Amazing

[FUCK THE POLICE]

My state senator switched to Republican in 2002, then he was defeated by a Democrat in 2003, then that Democrat switched to Republican (which gave Republicans control of our senate), and then my old senator switched back to Democrat and defeated the new one in 2007.

Parties don't matter at all in the south.

 

[tinfoil]

vote democrat!!

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

vote democrat!!

I did, straight ticket. If they had a little checkbox that I could check to just vote for Democrats in all offices it would save me a lot of time.

 

[Epicurus]

It would save you even more time if they had one so that you need only check it once, and then would automatically vote Democrat for every office every election for the rest of your life, then one presumes (since it is the Democrats) a few years beyond that.

It would be great and totally save you the hassle of getting up and casting your ballot.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

It would save you even more time if they had one so that you need only check it once, and then would automatically vote Democrat for every office every election for the rest of your life, then one presumes (since it is the Democrats) a few years beyond that.

It would be great and totally save you the hassle of getting up and casting your ballot.

That it would.

 

[Don Quixote]

It would save you even more time if they had one so that you need only check it once, and then would automatically vote Democrat for every office every election for the rest of your life, then one presumes (since it is the Democrats) a few years beyond that.

It would be great and totally save you the hassle of getting up and casting your ballot.

i vote absentee and refuse to state a party both parties have their heads up their asses

do not vote, it only encourages them

 

[PES Activist]

My state senator switched to Republican in 2002, then he was defeated by a Democrat in 2003, then that Democrat switched to Republican (which gave Republicans control of our senate), and then my old senator switched back to Democrat and defeated the new one in 2007.

Parties don't matter at all in the south.

Just a quick question Watermark, do the local State legislatures reflect the structure of the national legislature in the US? For example, a bicameral legislature with deputies in one chamber and senators in another? Are the roles of each chamber similar to the roles played by the Congress and Senate at national level?

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

Just a quick question Watermark, do the local State legislatures reflect the structure of the national legislature in the US? For example, a bicameral legislature with deputies in one chamber and senators in another? Are the roles of each chamber similar to the roles played by the Congress and Senate at national level?

In all states except Nebraska there is a bicameral legislature. All the states elect the representatives by first past the post in single member districts. Usually the only difference between the lower and upper house is that the senate has fewer representatives in it. A few states used to apportion the senate (upper house) by county and not by population, but the supreme court struck that down as unconstitutional in the 60's.

Although it would seem that two chambers elected entirely in the same manner by the same constituents would always agree, that's not exactly true. In many states one chamber is controlled by one party and another by the other, even if they are elected at the same time. This is mainly because of the weak party structure in the US, which results in many constituencies represented by people who have wildly different views than their constituents and are only elected on strength of personality alone. Also, gerrymandering is huge in the US, and the chambers often gerrymander each other to two different parties.

 

[PES Activist]

Thanks Watermark. I appreciate it. So one of the implications of what you've said is that a bicameral legislature helps perpetuate a "bicameral" party system on the ground? Cue the sound of backs being vigorously scratched!

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

Thanks Watermark. I appreciate it. So one of the implications of what you've said is that a bicameral legislature helps perpetuate a "bicameral" party system on the ground? Cue the sound of backs being vigorously scratched!

Not exactly.

Here's a breakdown of the legislatures in the US:

The party structure is a lot weaker than in practically any other nation in the world. It would be absurd in most nations to cast one ballot for one party and then another for their opposition, but that's exactly what seems happens in the US. A lot of independents prefer it that way. It keeps one side from fucking you over.

But that's really an indication of how disliked our parties are. There isn't any alternative to them, unfortunately.