Does the US need to be fundamentally transformed?

[CountDeMoney]

Gilded age economic history teaches that the busts of hard money laissez faire, while "many," are not "small".

At least Gilded Age politicians had the wherewithal to do something about it with the law.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

I suspect we're at a period like the early seventies when the previous governing ideology is failing, and visibly so, in both the UK and the US.  I think there'll be a transformation as profound as Thatcherism/Reaganism.  I don't know what it'll be or who or when.

Europe is on the edge of an even more profound transformation almost regardless of what happens in the Eurozone crisis.

It will be interesting to see what comes out of all this - A Federal Europe perhaps.

one that is unlikely to be carried by the population of that "federal europe". 't wouldn't have the legitimacy to survive I think

[Josquius]

Yes (obvious I'd come down on that side).
The way the US treats the constitution like a holy text (and many actually take holy texts seriously) should be gotten rid of. And the way American democracy works is....not great. AV FTW. Or at least they should copy Canada more.

And when Thatcher dies I'm so going on a pilgrimage to piss on her grave. Or I would be if half the country didn't also have that idea, or better, and so there'll be an around the clock police guard.

[garbon]

Yes (obvious I'd come down on that side).
The way the US treats the constitution like a holy text (and many actually take holy texts seriously) should be gotten rid of. And the way American democracy works is....not great. AV FTW. Or at least they should copy Canada more.

And when Thatcher dies I'm so going on a pilgrimage to piss on her grave. Or I would be if half the country didn't also have that idea, or better, and so there'll be an around the clock police guard.

I'll say it like I've said it a thousand times before - you're an idiot.

[grumbler]

I'll say it like I've said it a thousand times before - you're an idiot.

Nothing much more fun than watching a Brit make an ass of himself by completely misunderstanding the concept of a formal constitution, though.

Mongers is an idiot, but he's our village's idiot.  We wouldn't be a proper village without him.

[garbon]

What about Jos then?

[Valmy]

Yes (obvious I'd come down on that side).
The way the US treats the constitution like a holy text (and many actually take holy texts seriously) should be gotten rid of. And the way American democracy works is....not great. AV FTW. Or at least they should copy Canada more.

And when Thatcher dies I'm so going on a pilgrimage to piss on her grave. Or I would be if half the country didn't also have that idea, or better, and so there'll be an around the clock police guard.

If only all those coal mines were still around

[grumbler]

What about Jos then?

He used to be a contender, but then he grew up.  He may still say some dumb things, but all of us do that.  I find only* mongers can be relied on to say something breathtakingly stupid in the majority of his posts.

*that's assuming, as I do, that Siegy's "dumb" comments are mostly deliberate trolls.

[Neil]

Yes (obvious I'd come down on that side).
The way the US treats the constitution like a holy text (and many actually take holy texts seriously) should be gotten rid of. And the way American democracy works is....not great. AV FTW. Or at least they should copy Canada more.

And when Thatcher dies I'm so going on a pilgrimage to piss on her grave. Or I would be if half the country didn't also have that idea, or better, and so there'll be an around the clock police guard.

Even if AV wasn't a fundamentally stupid idea designed to enforce single party rule, how in the fuck would it work in a country with only two parties?

I know a lot of people have told you that you're stupid, Jos.  They're right.

[Josquius]

Even if AV wasn't a fundamentally stupid idea designed to enforce single party rule, how in the fuck would it work in a country with only two parties?

I know a lot of people have told you that you're stupid, Jos.  They're right.

It wouldn't. Getting rid of the two party system is a given.

And nope.

[garbon]

-You're stupid.
-No, I'm not!

[Neil]

Even if AV wasn't a fundamentally stupid idea designed to enforce single party rule, how in the fuck would it work in a country with only two parties?

I know a lot of people have told you that you're stupid, Jos.  They're right.

It wouldn't. Getting rid of the two party system is a given.

What's your mechanism for that?  Will your solution involve coal mines?

[Sheilbh]

I think AV would automatically lead to the end of two party politics.

[garbon]

I think AV would automatically lead to the end of two party politics.

I've no idea but wiki states that the US already has it for local elections in many US locales (including where I lived). I think most winning candidates are still out of the two parties.

Also, looks like attempts to bring it to a state level are usually roundly defeated.

[Neil]

I think AV would automatically lead to the end of two party politics.

Why?  Everyone already identifies as a Democrat or Republican, and those are the parties that always win just about everything.  Also, there is no real party other than those two, as all the other parties are insane.