u.s. elections

[maxximus]

a joke or just an inside joke?

[4GS]

Still too close to call between Clinton and Obama, I thought 'Super Tuesday' would show us who gets the nomination.

I think whoever gets the vote will be the next president, I can't see McCain winning.

[Quinlad]

Don't underestimate how naturally conservative the US is. Or how damaging a long democratic contest might be for the party. They might be kicking lumps out of each other until August.

But you're right. The Democrats must be favourites.

[vehelpfulguy]

What annoys me is that this is not the election to find the next president, it is the election to find the person who will stand in the election to be the next president.

Why the hell it takes so long, and why we need to have it rammed down our throats on the UK news every day I have no idea.

If one of our UK political parties need a new leader it is a fairly low key affair, lasting a month at most.

The US seem to spend 9 months on it, going all over the US, and spending MILLIONS of dollars in the process.

And after all this hullabalo who do they finish up with: Nixon, Carter, Ford, Reagen, Bush senior, Clinton and Bush junior.

[Oneeyedvic]

If one of our UK political parties need a new leader it is a fairly low key affair, lasting a month at most.

Yeah, the 'when will Blair resign and let Brown take over debate' didn't even last a month did it......

[Kromovaracun]

vehelpfulguy:

The idea of primaries (or electing party candidates) is to reduce the amount of power that political parties have.

Parties have a tendency to pidgeonhole people ideologically: ergo, if you want to stand for election, you can either:

Run as an independent and stand practically no chance of success
or
Get yourself appointed by a party, and in so doing compromise some of your beliefs to fit with the party line.

The idea of the primary system is to reduce party control over elections.

[Kromovaracun]

On the election itself:

For the Democrats, Clinton was on the ropes for a while but she seems to be back on her feet. She could well make further gains - in which case Obama is finished - but it's still hard to tell.

McCain stands a pretty decent chance for the Presidential election. He's popular, and - while a Republican - is quite liberal on several issues. Republican supporters will (obviously) vote Republican to keep the White House in their hands (if they don't, the Democrats will control both Congress and the Presidency) - and McCain has an ability to appeal to 'swing' voters on top of that.

So I'd say he has a chance but he's by no means assured of victory and it'll be close. Ditto for Obama. I can't see another Clinton Presidency, personally.

[Kromovaracun]

Romney spent easily the most money on his campaign. And he's out.

The fact of the matter is, while money is certainly important in US politics, it's not everything. It's not nearly as corrupt as its critics say it is.

[jno]

US politics is pretty transparent and above board (you can't buy yourself a seat in Congress, unlike a peerage - you have to work for it, and work once you get it). The reason the contest is going on a long time is there are genuine differences between the candidates and voters in the primaries are taking their chance to say who they want to represent their party. It's about the most powerful job in the world, so it may take a while to sort out. None of the handing-over-to-Gordon coronation we got, and none of the tweedlegordon v tweedledavid we'll get next time, either.

[Kromovaracun]

Kromovaracun, NO because the system is corrupt & ******** to to anyone who says otherwise.

Evidence...

Bush won a second term thanks to his successful appeal to the religious right. Sure, he's been a lousy President, but there was nothing 'phoney' about his victory whatsoever.

Read any expert on American Politics (British or American) and they'll disagree with you on the corruption. I'd reccomend McKay. Or Hames & Rae. Nobody's saying money's not important in US politics, but it's not anything like you say it is.

[Kromovaracun]

Edit:

Socialism, believe it or not, is actually widely unpopular in the USA. Why? While, yes, they do have 'class' system, Americans are not nearly so class-obsessed or conscious as we are. Historically and culturally issues such as religion or race have come before class in American Politics.

That's why there's no socialist party. Not because evil politicians trying to destroy the world are running rampant in the country.