NationStates Jolt Archive

About how Americans can vote as they do. I have long tried to explain choosing the lesser of two evils ios always difficult for anyone, and the multiple parties in Europe make that hard for them to grasp.....but this article seems to answer it well



NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans' distrust of politicians and business leaders has reached an "epidemic" level, driven by the Iraq (news - web sites) war, the disputed 2000 presidential election and financial scandals, a Reuters/DecisionQuest poll revealed on Wednesday.



The nationwide telephone survey of 1,100 adults found 61 percent of Americans had lost faith in leaders and institutions over the past four years.


We not only dislike our leaders, but their choices as well. So before another "how can you vote for" rant, consider this for a moment.

To me it's not about 'how can you vote for...', but more 'how can you not vote at all??'
I have many american friends choosing not to vote or get politically involved 'because it's pointless', but that's exactly the one thing it isn't. I think I can understand that you lost faith in elections, your government etc, but if you don't do anything against it, then nothing will change.

you think thats different in europe?
most hate every politican. or at last despire them.
politican is always in top 3 of the least respected jobs in every poll :mp5:

you think thats different in europe?
most hate every politican. or at last despire them.
politican is always in top 3 of the least respected jobs in every poll :mp5:
the other 2 are...?

parking police
referee

the other 2 are...?

parking police
referee
pfff good question... :confused:

garbage disposal
drain cleaner (sp?)

i think.

I don't think that it is particularly an american problem at all. In the US monopoly capitalism ie imperialism, dominates. Both republican and democrat are parties of the american ruling class. When one falters, the other takes the american banner and stands in the intrests of monopoly capital. By jumping from one bougeois party to the other guarentees that the alenated working masses don't lose faith in the system of wage slavery, because next time round they can always vote for 'the other man'.

Now in europe things look quite the same, except the economy of the EU for example is not as advanced, in historical materialist terms, as the US. By this I mean that, although in the EU imperialism dominates, ie monopoly capitalism, it is by degree not as integrated and united as US imperialism. As a result the bougeois ruling class within the EU is not as united, therefore they require other parties to 'represent' their intrests'. As capitalism becomes even more monopolistic within europe, by necessity there will have to be a single state and a single ruling class to maintain order. Then the whole of the EU, regardless of the fact that language and cultural barriers may still be in existance, will eventually adopt the two party system. Either that or the EU will have a proletarian revolution before that is possible, or imperialism becomes such a fetter on progress that the whole of the civilised world regresses into barbarism