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Chimera_Calvin wrote:
"Democracy. The worst form of government. Except for all the others."

Churchill was a good man. If he was going to send soldiers to your country, he'd be the first person to tell you. If he wanted to sit in a chair all day and let people think he was disabled, he would make sure everyone got a good laugh out of it eventually.

He was before my time, but I would at least trust Churchill enough to know I wouldn't vote for him.

Ahtman wrote:It's one of those weird things. People have a say and can actually do something on the local and state level but people almost always ignore those; especially local where they can have the greatest impact. Instead they focus on national politics where they have almost no voice whatsoever.

Agreed, and it's probably the case in most multi-region countries with democratic elections. You can either vote for someone you can visit in person, or you can vote for what you want to see on television. At least over here it's like that. Who do you want to see in the political cartoon columns? The John Howard joke was funny for a VERY long time. We couldn't get enough of it, apparently. But all jokes wear out.

Ahtman wrote:

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:In the UK, the Electorate (me, and every other Registered Voter) has the power to depose our Government at any time, for any reason, as long as enough of us want it.

That is odd, we can do the same, and unlike the UK, we have the guns to do it! Bolters and Bolt Pistols for every man woman and child!

We prefer more genteel methods.

Like a Cricket Bat with a Brick nailed to it. That tends to the trick when enthusiastically swung at someone's bonce.

Crimson Devil wrote:It has always bugged me that Puerto Rico can't vote. Seems unamerican.

The relevant phrase is simply:

NO Representation without Taxation!

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:In the UK, the Electorate (me, and every other Registered Voter) has the power to depose our Government at any time, for any reason, as long as enough of us want it.

So can Americans.

It's just very slow and difficult.

But it is technically possible.

JohnHwangDD wrote:

Crimson Devil wrote:It has always bugged me that Puerto Rico can't vote. Seems unamerican.

The relevant phrase is simply:

NO Representation without Taxation!

Fair enough, I still don't like that we have Americans that can't vote.

Puerto Ricans' aren't Americans, and Puerto Rico isn't a state. For example, they don't pay Federal taxes. So why should they have a voice in voting for a President they don't pay for?

Now that said, there are plenty of Americans who can't vote. Most of them are (black) convicted Felons who have had their voting rights stripped by legal statute. The remainder are primarily underage or legally deemed mentally incompetent. This bothers me not in the least.

What concerns me more than people who are not allowed to vote are people who choose not to vote.

In Australia we have to vote, and at least the final vote is representative.

JohnHwangDD wrote:Puerto Ricans' aren't Americans, and Puerto Rico isn't a state. For example, they don't pay Federal taxes. So why should they have a voice in voting for a President they don't pay for?

Now that said, there are plenty of Americans who can't vote. Most of them are (black) convicted Felons who have had their voting rights stripped by legal statute. The remainder are primarily underage or legally deemed mentally incompetent. This bothers me not in the least.

According to Puerto Rico's website they are US Citizens and pay some taxes: http://welcome.topuertorico.org/government.shtml

With the exception of Kentucky and Virginia, Most States return voting rights to Felons after they complete their sentence.