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[Dwarfaholic]

I've decided to leech off this community.
You see, I have this school work to do about the election system of the States, and I can't find much info about it in the Wiki.

So, I've decided to ask the Americans here to give me some info.

Please?

I just want to know the basics, how it works, it's history, how it differs from the systems of other countries, etc.

[Capntastic]

I'm not much of a social sciences guy but if you have some English assignments or something I could do that for you.

[Citizen of Erl]

Well, at the heart of the whole political process is corn. You'll notice that the Iowa caucus comes first, because Iowa is where the corn is at. Then there is the New Hampshire primary, where all the cornbread is at.

[Dwarfaholic]

It's all so clear now!
Of course, corn, and it's derivatives. After all, isn't... something... corn?

But seriously, does anybody have anything I could use in a Power Point presentation?

Oh, and Capntastic, thanks for the offer, but I'll rather do it myself.

[Cajoes]

US Elections are easy. And bollocks, at the same time.

Two vaguely similar candidates are picked seemingly at random from their platforms, or sponsor groups, also known as the only two political parties in the US. Repuclicans and Democrats, as opposed to the swedish system where we have over 14 parties at any one given time of various goods and bads for the rich and poor.

Irregardless, these two thrashtalk eachother and depending on the quality of it earn voter points in the various regions, or states of the US. Once a region has reached a conclusive vote, they side with one candidate and net him bonus votes. The battles for these votes can become rather intense and even propagate scandals, such as Watergate. Which is odd since Presidency is more than flinging missiles at people you don't like. You have a insane population of people to care for, some even dumber and accident prone than the dwarves we know and love.
So pleasing them all is akin to filling a colander to the brim. In a desert.

Once a candidate has enough votes before the voting period is up, (having gotten 50% of the population to actually BOTHER to vote is a amazing achievement by these standards) he can look forward to being nagged, berated, dumbfounded and insulted by a quarter of the globe just for being in office, everything you say, do, do not do will be taken out of context and thrashed by the medias for the next four years. Just as the olympics. And if you royally mess up, or manage a semblance of "being good at it" you get another four years in office. But no more, you could be the god Emperor of Man for all we care but the words in the holy constitution is law. Unless you change it. And get the senate to agree to it.

If you loose, well you can always demand a recount, until you win. Because sweet nellie there are a lot of ballots to double-check.

Failing that, the supreme court will pick a president by picking a name out of a hat worn by J.F.Rosewelt.

Now, how the president senate and supreme court work in tandem to bring a semblance of goverment to all these semi-independent states, that's another topíc I refuse to touch. Good luck on your powerpoint

[Dwarfaholic]

Thanks for the post, it's a real big help.
But does the system have any sort of history? I mean, has it always been like this?

Also, where did you find out what you did, Cajoes?

Some Swedish nation-wide information web, eh? EH?
Jag mĺste veta!

[PTTG??]

quote:Originally posted by Cajoes:
<STRONG>US Elections are easy. And bollocks, at the same time.

Two vaguely similar candidates are picked seemingly at random from their platforms, or sponsor groups, also known as the only two political parties in the US. Repuclicans and Democrats, as opposed to the swedish system where we have over 14 parties at any one given time of various goods and bads for the rich and poor.

Irregardless, these two thrashtalk eachother and depending on the quality of it earn voter points in the various regions, or states of the US. Once a region has reached a conclusive vote, they side with one candidate and net him bonus votes. The battles for these votes can become rather intense and even propagate scandals, such as Watergate. Which is odd since Presidency is more than flinging missiles at people you don't like. You have a insane population of people to care for, some even dumber and accident prone than the dwarves we know and love.
So pleasing them all is akin to filling a colander to the brim. In a desert.

Once a candidate has enough votes before the voting period is up, (having gotten 50% of the population to actually BOTHER to vote is a amazing achievement by these standards) he can look forward to being nagged, berated, dumbfounded and insulted by a quarter of the globe just for being in office, everything you say, do, do not do will be taken out of context and thrashed by the medias for the next four years. Just as the olympics. And if you royally mess up, or manage a semblance of "being good at it" you get another four years in office. But no more, you could be the god Emperor of Man for all we care but the words in the holy constitution is law. Unless you change it. And get the senate to agree to it.

If you loose, well you can always demand a recount, until you win. Because sweet nellie there are a lot of ballots to double-check.

Failing that, the supreme court will pick a president by picking a name out of a hat worn by J.F.Rosewelt.

Now, how the president senate and supreme court work in tandem to bring a semblance of goverment to all these semi-independent states, that's another topíc I refuse to touch. Good luck on your powerpoint</STRONG>

It's sad how much of that is true. I suggest America (The Book) as a good place to start further research. The biggest problem with the Presidency is that, unlike all other positions and decisions made by the governmental system, it's the electoral college. When the candidate wins the popular vote in a state the electoral college of that state (just to be clear here; the E.C. is just an organization, it is not higher education) then selects the winner; They don't have to choose the same person as was voted for, although they have never gone straight against the people. This winner gets the 'electoral votes' for that state. These are the votes that count for the presidency and there are a number of these relitive to the population of the state. Now, in most states (these tend to be the republican, conservative states (Republicans are one of the two primary parties, because most of us can't count to higher than two anyway) these votes all go to the winning candidate, while in some territories, the votes are split according to the percentage of votes that the candidate won.
And that's how we choose who gets to have the Big Red Button!
But don't look at me, I live in the Great Republic of California. We Secede in 2009.

[Fenrir]

quote:Originally posted by Cajoes:
<STRONG>...the words in the holy constitution is law. </STRONG>

If only this was true...  :roll:

[Helmaroc]

Actually, there are more than Republicans and Democrats, but the other parties are small and unnoticed.

[Torak]

Populace -> Electoral College -> Congress.

Fun fact: Any state at any time could ban voting on the/a president. Seriously.
Fun Fact: Civilian votes only count as a "Popular Vote".

[ January 29, 2008: Message edited by: Torak ]

[Fenrir]

Youse can call 'em mayors, youse can call 'em dukes, an' youse can call 'em presidents. It doe' matter whut youse call 'em, NOBLES AIN'T NO GOOD! They all need plumin' in thar rooms!

[ January 29, 2008: Message edited by: Fenrir ]

[karnot]

quote: Two vaguely similar candidates are picked seemingly at random from their platforms, or sponsor groups, also known as the only two political parties in the US.

Eh, really ? Its more like two branch offices of a single party. I've asked around, and no one can actually explain to me whats the difference between the two, apart from simply having a legitimate (and silly) reason to hate your republican neighbours. Red Drazi fight Green Drazi...idiotic. Besides, it doesnt matter anyway, the policies stay the same no matter who you choose.

Also, is it me, or all US presidents in the last 60 years were either scum or stupid, or sometimes even both ?

[Armok]

I have wondered for a while what wold hapen if you put a IQ requirement for becoming president, maybe around 150 or so, and maybe on voting to.

[Fenrir]

The whole thing is rigged from the start anyway. It's the shadow government that's doing it. Mark my words, "they" have already decided who they want to be president, and it's McCain. You can see it in that ugly, shit-eating grin of his.

[Torak]

quote:Originally posted by karnot:
<STRONG>

Eh, really ? Its more like two branch offices of a single party. I've asked around, and no one can actually explain to me whats the difference between the two, apart from simply having a legitimate (and silly) reason to hate your republican neighbours.</STRONG>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_United_States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_United_States

Learning hasnt been a sin for about 300 years, try it out.