NationStates Jolt Archive

Dude, we all know the first past the post system is just rubbish.
G. W. Bush Jr for instance got less votes but won the election in U.S
John Major in the U.K

Sooo... any good ideas for a BETTER democracy?

Ps. Emo rocks. Be socialist or die. ect

Proportional, constitutional parliamentarianism.

Smaller chunks. The larger the population, the larger the chance for disinfranchisment, the greater the chance of 'steamrolling' and a disconnect, more power to abuse.

Before each election year, have the public vote on 11 stands and issues they would like to see addressed. the top 11 are then given to the canidates and each canidate goes on the campain trail.

all debates, speeches and commercials must include an easy to read poligraph with the results displayed on a seperate monitor.

no mudslinging... period.

Each canidate will have only 1 commercial, ad, and publication, that must be made at the same time, and released to the public at the same time. any canidate that releases more than one commercial/ad/publication is automatically disqualified and cannot run for two terms. Any group that creates ads for their canidate will be heavily fined, that money going to the election fund and the ads pulled and burned.

all records, military, past voting, even criminal records will be open for public perusal. Canidates will have one vanity web site with no email or guest book.

when it comes time to vote, the 11 issues will be on each ballot with a one paragraph summary from the canidates to illustrate their stand. their names will not be on the ballot. The public votes on which stand they preferre, there will be no names, no parties, no indication other than the 1 paragraph summary.

All ballots will include a None of the above. If this wins, each party must select totally new canidates and repeat the process.

Semi-presidentialism

Dude, we all know the first past the post system is just rubbish.
G. W. Bush Jr for instance got less votes but won the election in U.S
John Major in the U.K

Sooo... any good ideas for a BETTER democracy?

Ps. Emo rocks. Be socialist or die. ect

Sure, Swiss direct democracy and semi pure capitalism. Although, admittingly it will probably only work in a country with only a couple million people I'm thinking under 15 million. But who knows, you know?

Edit: But of course, all the people in my fictitious country would be conservative, both socially and fiscally. ;)

Democratic liberal communism!

Before each election year, have the public vote on 11 stands and issues they would like to see addressed. the top 11 are then given to the canidates and each canidate goes on the campain trail.

all debates, speeches and commercials must include an easy to read poligraph with the results displayed on a seperate monitor.

no mudslinging... period.

Each canidate will have only 1 commercial, ad, and publication, that must be made at the same time, and released to the public at the same time. any canidate that releases more than one commercial/ad/publication is automatically disqualified and cannot run for two terms. Any group that creates ads for their canidate will be heavily fined, that money going to the election fund and the ads pulled and burned.

all records, military, past voting, even criminal records will be open for public perusal. Canidates will have one vanity web site with no email or guest book.

when it comes time to vote, the 11 issues will be on each ballot with a one paragraph summary from the canidates to illustrate their stand. their names will not be on the ballot. The public votes on which stand they preferre, there will be no names, no parties, no indication other than the 1 paragraph summary.

All ballots will include a None of the above. If this wins, each party must select totally new canidates and repeat the process.
Wow, some good ideas in there. I think it would work nicely in Canada where party disiplines are very strict. My dad would likely vote "none of the above" every year, or cross that out and put "they all suck."

Proportional, constitutional parliamentarianism.
Agreed, although it'd be bland without a Monarch to decorate it. I like Sweden's type of government best.

Ps. Emo rocks. Be socialist or die. ect
Death seems to be the better alternative. You listen to too much Green Day, or so I gather.

The irish have a good one.

Proportional, constitutional parliamentarianism.
If that means that you get repersentatives based on the percentage of votes you get then... I agree

Constitutional republic

Proportional, constitutional parliamentarianism.
Is this the one like Britain's Parliamentary system where the majority of the people dislike PM Blair but 30-40% voted in favor of him so all of Britain has to stick with him?

Eh, compared to that I'd sex up the U.S. system. A bicameral legislature and a direct Head of State election. Problem being the whole two-party system we've fallen into. It really doesn't work well like that.

No, that was a real question. Is it really what you meant or am I thinking about something else? Feed me knowledge...I'm hungry....so very hungry...

Is this the one like Britain's Parliamentary system where the majority of the people dislike PM Blair but 30-40% voted in favor of him so all of Britain has to stick with him?

Eh, compared to that I'd sex up the U.S. system. A bicameral legislature and a direct Head of State election. Problem being the whole two-party system we've fallen into. It really doesn't work well like that.

No, that was a real question. Is it really what you meant or am I thinking about something else? Feed me knowledge...I'm hungry....so very hungry...
No, the UK's system is anything but that. Its not proportional, and its not constitutional. The UK has no real written Constitution per se, merely a collection of Statutes to that effect, which theoretically Parliament can revoke. I believe he was referring to the type of system dominant in Sweden and Norway.

If that means that you get repersentatives based on the percentage of votes you get then... I agree
Perhaps Fass would care to explain?


Anyways, I think Germany's current system is rather nutty. Big improvement over the old one.

Death seems to be the better alternative. You listen to too much Green Day, or so I gather.

I Agree.

Emo rocks iin the same way that being hit in the head with toilet paper hurts. That being that it really, really doesn't, but if you get hit in the head with it for more than a year continuously, you'll SAY it rocks just to get the asshat with the thick glasses and high-tops to stop hitting you with it.

Proportional, constitutional parliamentarianism.
Is that where you vote for a party and seats are doled out by the percentage a party got.

Is that where you vote for a party and seats are doled out by the percentage a party got.
More or less. The parties have to earn a certain number of votes to gain a seat. This is both the system's strength, if the number of votes is high enough, and its weakness, if its too easy to gain a seat.

I think the US has the best system right now. The most important things for a democracy are a bicameral legislature(helps prevent one party from hammering through legislature by requiring two seperate votes), a democratic executive with veto power (same reason as last), a constitution (also same reason...), and seperation of powers (umm... same reason). Basically, I think the most important thing is for it to be difficult to pass laws; better to be slow in making new laws than be efficient w/ the possibility of suddenly becoming a police state. On that note, the US executive is WAY too powerful; it can theoritically ignore other two branches of gov. by claiming it is "necessary" in wartime. I think the UK's (and other's) executive system is the best: the PM can be dismissed at will by the legislature. I also like the monarchy for cultural reasons, but they need to pass the royal veto to the PM (and make it possible to be overridden by a 2/3 majority.) Thay also need to make the House of Lords democratically elected, and an equal to the Commons. Hmm, that came out too long...

New Zealand has a pretty good system: Mixed Member Proportional.

We took the German system, simplified it, and made 5% the minimum vote for a party to qualify, and the rest is proportional.

Sadly, we lack a solid constitution.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe you will find that George W. Bush won the 2004 election with a popular majority, not just in the electoral college but in terms of votes cast for him across the country.

This is rare, however. Personally, though, I favour first past the post as I like that it creates a strong government able to carry out its manifesto. Proportional systems often lead to coalitions, you only have to look at the countries that currently use various forms of it already to see this. Coalitions are, in my opinion, not a good thing. Often it gives a very small party a great deal of power, such as the greens had in various parts of Europe atleast until recently. It also leads to a manifesto being created after the election on which no member of the voting public has had any say whatsoever. First past the post isn't perfect but I see it as being one of the lesser evils.

As for the correct system of organisation, I am a fan of the constitutions, bicameral legislatives and seperation of powers. However, I believe no one system fits all countries equally well.

Dude, we all know the first past the post system is just rubbish.
G. W. Bush Jr for instance got less votes but won the election in U.S
John Major in the U.K

Sooo... any good ideas for a BETTER democracy?

Ps. Emo rocks. Be socialist or die. ect

In my opinion, a better democracy wouldn't have parties. You would just vote for whoever has the most similar platform. Oh, and voting would be compulsery.

No, the UK's system is anything but that. Its not proportional, and its not constitutional. The UK has no real written Constitution per se, merely a collection of Statutes to that effect, which theoretically Parliament can revoke. I believe he was referring to the type of system dominant in Sweden and Norway.

Yeah, but the unwritten consititution is still pretty rooted. For example, the UK still has no standing army, it has to be re-authorized every year. And parliament's cannot bind future parliaments.

Yeah, but the unwritten consititution is still pretty rooted. For example, the UK still has no standing army, it has to be re-authorized every year. And parliament's cannot bind future parliaments.
Hence they can repeal any Statute. Constitutions usually can be ammended, but not revoked.

Perhaps Fass would care to explain.

Europa Maxima was pretty much on the point, except for the monarchy part. In such a system it is uneeded. Basically, there is no need for a head of state, at all.

Europa Maxima was pretty much on the point, except for the monarchy part. In such a system it is uneeded. Basically, there is no need for a head of state, at all.
Indeed. I simply have a liking for monarchies in the form of the Norwegian/Swedish ones.

I spit on Democracy. It is a weak system in which the masses elect an idiot and/or a liar to govern their nation.

Indeed. I simply have a liking for monarchies in the form of the Norwegian/Swedish ones.

And I'd like to see their heads on pikes, figuratively of course.

I spit on Democracy. It is a weak system in which the masses elect an idiot and/or a liar to govern their nation.

When you put it like that, it sounds as it would suit you of all people perfectly.

When you put it like that, it sounds as it would suit you of all people perfectly.


Do you get off on being a smart ass?


Get a life.

Do you get off on being a smart ass?

Well, much rather a smart one.

Get a life.

Telling someone else on an Internet forum to get a life while into your second account there is not as much an insult to them, as it is a poor reflection on you.

Well, much rather a smart one.



Telling someone else on an Internet forum to get a life while into your second account there is not as much an insult to them, as it is a poor reflection on you.


This is my first account....I will explain the situation to you. You see the name Strasse was already taken. You understand? or do I have to explain it to you in more simple terms?

Any system where incumbent and challenger are on equal footing in elections would be a vast improvement over our current systems. I'd say most of our problems (in the US particularly) could be attributed to the lack of competition due to incumbent-favoring laws.

This is my first account....I will explain the situation to you. You see the name Strasse was already taken. You understand? or do I have to explain it to you in more simple terms?

So you just lack imagination and originality. No need for explanation - that has been made apparent by your posts so far. *yawn*

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe you will find that George W. Bush won the 2004 election with a popular majority, not just in the electoral college but in terms of votes cast for him across the country.

This is rare, however. Personally, though, I favour first past the post as I like that it creates a strong government able to carry out its manifesto. Proportional systems often lead to coalitions, you only have to look at the countries that currently use various forms of it already to see this. Coalitions are, in my opinion, not a good thing. Often it gives a very small party a great deal of power, such as the greens had in various parts of Europe atleast until recently. It also leads to a manifesto being created after the election on which no member of the voting public has had any say whatsoever. First past the post isn't perfect but I see it as being one of the lesser evils.

As for the correct system of organisation, I am a fan of the constitutions, bicameral legislatives and seperation of powers. However, I believe no one system fits all countries equally well.

I agree.

I think the American system is best for our brand of federalism. It is unique, but it has evolved to meet our needs. I couldn't see a parliamentary style democracy working here.

Pacitalian system. ;)

Do you get off on being a smart ass?


Get a life.

Being that your on an internet forum, at best WAY early Sunday morning, at worst late Saturday night, telling strangers that democracies are only for idiots, I dont think your "Get a life" is so much an insult as a joke.

But what do I know...I'm just an idiot that loves democracy. pfft...

Being that your on an internet forum, at best WAY early Sunday morning, at worst late Saturday night, telling strangers that democracies are only for idiots, I dont think your "Get a life" is so much an insult as a joke.

But what do I know...I'm just an idiot that loves democracy. pfft...
What makes it even better is that he's arguing to a random guy on the internet on Nationstates General, of all places.

Dude, we all know the first past the post system is just rubbish.
G. W. Bush Jr for instance got less votes but won the election in U.S
John Major in the U.K

Sooo... any good ideas for a BETTER democracy?

Ps. Emo rocks. Be socialist or die. ect
I like the kind where all Emos and Goths are burned alive while being forced to listen to a repeating tape of someone telling them their feelings don't matter.

What makes it even better is that he's arguing to a random guy on the internet on Nationstates General, of all places.

Lol...lets give him a break and assume the best. He WAS going to go to his Neo-Nazi rally, but it got postponed due to some kind of march on a temple, so hes stuck sitting at home on a saturday night.

What makes it even better is that he's arguing to a random guy on the internet on Nationstates General, of all places.


If you hadnt noticed he was the one that begin this arguement in the first place.

I like the kind where all Emos and Goths are burned alive while being forced to listen to a repeating tape of someone telling them their feelings don't matter.

Okay, I was wrong. This is better than the system we have in the US right now.

Doesnt anyone else here think Swiss direct democracy is perfect?

I spit on Democracy. It is a weak system in which the masses elect an idiot and/or a liar to govern their nation.

What? I didn't think North Korea had Internet access. :confused:

Doesnt anyone else here think Swiss direct democracy is perfect?
Swiss cheese is quite good :p