the bloke with the combover is looking well pleased. this thing really annoys me, we have stickers popping up from time to time around wer i live about the 'BNP' i once found one on the way to skool saying something like 'Keep it white..' if they do get into office and do anything bad which gets media coverage. im sure Mr. Bush will step in..nukes at the ready..

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"OMG! It looks like ther's been a Claw Shrimp in here.."

I don't know, the BNP are very anti-Europe, which should please Bush. I imagine they're playing the anti-American card too.

I don't think the BNP really have a realistic chance of getting in power. The only reason they were voted in up north were because of the low voter turnout (see forced-voting debate).
The UK Independents have a more realistic chance of having influence. I think it's terribly ironic how they were voted in as our European representatives. They must just sit there and huff or something.

Anti-European sentiment is increasingly popular, as is Anti-American, leaving us with a worryingly isolationist policy.

You don't think the fascists are going to do the same thing? There are other political parties that weren't fascist but still have some common ideals

That would be true if the US political system had any party disipline at all. Unlike in Britain, politicians aren't constrained by their political party in how they vote. In fact, it's not uncommon for Democrat and Republican moderates to swing back and forth.

I haven't really seen any of the multi-parties work. The only ones worthy of note(that I can think of) are France and Russia and the only reason those two countries run is because the President is given enormous amounts of power. Also, with multi-party systems, parties with similiar goals form coalitions and in the end there are 2 or 3 party coalitions.

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The sooner you realize I'm right the better off you will be.

I started to post yesterday that it is not so that a 51% majority can get anything done in our senate. It basically takes a super majority of 60% for some idiotic reason. I'm not talking about simply voting on bills. I'm talking about bringing things in front of the senate such as confirming nominees and such.

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Have you forgotten ...

Yeah, different comission chairs decide what gets voted on, so the minority party can still have power (See court judge nominations not going anywhere).

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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

"Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right." -Isaac Asimov

Haha, MTE

(Not that it wouldn't be the right thing to do..)

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No signature for you.

Without thinking about it too much, some sort of league system seems a good idea.
You start off with a multi-party system, and the two parties that get the top two most votes go through and everyone votes for one of those. That'd only work with compulsory voting, though.

Other right-wing parties may throw in with the fascists for certain issues, but it's not like any of the more repulsive positions will merit a glance. Anyway, I was pointing out that the winner does not take all in Belgium like he does in the US. A minority-majority is useless if you don't have any friends.

Exactly. If there was a Democratic coalition the moderates, liberals, and radicals could all vote for parties that actually reflected their views without losing political effectiveness. Better, the individual factions within the larger coalition gain and lose influence according to the voters' opinions. If liberalism experienced a surge, it wouldn't take decades for the party machine to take a turn to the left.

[This message has been edited by Ictus (edited June 20, 2004).]

OMGWAFFLERUSH

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A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops.
On my desk I have a workstation...

Thats how the presidential elections work in France. I don't think they have compulsory voting however.

I'm not arguing your post, I just want to comment on something. In France there is a red-brown alliance between their Communist party and the National Front Party which is fascist. Just a little interesting and unique tidbit.

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The sooner you realize I'm right the better off you will be.

You do realize that some people (eg. Me, gothiX) can read/understand/speak dutch and we know exactly what that says. I at least am offended by some of that.

And yes it is kinda scary that Bill Gates is sitting before the Hailing so-called NAZI!

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Jedi rocks rule the house...
YEAH YEAH YEAH