep on RAKING in the BILLIONS and laughing all the way up to OUR WHITE HOUSE and THEIR OVERSEAS BANKS with YOUR HARD-EARNED bucks!!
America is NO DEMOCRACY,in ACTUAL FACT.
It's a 'good' ole fashioned,dyed in the wool PLUTOCRACY.
In other words,EVERYTHING,that the Constitution and BILL of Rights,says that it SHOULD NOT BE.
The big question is---WHAT ARE WE,the voters,going to do about it,before real Democracy sinks SO FAR down that black sheep pit that it's IRRETRIEVABLE by any means?
But,let's be realistic,the sham "Democracy" could win the NOBEL prize,or Hollywood Oscar,for APPEARING to be what it AIN'T!
And it will stay that way until we shift the paradigm AGAIN,for our GRANDCHILDREN.

Hey maybe we should have the hero of liberals everywhere come and investigate our voting system! Woop's I forgot Carter is in the middle east doing what he does best, getting all buddy buddy with anti American/Isreal terrorist. Thank heavens Carter wasn't president during WW2, as I am not a big fan of German food. We tried Socialism once it's name was Carter and it was a total failure.
P.S. Hey Grassroots why you so riled up? Kucinich got out of the race a while back! Why make the rest of us suffer?

Yes! And the POLITICIANS will continue to BUY THE American votes with cheap quality,foreign grown 'carrots' on cheap quality wood 'sticks'that NOT EVEN RABBITS WOULD BE ENTICED BY!
We don't verbally challenge,or take to intellectual task,our candidates on A QUARTER of the issues that effect OUR NATION seriously(ethically and morally),and it's international integrity. Even the corporate media changes their diapers for them.
This is a crucial time in American politics,AND STILL the media and voters WORRY ABOUT WHO WEARS A 'FLIPPIN' lapel pin,who goes to church and who touts the gun!
It's like a medieval society/mentality that appens to have 'State of the art OF Death' WMD's!
Serfs versus the landowners.
Peasants versus ROYALTY! LOL.

I hate to say it but the American voting system is far from the best system in the world. Without even bothering to mention the 67 different methods of voting that few understand and even fewer trust, until we get the money out of the equation we will continue to buy our politicians.

Mike Gravel!! Good for you Sir!
Well,there may be a flame of hope for more proportional representation in America!
Mike Gravel has dropped the 'hot-brick' of a FAILING two party system and re-birthed himself as a LIBERTARIAN!!!
Good for you Mike! I liked the way you spoke in the early campaigns.
You have the honest and honourable courage,like Kucinich and Nader to paint life AS IT IS instead of in 'disney,somewhere over the rainbow' fluorescent crap!

The content of your speeches is VERY REALISTIC and honest,you don't PANDER to anyone,or treat the voters as idiots who are too fragile(or thick) to take the truth(which many know ALREADY because they are LIVING IT),and you are showing that you have the 'balls' to run ASIDE FROM the 'pack' when it is headed OFF the Butte of 'blind mice'!

Go Gravel,shine that LIBERTARIAN light brighter still! You,and WE,have the RIGHT!
WOW! Wouldn't it be great to see a MODERN America,up to the electoral standard of Europe,where there would be NO DOUBT AT ALL as to whether voters in States like
Florida had the right to vote,in Primaries,due to some defunct,redundant paltry electoral rule?
"Democracy" means EVERY CITIZEN,EQUALLY,and without penalty,shall have their precious vote!
Ask Europe,they'll tell you it's a NO-BRAINER and say,"where do YOU come from mate.....the galaxy Imbecilus Dementicus?"
Sock it to 'em Gravel!

Over the last few days,it has been quite mind-blowing to see the general media running around like Chicken-little,full of frenzy about how the competition between Obama and Clinton could 'weaken the party'??????
How much WEAKER could the DEMOCRATIC PARTY GET RIGHT NOW??? It been out of good bone-marrow for donkeys years!
It's full of lily-livered old dinosaurs who serve 'agendas' and lobbyists,RATHER THAN the ordinary American PEOPLE.

MAYBE,the BEST THING TO HAPPEN,WOULD BE FOR THE DEMS TO SPLIT AND change/reform INTO A BRAND NEW PARTY that would serve the NEEDS of the American people FIRST for a change???
I would love to see American politics compatible with the rest of modern day civilized societies,so WHY NOT have a 'NEW PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC PARTY',
-that breathes new life into(not suffocates)the treasured Constitution,
-that UPHOLDS(not demolishes)our childrens Bill of Rights for the future,
-that puts us back on a civilized and INTELLECTUAL path of International RESPECT that keeps us up to par with Europe and Australasia,
-that will re-establish strong political dialogue and debate,rather than bully tactics,sickening 'shock and awe' campaigns and keeping Americans down BY FEAR and terror OF TERROR???
When I see Obama and Hilary TinClone 'at it' that's GREAT!!!
It's healthy to argue in Politics,as long as those PUBLIC SERVANTS are arguing about issues that MATTER to the Voter population!
But WHY THE HELL,should American people chicken-out when they hear candidates arguing,and RUN TO THE OPPOSITE PARTY???? I thought they had bigger 'balls' and BIGGER BRAINS than that?

We have just had TWO DECADES of an INCOMPETENT,CRIMINAL White House administration.

Going back to the FIRST Bush(who wasn't as bad as HIS DAMN son even),America has brutalized other Nations,raped them of resources,and ARMED THEM TO THE TEETH(including Bin Laden and indirectly Iran,through Israel),and turned its back while 'CONVENIENT' ethnic cleansing has been carried out ALL OVER THE WORLD!
And Americans wonder why other NATIONS are sick of them? Believe you me,it's not THROUGH ENVY ANY MORE.That's a mythological creature of the god ole'past!
Because America NO LONGER has what OTHERS GENERALLY envy,any more! SADLY!!!

I can't believe that two of the candidates running NOW were directly,or INDIRECTLY,involved in that 'great American' downward slide,into extinction!

Bill Clinton was one of the MOST NEGLIGENT Presidents in decades,with regard to NATIONAL SECURITY!!! Ask the NSA who tried then,to warn him of AlQaeda!!!
9/11 might well NOT have happened if Bill 'where's my har-Monica' Clinton had LISTENED TO THE NSA's CONSTANT daily PDB(Presidential Daily Bulletins) WARNINGS(since 1995) OF IMPENDING TERRORIST ATTACKS,by Al Qaeda,on a high profile American institution(White House,Pentagon,Congress,'towers' of business etc etc.

Impeachable Bill Clinton is an IMBECILE by choice!
And Americans are NOW prepared to see him ANYWHERE NEAR THE White House(dark as it is) EVEN IN THE FORM OF FIRST SPOUSE?????? Are we CRAZY!
It just blows my mind,that he is ACTUALLY allowed to CAMPAIGN for her,considering his political history.
And then there is old John 'NAPALM ME' McMaim!!!
Jeez! this guy is more of a THREAT TO America than AN ASSET! And chills me to my old bones,bringing back memories of Hitler and Mussolini!
I can believe that he is RUNNING for Americas President.I just CAN'T BELIEVE that people would vote him into office!
--75 yrs of age,
--the shortest arms I've EVER seen(especially standing next to primate Henry Kissinger),and hands ALWAYS IN A FIST,LIKE A STREET THUG!
--a face that looks as though it WOULD SINK A THOUSAND SHIPS!
Jeez! he looks as if he's IN PAIN when he smiles.
--an anger management problem(PTSD-Vietnam),that could make Bush look angelic(God forbid)!!!
- NO INTERNATIONAL/FOREIGN AFFAIRS EXPERIENCE to speak of(except dropping NAPALM on Vietnamese civilians,in ANOTHER POLITICAL WAR THAT AMERICA STARTED!)

Now American voters contemplate putting HIM, in the White House FOR A BETTER FUTURE???
He has NO FUTURE,HE'S NEARLY EXTINCT,and SHOULD BE!!!!

Oh my God,if ever there WAS A TIME for a reformation of the Democratic party for the benefit of dividing the dinosaurs of AN UNHEALTHY PAST,from the new and stronger,more flexible,forms of political leadership,in whose hands we WANT TO leave our children,IT IS NOW!
Hell fire,even the GOP(Grand ole'Pachyderms)need new younger blood and energy.

Folks,if you know your decrepit ship is sinking,and there is a viable new boat nearby. What do you do? Stay with the sinking ship(with your kids),or fight tooth and nail to get to the new STRONG ONE that will keep your family alive in stormy seas????
Only idiots go 'down with the ship' if THEY HAVE ANOTHER CHOICE!
Like many Americans I am surviving on hope and practicality RIGHT NOW, NOT THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CORPORATE PROFIT made from Blood,and hidden OFF-SHORE!

I would WELCOME,with open arms,a NEW PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS party,because I love my country and it's thinning reputation and integrity,and want it to survive healthily and compatibily with the rest of the planet!
I want to see "America" BACK, for,by and OF THE PEOPLE, NOT BESIDES THE PEOPLE!
And if that means a necessary SPLIT in a party,to represent the population fairly and honestly then HEY,do it! People are READY and pumped to fight for,and MAKE THEIR VOTES COUNT legally!
Far funny than SNL,is the thought of a present day,multi-cultural,poverty stricken,jobless(for the most part)America of approx 300 million people being REPRESENTED BY TWO DECREPIT PARTIES! LOL!
It is a TRAVESTY of justice to see America in the hands of self-seeking CORPORATE CEO's!! Because their ONLY GOAL,is to fill THEIR own and their childrens bank accounts with OUR CHILDRENS MONEY,at our expense!
Again,it's a Government by the FEW,OF the FEW,for the FEW!

That,to me,is NOT what America was built on,and for!
America was born,because of an imperial/colonial KING GEORGE,who Americans fought to GET AWAY FROM because HE WAS ROBBING THEM BLIND and leaving them to eat dirt!

SO,I can't believe that we are now BACK IN TIME,to the IMPERIAL DYNASTIES OF:
-'KING GEORGE(Bush)1 AND 2,
-KING CLINTON 1,
-and NOW,the ridiculous possibility of QUEEN 'TINCLONE' 2! LOL!
Hey,you guys want to go down with that decrepit ole' ship??? OKAY!
I'm swimming,with my family,to the new stronger,adaptable ONE!
At least no-one can say,we didn't care or TRY!
Give me that new progressive Democratic ship,the 'USS Barack Obama'!!!

Pray,what doth I see on the near horizon?
LAND(and hope)AHOY, ME HEARTIES!!!!
God Bless America('coz we sure as hell need it!)

GROOTS YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD MAYBE THE SALVATION OF THIS COUNTRY LIES WITH THE NEXT FEW GENERATIONS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO DO AS WELL FINANCIALLY AS THERE PARENTS DID .THAT WILL BE WHAT WAKES PEOPLE UP. I THINK.

I agree Van,I have seen for true Democracy in Europe ie For,By and Of the people than I have EVER seen in the USA!
The Democracy here is a sham.It's like a commercial veil that people actually BUY, that covers up a selective dictatorship. It's more like a Demo-Democracy DESPITE the people. And general American population are so brain-drained on the MEDIA that they actually believe this MEDIA-OCRACY!!!! LOL!
The majority are so ill-informed or indifferent about politics(as if it DOESN'T effect their enclosed lives)that they leave it up to the MEDIA 'EXPERTS' LOL!
It's like watching the Jonestown massacre evry four years, "here, drink this Kool-aide,and ALL YOUR PROBLEMS will be 'solved'!!!! DUH !!!!!
I grew up in Europe where people LIVE POLITICS,from an early age because they are used to the mindset that the PEOPLE are in charge of the GOVERNMENT not servants OF THE GOVERNMENT!!!
Europeans are VERY involved AND ASK LOT MORE questions and demand a lot more of their candidates before they HONOUR THEM with their votes.
Europe REALLY DEBATE AND ARGUE,with those in seats of decision making!
I love America and the people BUT HELL FIRE,they are SO easily sold,on anything and hardly question anything AS IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT!
Then you/they wonder why they end up as patsies to the few who go off,skipping, with ALL THEIR ILL-gotten billions?????
I certainly didn't expect the 'mighty Americans'to be SO SERVILE,sedantry and indifferent!
No wonder obesity,and Alzheimers is rampant in a largely INANE apolitical population. It just blows my mind!
Many of my American friends think I'm pushy,or "leftist" for voicing my political opinions and claiming outrage and disgust for the actions/decisions of our PUBLIC SERVANTS! LOL!
I consider myself,usually,to be a common-sensical mix of left-centre-right,depending on what the ISSUE IS and how it will effect MY COUNTRY.
In Europe,if your Governmental public servants don't pull their PUBLIC weight,MAN they are KICKED OUT,by the people,on the street!!
Bye,Bye! Auf Weidersen! Bon Chance! Ma'asalaam! ArrivaDerci! See Ya!
Not given SALARY increases and share bonuses!!!!
I hold GREAT respect for ethics and morals,mutual respect,tolerance and NOT invading others beliefs OR PRIVACY!
I'm used to putting the Political ISSUE before the party loyalty,because blind arbitrary party loyalty is Jonestown-ish suicide!
In the USA the greatest WMD that the Government has,RIGHT NOW,is the IGNORANCE and apathy of the general population. That will,and IS right now,BRINGING DOWN true Democracy,OF,BY and FOR the people! It's like watching LEMMINGS jump of a cliff!

That's why America is in SUCH an international mess,with it's reputation in tatters.
Whereas, before it was ADMIRED AND RESPECTED.People DIED trying to GET HERE!
In comparison to Europe it is NOW WAY BEHIND THE TIMES,and receding faster and further,back into the puritanical era!
It's like watching Americans standing on a neutral,safe shore,smiling and waving, as their kids,and their healthy future,gets swept away,to drown,in a political white water RAPID! And most of the 'ESTEEMED' corporate politicians LAP IT UP because it strengthens their position MORE!
The populations political ignorance is the Government mobsters MONETARY/POWER BLISS!
My European upbringing/rationale and antsy questioning nature,tells me that instead of these Corporate CEO's being in charge of YOUR/OUR WHITE HOUSE,AND LEGISLATURE,MEDIA,THEY SHOULD BE IN PRISON FOR WAR-CRIMES,CORRUPTION,FRAUD and human-rights abuse of many people,domestic and foreign.
To dialogue and debate the politics of YOUR Nation is the duty of the population.
It is healthy,to have competition in a multi-party system,it is the DUTY of the political parties TO SPLIT,DIVIDE and form NEW COALITIONS to meet the changing needs OF THE PEOPLE,THEIR VOTERS and a healthily changing NATION!
UNLESS,of course,the aim of Congress is to sedate the vox pox to a level where the TV ads can espouse the sweet "dream" of Democracy,BUT THE GOVERNMENT can continue,in reality,uninterrupted,with their dictator-media-ocracy!!!!!

Right now,with this two-party police state,I can see at least a DOZEN good Politicians who RIGHT NOW should have EVERY good reason to drop their old parties like a hot brick and form NEW coalitions to serve the needs of the population,and international dialogue and diplomacy! If they really CARE about GOOD POLITICS OVER CORRUPTION!
My own "dream-team" for 2008,is a fair and intelligent MIX of present Dems,Repubs,Green,Indeps,Conservs,Libs,old and young!!!!!
If only they had the 'balls'to do it.
To put the people(the Nation)BEFORE THE PARTY,with PRIDE.
Because the TWO PARTIES right now are long gone EXTINCT DINOSAURS!
And,I don't follow NO 'STINKIN' DINOSAURS OFF THE CLIFF,INTO DEMOCRATIC EXTINCTION!
There's an old saying,
'The only thing that's CONSTANT,in life,is CHANGE'!
Right now America has been intellectually stagnant,for at least 4 DECADES and it continues to lean backward by a hundred years!!
And that's not logical,POSITIVE,or POWERFUL,GLOBALLY.
This coming election could well decide whether I stay in the States,or whether I go back to real LIFE,with A PULSE,and ALL it's up's and downs,but at least surrounded by people who CARE ABOUT how their countries ARE RUN,and who is HANDLING THEM!
I'm old enough to RECOGNISE THE SYMPTOMS,and characteristics of the old Cold War USSR(including it's KGB)being REBORN in present day America!
If you don't CHANGE it,heck,you can re-name the presently dark and dismal 'White House' the KREMLIN!
Make them accountable TO YOU!

Also, the way campaigns are run should change. Primaries, quite frankly, are RIDICULOUS. All a place on the ballot should take is a certain number of signatures on a petition. As for campaigning itself:

Before each election, prepare Voters' Information Booklets which shall summarize major current public issues, and shall list each candidate for elective office together with standard information about each candidate, and give space for each candidate to state his or her views on the defined major issues as well as on any other major issue of choice; include information on any initiatives or referendums which are to be voted upon; distribute the Voter's Information Booklets for each registered voter.

As evidenced by documentaries like 'Orwell Rolls in His Grave' and 'Stealing Democracy', American democracy is far from ideal. We have maintained a two-party system almost our entire history. The Democratic party does not satisfy all liberals. It definitely doesn't satisfy me. I'm more left of the Democratic party than the Democratic party is of the Republican Party. They should just Join together and for the Republicrats or, better yet, the Party of Slower Progress. They both serve to make sure that the world doesn't get better too soon. It's ridiculous.

I think that a dictator would love to have a go at our apathetic population. There are way too many people who foolishly believe that politics doesn't affect them. It's like"...Are you serious? You can't be that naive and simple-minded." Perhaps worse than the apathetics are the might-as-well-be apathetics. A lot of people who are concerned about politics or at least voting have no idea how things SHOULD work. I'm talking about people who think that the notion of voting based on qualification is ridiculous. They vote on the candidate they think is likely to win, as if the ballot boothe were just a place to place bets. It's like,"You LOSE, when you don't vote for the person who is actually best for the position. We all do."

There are other annoying habits common amongst American voters. They tend to have some sort of Extreme Aversion Complex. They will AUTOMATICALLY criticize ANY position that's not pretty much neutral. "Guaranteed quality education? What? What are you Communist? Get out of here, Commie!"

Then, there are the misguided people. These are people manipulated by the media and popular culture or indoctrinated by the educational system. Obviously, most of us have been manipulated in that way. However, I'm talking about people who are aware and actually do have strong positions. For instance, I know a lot of people voting Democrat. I ask them about their positions on the isues, and they invariably turn out to be way more liberal than the Democratic candidates. It happens partially because of the perception Democrat=liberal, but also because of active manipulation. The media has consistently undermined the true Liberal candidates and labeled more Conservative candidates down our throats. Hillary and Obama are NOT ALL THAT LIBERAL, but them media has people thinking that they are. Hillary herself said he isn't as Liberal as people think.

Basically, American democracy is weak. It's best not use America as a model and instead craft a better democracy. That democracy would have to be one WITHOUT media monopoly, government corruption, or a one or two party system.If this keeps up, I'm moving to Europe.