General Discussion
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(47,587 posts)spooky3
(34,510 posts)1) they require everyone to vote and impose a small fine if you dont vote. Huge contrast to the barriers to voting here.
2) there is no Citizens United, so money plays a much smaller role.
3) there is no electoral college, and Aussies who have talked with me about it think we are insane to have it.
Dial H For Hero
(2,971 posts)If someone cares so little about politics that they won't vote except when under duress, I don't want them to vote.
malaise
(269,239 posts)it excluded the indigenous people.
They were able to ban assault rifles without the madness of an NRA.
Seasons Greetings sis.
JanMichael
(24,897 posts)They have been run by Trump lite for some time now.
Maybe institutions have survived?
malaise
(269,239 posts)Its why I asked the question.
KentuckyWoman
(6,697 posts)It won't be much longer and North Korea will be more democratic than us if we don't put a stop to the Republican shenanigans.
Yes I'm being ridiculous ....
Budi
(15,325 posts)...against Democracy.
Silicon Valley runs the backdoor oppo against Democracy that the RW runs in our face.
Peter Thiel's ties to Kochs & Trump et al, is a good place to start.
It's the damaging oppo we don't hear about.
But should if we're seriously intent on saving our Democracy.
roamer65
(36,747 posts)Its that the US has gotten a lot worse.
Dan
(3,585 posts)I think Autocratic or one controls by the oligarchs since Citizens United.
malaise
(269,239 posts)Is the US regressing to what it was before the Russian Revolution, the Spanish flu, WW1 and the excesses of the 1920s?
pecosbob
(7,546 posts)Dan
(3,585 posts)In parts:
- We are in part in the period of the Robber Barons
- We are also in part in the period of the Guilded Age
- We are also in part in the period preceding the Civil War
- We are also in part in the period of Mass Propaganda of the early 30s
Were in a mess
We are also in a mess here.
brooklynite
(94,852 posts)malaise
(269,239 posts)pecosbob
(7,546 posts)I don't think they even needed laws on the books to prevent domestic political spending by foreign entities until recently (China).
* The U.S. was tied for 25th with Chile.
malaise
(269,239 posts)Thanks for this.
Seasons Greetings.
NQCowboy68
(67 posts)Born and raised for first 30 years of my life in Australia and have been in US for 23 years. I'd move back tomorrow if I could but jobs, family etc currently restrict that. This whole concept of "freedom" in the US is completely overblown. In some ways I felt I had more freedom in Australia than I do here. Freedom in the US has been bastardized to mean owning guns, typically a semi automatic weapon. I was a gun owner in Australia and I'm a gun owner in the US and I've never felt the need to own an AR-15 to prove my freedom.
Some of my random thoughts
- There are multiple political parties in Aus. Often govt's have to be formed via coalitions.
- We do not elect an individual as the primary political leader like a president. The head of the party(s) in power is made Prime Minister and a party can remove that person mid term.
- Voting takes place on a Saturday.
- Compulsory voting is never really an issue because that's how we are raised. Turnout is usually over 90+%.
- We generally don't identify ourselves cult like for a party either right or left. People might vote a certain way but I've never really heard a friend or family member self identify with a certain political persuasion. We have our nutjobs like any country but they really are in the minority.
- It was nice growing up, getting an education and joining the workforce without having to worry about healthcare costs or the cost of university.
- 4 weeks paid annual leave, 2 weeks paid sick leave, paternity leave, long service leave etc etc. Govt Pension at 65.
- I'd rather all these leave entitlements, a bachelor's degree and no healthcare costs than owning an assault weapon. I guess my definition of freedom is different...
malaise
(269,239 posts)I live in a parliamentary system myself, but data suggests that the once independent bureaucracy has been weakened with copycat Thatcher-initiated partisan Quangos. Further the overlap between the executive and the legislative branches has facilitated the rise of partisanship. Party before country is a real worry in many countries.
That said, your points related to elections, guns, money and special interests in politics and importantly, the social democratic benefits available to all Australians, are very important.
Love your implied definition of freedom.
Seasons greetings and thanks.