General Discussion

DetlefK

(16,670 posts)

6. How about starting with something small?

Tue Nov 4, 2014, 12:07 PM

Nov 2014

Like making election-days holidays?

Or like switching to pen&paper for ballots? Or switching to open-source voting-machines?

Seriously. The voting-process in the US sounds awfully complicated to me.
In Germany, I get a personalized election-notification by mail one month ahead of the vote. (-> name+address)
Elections are ALWAYS held on Sundays in Germany.
On Sunday afternoon, I take the notification, take a stroll to the voting-place, hand in the notification, get a paper-ballot, they mark me as having voted in the register, and that's it.
The longest queue I have ever been in was 5 people.

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NYT: "Cancel the Midterms". Do you agree? [View all] Nye Bevan Nov 2014 OP

band-aid non-reform reform. Warren Stupidity Nov 2014 #1

Agree... KansDem Nov 2014 #8

Two years keeps congressional representatives tuned into what their constituents want. badtoworse Nov 2014 #2

I agree- I like 2 year terms Lee-Lee Nov 2014 #3

I agree on that too. Jamastiene Nov 2014 #17

Two years keeps congressional reps in permanent campaign/fundraising mode frazzled Nov 2014 #37

Cancel the private money corrupting our elections. Orsino Nov 2014 #4

The volatility is a good thing. The last thing we need is a system designed for ossification and the Nuclear Unicorn Nov 2014 #5

How about starting with something small? DetlefK Nov 2014 #6

It's never been complicated for me goldent Nov 2014 #40

How about the NYT getting cancelled instead? hobbit709 Nov 2014 #7

Actually, I do agree Proud Public Servant Nov 2014 #9

If you 'cancel the midterms,' the 233 republican majority in the House stays in place until 2018! BP2 Nov 2014 #10

No. Arbitrary or random action in general rock Nov 2014 #11

Amend the Constitution and set the terms of Congress and President to four or six years, whichever. Spider Jerusalem Nov 2014 #12

The Tea Party would absolutely love a parliamentary system. Nye Bevan Nov 2014 #13

Do they? Spider Jerusalem Nov 2014 #14

In any parliamentary system, a small party can threaten to bring down the government, Nye Bevan Nov 2014 #20

Gridlock and very slow change were considered a feature, not a bug, in our system. branford Nov 2014 #28

A small party can threaten, they won't get anywhere Spider Jerusalem Nov 2014 #29

You need to look at places like Italy and Germany as well as the UK. Nye Bevan Nov 2014 #30

What "newly-acquired power"? Spider Jerusalem Nov 2014 #31

A party need not necessarily hold many seats to exert significant influence. branford Nov 2014 #33

The Tories won't be in government Spider Jerusalem Nov 2014 #39

A parliamentary system might be good for the Tea Party, but so what? dawg Nov 2014 #21

Yes, there would be plenty of tawdry back-room deals going on. Nye Bevan Nov 2014 #22

The thing is, the people would get what they voted for. dawg Nov 2014 #24

Interesting perspective, but somewhat skewed. branford Nov 2014 #32

If the President has to resort to repeated vetoes for the last two years of his Presidency, he ... dawg Nov 2014 #35

I think the complaints about divided government are vastly overstated, branford Nov 2014 #38

Well, it's all fun and games and checks and balances until we actually default on something. dawg Nov 2014 #41

Is NYT turning into Salon? LittleBlue Nov 2014 #15

I agree LeftInTX Nov 2014 #18

I'm not sure that it's that "wacky". Two years is a very short term for congressmen. Nye Bevan Nov 2014 #23

That is its intent LittleBlue Nov 2014 #25

Elected representatives should always be worrying about reelection. branford Nov 2014 #34

Two years is long enough. Jamastiene Nov 2014 #16

We need something more akin to a parliamentary system. dawg Nov 2014 #19

Citizen to NYT: SomethingFishy Nov 2014 #26

Are you suggesting changes to the First Amendment? nt branford Nov 2014 #36

I like the 2 yr terms. That way, I have a shot of throwing out the ones I don't like. napi21 Nov 2014 #27