The US presidential campaign

Just saw an article that in the US both sides use about 80% of the money in making the other candidate look bad or bring up things from the past to humiliate them...

I know this has a lot to do with some law part that allows certain groups that are not connected to the candidates to make their announcements freely but anyway...

 

Wonder if it was differant back when there were popular presidents like Kennedy,Reagan and FDR ?

 

LOL yup, the hundreds of thousands of dead people that voted for Kennedy LOVED HIM!

 

Thanks Carl - almost forgot about that .... funny how things that go around ...

Kennedy Voter Fraud

 

Electoral frauds? Do I smell Florida?

I'm looking forward for the debate this Thursday. I think I'll laugh a little by watching those two clowns, the imbecile flip-flopper and the retarded fascist.

It's a pity since I do believe Bush will get elected in November. [Elected and not re-elected since the man was not elected in 2001.]

Regards.

 

but thank God Gore the loon was not in power now..........what a fool, he has lost his mind.

Fried nothing will happen during these debates as the two guyz will only be able to answer the questions, so no retort of any kind from either one. Pity that Bush will get the vote ? Geez if Kerry was in there..........nah sorry I am still too bitter from my Vietnam days with this two face traitor

v/r

E working on another cup of Sachers Wien roast

 

Out of curiosity, who would make a good president in the forums opinion ? Jessie Ventura ? or go the other direction and elect Jessie Jackson ? or Collin Powell ? or Ralph Nader ?

Name me some good candidates who are weird enough to even want to be a US President.

 

My tip for next President...

Darth Vader

or

Arnie (I know he cant!)

 

Arnie...........eeeeeeeeeeeeek

 

Dunno... He could be fun!

'I'll be back...' and all that...

 

For a different take try this:

Floriduh

 

A better Republican candidate would be Colin Powell or Rudy Giuliani, I think… but actually I'm not sure because I don't give a damn about bloody Republicans… conservative? Conserve what?!

For the democrats I think Wesley Clark was the most centred of them all. And certainly, some one who people could thrust for the defence of the nation. A four-star general with solid a centric ideals would be much better than an ignorant rancher with his fascist co-president and a stupid pseudo-progresist who can't do anything right except flip-flopping and showing his Purple Hearts around…

And I don't care, I like Hillary for 2008.

Oprah would be fine too.

This is the most stupid ballot I've seen… Is it so bloody difficult to have squares big enough, a green one, a red one, one with a donkey and one with a bloody elefant like in civilised countries? A democratic sistem in which a candidate with - 500.000+ votes wins?!

The US should stop living its democracy like if they still were in the XVIII Century… traditions are adaptable.

And about Florida:

It's not about ballots or whether people is stupid or blind… it's not about old Jewish ladies voting for a neo-nazi candidate. It is a matter of deciding an election over 500 miserable votes, when in the rest of the country the other guy has 500.000 more than you. It is about thousands of people not being allowed to vote. It is about pro-Republican or Republican judges of the Supreme Court deciding what 300.000 people MUST decide according to that marvelous document called: The Constitution of the United States.

 

Well, Carl,being how I was'nt born yet when Kennedy was around I'd just assumed he was popular by the mourning when he was assasinated. And what Fried,qualifies Hillary as a candidate,7-8 years as an senator? And why is it these Floriduns can play 5-6plus bingo cards at a time,yet can't figure where to punch the damn poll card? So if Mr Gore was so popular why was'nt he even running now?

 

Well, Fred, the US operates its Presidential Election as a Republic using the Electorial College. If the President were elected by simple direct popular vote a meer 7 states would decide the election. The remainder would be disenfranchised virtually entirely. This would have dramatic effects on what states received as federal monies and attention.
Much as the US House of Represenatives and Senate balance population and the individual states power, the electorial college system does the same in electing a President.
As to the ballot: The same style ballot is / was widely used all over the US. If a 6 year old can figure it out.......
Personally, if Lieberman had been the Democratic nominee I would have almost certainly voted for him vice Bush. But Kerry: I'm voting for anybody else. If Stalin were running against him I would seriously consider Stalin. Kerry is just plain awful as a choice.
BTW the Democrats would be fools to run Hillary. She is another solid gold lighting rod for devisiveness. The Dems need to pick someone not so far to the left that it inevidably sends the middle running to the right to avoid disaster.

 

T. A.,

Thanks for pointing out to forum members about how our system works. The electoral college was just one of the brilliant devices the Founders came up with to insure a democratic system that works.

Some folks need to remember that this country does have a unique Constitution that works for the good of all of us (Americans) even if many do not understand.

Later

 

And while I'm still on my soapbox, why yes,if Oprah gave me a new Pontiac car I'd vote for her too.

 

But going back to the main question:

..both sides use about 80% of the money in making the other candidate look bad or bring up things from the past to humiliate them...

What is your view on this? Is this the right way to do it? Can´t the cadidates win with their own quality?

 

May I as a foreigner on a country working by direct vote ask a few questions on the US system, which I don't understand?

- Senate and House of Representatives - differences between.

- Electoral College - who makes it up?

please explain...

please explain...

How kind of you

 

Some informative websites on the Electoral College:

Federal Election Commission: How the Electoral College Works

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration: U.S. Electoral College

 

Za - we could have a whole course on American Goverment! Why a House and a Senate?

For those who are interested - this article lays it out nicely - reminder of how sharp the founding fathers were ... except for the 3/5 Compromise - which is just riduculous