In a message dated 2/5/2008 10:41:06 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I think this is what has me confused. When we elect what passes for a government, Parliament is dissolved, the campaigning runs for about a month, then we pick the least offensive option. I don't understand what the primarys are supposed to accomplish.
William Robb =========== Yes, you do. We don't have a parliamentary system. I think our system is unique. Though I think some may have copied it since. Three branches, Congress, Supreme Court, President. The first two can make laws, the last can't. But basically the idea is Congress makes laws, the Supreme Court interprets them when there is a conflict, and the President is like the CEO, he runs the show, but doesn't actually make laws. Checks and balances. Primaries are to determine the nominee for each party, the Democratic and Republican. Third parties have been a small blib on the screen, never really taken hold. And Independents, which have grown in numbers. Me, I think a six or eight party system would be just dandy, but it's never really materialized. Nothing wrong with the parliamentary system, but that's not the way this country was set-up. We are one big country with tons of people, so it takes awhile to get around to all the states and it takes a while to hear the candidates and it takes a while for them to line up votes. On the whole, it works. Sometimes it doesn't work as well as we would like. I've been watching the political scene for a long, long time now, and even when I despair, in the end, I usually feel it works to a large degree. I also started voting as soon as I was old enough and have voted in every election, local and national, since. It works best when people vote. Apathy is when it works least. Marnie --------------------------------------------- Warning: I am now filtering my email, so you may be censored. **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music. (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp003000000025 48) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
