3 things USA can learn from the French

[PsychoBabble]

1. They vote on Sunday.
2. Press has to STFU FOR 24 Hours
3. THEY are NOT going to elect the Trumpish candidate

Vive la France!

[democratisphere]

1. There should be a media blackout for at least 1 week prior to the election day

In the USA.

[PsychoBabble]

2. I can see the clutching of pearls already ...

But ... Freedom of speech!

Freedom to run unlimited commercials at the last minute to boost our bottom line!

Vive la pocketbook!

[jberryhill]

7. Yeah, so the crazy right wing emails can continue

[Sculpin Beauregard]

20. It's a 48 hour news blackout.

[Igel]

30. DU had a bit of a blackout for a few hours.

And people pitched a fit.

Oh, I see my mistake. It's other media and other people's speech that the government should censor in the interests of protecting the electorate.

People trust the government more than they trust anybody else, and then insist that the government is "we the people." Obviously not the we distrust, of course. Leading me once again to seriously question what "we the people" means to some.

[3catwoman3]

3. We could also learn from the British.

Campaigns only last a few weeks. 3 months max, IIRC.

Trump already campaigning for 2020 makes me want to puke.

[PsychoBabble]

5. Good add ... agreed.

The only reasons I can think of that we run such long campaigns are:

Historically, huge country to cover via rail etc compared to smaller European countries ... back before electronic media ... and ...

Profit motive AFTER mass media invented.

Anyone have any strong background/research on why our long election periods exist?

[dalton99a]

4. Also, most EU countries (including France) do not allow political commercials

[PsychoBabble]

6. Very interesting

Hmmmmm

[AgadorSparticus]

8. I LOVE THIS. We should do away with ALL political commercials.

Imagine all the programs we can fund from money saved from political commercials?

[PsychoBabble]

9. 2 words:

Citizen's United

[DFW]

10. Germany has them all the time

They are VERY annoying.

[meow2u3]

11. Another thing the US can learn from the French

They have paper ballots and hand count the votes. No cheat voting machines there AFAIK.

[LiberalLovinLug]

12. Probably THE most important difference.

[lark]

14. This is exactly what we need.

All votes counted by hand with representatives from both parties observing. The RW would hate this, they'd never win in a straight up election but rely on cheating always since they have the losing message.

[silverweb]

16. Yes!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]And video of every count, including introductions of the counters and observers. That would be the backup proof to resolve any dispute before it becomes a serious issue.

[Little Star]

32. This!!!!!

[aeromanKC]

13. 1 Thing France learned from USA

DON'T vote for the FASCIST!!

[PsychoBabble]

15. (We are SUCH good teachers!)

[PsychoBabble]

17. Add ... MSM Solidarity ...

This thread: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029027009

LePen denied opposing media access, so French MSM refused to cover LePen on election night.

Solidarity vs fear, profit motive.

USA media, might wanna get this clue ....

[lpbk2713]

18. 4. They make good cheese.

[mnhtnbb]

19. Our election season goes on and on and on...why? Corporations make $$$ from advertising

We would do well to adopt a much shorter election season and ban all commercials.

Everything has become about making a $ in this country. It's not good.

[PsychoBabble]

21. Capitalism, Inc.

Agreed, very true.

[former9thward]

23. We have a First amendment.

Political commercials can't be restricted.

[mnhtnbb]

24. Ah, but see the response above, # 21.

Yes, we have the right, but the rights have turned in to capitalists making a buck from everything. Political commercials, drug commercials, unhealthy food commercials...on and on and on. We are inundated by advertising constantly to buy stuff... from politicians to cars to pills for erectile dysfunction (geeze, men are really obsessed with their dicks).

The longer the election season, the more money is made from making commercials and airing commercials. What purpose does that serve? Does it really benefit the political process? Are more people participating?

It's time to rethink the entire election process, IMO, from everything to how we vote, when we vote, how the votes are counted (and by whom) and in the instance of the presidential election, to get rid of the Electoral College, which is a relic from the days of slavery.

[certainot]

22. 3 major differences between france and the US

1) they united in the euro
2) their immigration problems are real - they are getting and going to get a lot more refugees from climate change than we are - our immigration 'problem' is a bunch of bullshit 1000 talk radio stations were used to create so rove and his successors could pass voter suppression legislation all over the country
3) because liberals ignore it, we have a talk radio monopoly blasting the country with lies and ignorance and authoritarian buzz making ignorant fascist assholes like trump president and selling voter suppression legislation on false pretexts like lots of illegal aliens are voting for dems

[grossproffit]

25. Thankfully, it was Macron and not Melenchon running against LePen.

The results would have been much different in my opinion. Sanity prevails.

[Warpy]

26. The email hack bacfired on LeTrump

especially when they found there were faked emails in there along with the genuine ones. Putin got clumsy and lost this round.

At last, one day I woke up to good news, Vive la France, indeed!

[enid602]

27. French

To be fair, the French also learned something from us. They saw what is happening with tRump, and decided they want nothing to do with it.

[PsychoBabble]

28. Happy to help, France!

Would you like fries with that?

[enid602]

29. Alas

I hate to say it of such close allies,but part of me wishes that they were the guinea pigs.

[flamingdem]

31. But.. none of this is going to happen

except hopefully #3 next round