Comments on: Florida Gubernatorial Debate: Three Cardboard Cutouts and One Real Live Arth http://washingtonindependent.com/54266/florida-gubernatorial-debate-three-cardboard-cutouts-and-one-real-live-arth National News in Context Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:40:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: chenlifeng0810 http://washingtonindependent.com/54266/florida-gubernatorial-debate-three-cardboard-cutouts-and-one-real-live-arth/comment-page-1#comment-66125 chenlifeng0810 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:46:16 +0000 http://washingtonindependent.com/?p=54266#comment-66125 Only One word to characterize such a great post “WOW” that was a very interesting read<br />a href="http://www.victoriaclassic.com">Links of London Jewellery</a></p><br><br>Everything dynamic and very positively!<br />a href="http://www.victoriaclassic.com">Links of London Jewellery</a></p><br><br>I think I will try to recommend this post to my friends and family, cuz it’s really helpful.<br />a href="http://www.victoriaclassic.com">Links of London Jewellery</a></p><br><br>Just wanted to say great job with the blog, today is my first visit here and I’ve enjoyed reading your posts so far<br />a href="http://www.victoriaclassic.com">Links of London Jewellery</a></p><br><br>Thanks for article. Everytime like to read you.<br />a href="http://www.victoriaclassic.com">Links of London Jewellery</a></p> Only One word to characterize such a great post “WOW” that was a very interesting read
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]]> By: michaelearth http://washingtonindependent.com/54266/florida-gubernatorial-debate-three-cardboard-cutouts-and-one-real-live-arth/comment-page-1#comment-62687 michaelearth Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:33:26 +0000 http://washingtonindependent.com/?p=54266#comment-62687 Having mute, life-size cutouts of Florida's leaders on stage with me is not a joke. It's a serious commentary on the sad state of our electoral system and the kind of leaders it produces. Not all politicians are bad, but our flawed electoral system tends to select for venality and other undesirable traits. Our leaders avoid the real issues, prevaricate when forced to talk, and spend much of their time raising money from interests highly invested in the status quo. The term "Democratic Party" has become an oxymoron, and the Republicans are even worse. Like the old Soviet Union, we get to vote for the candidates selected by a handful of party leaders. <br><br>If voting really worked it would be illegal. As George Carlin once said, "I haven't voted since I stopped taking drugs. That was in the late '70s, and the delusional thinking stopped immediately on both fronts."<br><br>We laugh at Carlin because most people sense something is wrong with the way we vote. The two-parties manage to create enough confusion on the subject that Americans are not aware we have one of the worst electoral systems in the civilized world. Most people blame the politicians but the real problem is vote-buying combined with the winner-take-all voting system.<br><br>If we had majority voting (instant runoff voting) for single member elections, and proportional representation for larger, newly-created, multi-member House districts--combined with public campaign financing as I outline at my website--we would see a vast improvement in the quality of our leaders and in democratic representation. We would see the ascendancy of other parties and principled independents. Pay-for-play, spoilers, vote-strategizing, gerrymanders, and the disenfranchisement of the majority would cease. We would begin to see policies based on the highest good for the greatest number instead of policies that bring the greatest reward to the smallest number. It would still not be a perfect country, but we'd have a chance at being the best we can be. Having mute, life-size cutouts of Florida's leaders on stage with me is not a joke. It's a serious commentary on the sad state of our electoral system and the kind of leaders it produces. Not all politicians are bad, but our flawed electoral system tends to select for venality and other undesirable traits. Our leaders avoid the real issues, prevaricate when forced to talk, and spend much of their time raising money from interests highly invested in the status quo. The term “Democratic Party” has become an oxymoron, and the Republicans are even worse. Like the old Soviet Union, we get to vote for the candidates selected by a handful of party leaders.

If voting really worked it would be illegal. As George Carlin once said, “I haven't voted since I stopped taking drugs. That was in the late '70s, and the delusional thinking stopped immediately on both fronts.”

We laugh at Carlin because most people sense something is wrong with the way we vote. The two-parties manage to create enough confusion on the subject that Americans are not aware we have one of the worst electoral systems in the civilized world. Most people blame the politicians but the real problem is vote-buying combined with the winner-take-all voting system.

If we had majority voting (instant runoff voting) for single member elections, and proportional representation for larger, newly-created, multi-member House districts–combined with public campaign financing as I outline at my website–we would see a vast improvement in the quality of our leaders and in democratic representation. We would see the ascendancy of other parties and principled independents. Pay-for-play, spoilers, vote-strategizing, gerrymanders, and the disenfranchisement of the majority would cease. We would begin to see policies based on the highest good for the greatest number instead of policies that bring the greatest reward to the smallest number. It would still not be a perfect country, but we'd have a chance at being the best we can be.

]]> By: Florida » Current News Trends http://washingtonindependent.com/54266/florida-gubernatorial-debate-three-cardboard-cutouts-and-one-real-live-arth/comment-page-1#comment-62133 Florida » Current News Trends Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:45:21 +0000 http://washingtonindependent.com/?p=54266#comment-62133 [...] The Washington Independent » Florida Gubernatorial Debate: Three … [...] [...] The Washington Independent » Florida Gubernatorial Debate: Three … [...]

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