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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Sun Nov 4, 2012, 08:08 AM Nov 2012

Are U.S. Elections Cleaner Than Ukraine’s?

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-31/are-u-s-elections-cleaner-than-ukraine-s-.html

When U.S. voters head to the polls next week to choose their president, they can take pride in an electoral system far superior to what, for example, Ukrainians experienced in their parliamentary elections last weekend.

Or can they?

True, the Ukrainian government jailed the main opposition leader, former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, well ahead of the vote. Lavish state spending helped candidates of the ruling Regions Party win mandates throughout the country’s east and south. In many cases, wealthy Ukrainians effectively bought their way into the parliament.

That said, consider the U.S. The two-party system locks out many candidates who could have national appeal. Billionaires, some of whom built their fortunes in part thanks to government subsidies, are lavishing unlimited funds on their favorite candidates through political-action committees.
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