[PortInStorm]

We've been hearing about it for the past few days in Canada, and I'm not sure... Is it Americans voting for the leader of each major party that they'll send to the presidential election? Or is it the members of each party voting (don't think so)?

It's such a great thing that Americans can vote directly for their leader! Here we can only vote for our the party that happens to have the leader we want, or for the leader who might happen to come with a party/policies we don't like *sigh*. Then stupid Canadians voted against reforming the system. What's with that!!!???

[AgentofGaming]

I believe it's the day when many states will vote for their presidential candidate. So many states that it will be the final deciding factor.

	Originally Posted by 2ndtimestudent To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	It's such a great thing that Americans can vote directly for their leader! Here we can only vote for our the party that happens to have the leader we want, or for the leader who might happen to come with a party/policies we don't like *sigh*. Then stupid Canadians voted against reforming the system. What's with that!!!???

Either the people were badly informed about MMP
or the threat to majority government was a bit too much for them to accept.
or they wanted to keep it simple with First Past the Post.

[PortInStorm]

Really? So the president was decided yesterday? I guess I should just Wiki it, etc.

Re: MMP, there was a disturbing email going around saying that radical groups would get more power, thus leaving us open to wackoes (sp?). I was very irritated, to say the least. Sure, splintering is a concern, but way better than the current system's drawbacks. What did you think of it? To much danger of backroom deals? Like they're not happening now. Perhaps just afraid of change....

[Octavianus Caesar]

Super dooper Tuesday is when 20+ states vote for the democratic and republican presidential nominee.

It does not decied who is president, but historically the one who wins it gains the nominatation for their party.

That is it in a nutshell.

[AgentofGaming]

	Originally Posted by 2ndtimestudent To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Really? So the president was decided yesterday? I guess I should just Wiki it, etc.

No, the candidates to represent the party for the presidency race were decided, not too sure about the Democrats because it was close.
The president electing is sometime in November

	Originally Posted by 2ndtimestudent To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Re: MMP, there was a disturbing email going around saying that radical groups would get more power, thus leaving us open to wackoes (sp?). I was very irritated, to say the least. Sure, splintering is a concern, but way better than the current system's drawbacks. What did you think of it? To much danger of backroom deals? Like they're not happening now. Perhaps just afraid of change....

Well for one thing we live in a conservative (or behind) continent, sometimes you can see from the infastructure.
Like GO transit is still using diesel trains, while Germany and China have MAGLEV trains that can break the sound barrier. The TTC and GO need to order escalator parts from Germany... since they claim it's too expensive here...

Also, the Conservative Party got voted in this decade which is quite a reflection for a mostly liberal century.
I guess people want things done that's why majority is so important and why Stephen Harper is always threatening elections so he can have one. Most people think that the MPs overly debating each other in parliament is already a waste of time. A risk of more squabbling and backroom disturbs most people.

So when I want to see something innovative I look at Europe, or East Asia.

[PortInStorm]

Ahhh, very enlightening, thanks Yanks! Hilarious, Pav
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. Ya, it's quite the dichotomy Agent. A "liberal" country with such an...cie...nt technology (GO). But it doesn't surprise me about voting in a conservative party though, given the liberal controversies immediately preceeding, and given the conservative leaning of the then-liberal government. I'm slightly worried about the a pop election on the Canadians-in-Afganistan issue, instead of voting for a more broad platform (more than one issue maybe? Too much to ask?) But here we are skidding off topic- sorry. I guess it's finished
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[coffeeloverfreak]

A few things:

-In the US, party members vote for the party's nominee. So do Canadians. You can join the Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Greens, whoever and vote for the party leader (or even run for the party leader) if you like.

-It's true that we vote for our local MP while the US votes directly for their president. But they also vote for the other two branches - house and senate. House of representatives could be like our Parliament, sorta. And our senators are appointed, not elected. We also vote for our provincial government, just as Americans vote for their state governor or representative.

-Moreover, Americans vote for everyone from the District Attorney to the dog catcher! In theory it's nice to get to vote for everyone. In practice, people constantly running for things tend to act more in the interest of getting votes, and less in the best interest of society. Be thankful that you're not constantly having to go to the polls to vote for everyone, that's what I say.

-Campaigns go on forever in the US. Between the primaries (which can last nearly a year), the general elections, the midterm elections, etc. etc., they basically campaign for 3.9999 years and govern for the other 0.0001. Here at least our campaigns are mercifully limited to 30 days. Could you imagine 365 days of campaign ads, attacks, mud-slinging, slogans, and endless yabbering about nonsense? Me neither. 30 days of it is more than enough, thanks.

-Our "Conservatives" have more in common with US Democrats than with US Republicans. Canada is overall a much further left-leaning country than the US. We also have mercifully little theological involvement in government, since even our leaders who profess religious beliefs usually know well enough to leave them out of policy-making. Harper has said and done an awful lot that makes me uncomfortable, but he's got nothing on most American conservatives when it comes to socially right-wing credentials, thankfully.

[searcheagle]

	Originally Posted by coffeeloverfreak To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	A few things: -Moreover, Americans vote for everyone from the District Attorney to the dog catcher! In theory it's nice to get to vote for everyone. In practice, people constantly running for things tend to act more in the interest of getting votes, and less in the best interest of society. Be thankful that you're not constantly having to go to the polls to vote for everyone, that's what I say.

While it is true we vote on many positions in our government, it is a large exageration to say we are "ALWAYS" going to the polls. There are 2 elections a year- 1 for the primary, we select our party's nomination for the general election, and the general election, where the country selects which candidate to go with.

While we have elections every year, many people only vote in an election every 4 years, when we select our president and possibly their US Representatives. Less people in the odd years (the next two are 2009 and 2011) when people will be voting for local government officials.)

-Campaigns go on forever in the US. Between the primaries (which can last nearly a year), the general elections, the midterm elections, etc. etc., they basically campaign for 3.9999 years and govern for the other 0.0001. Here at least our campaigns are mercifully limited to 30 days. Could you imagine 365 days of campaign ads, attacks, mud-slinging, slogans, and endless yabbering about nonsense? Me neither. 30 days of it is more than enough, thanks.

The candidates run ads mainly within 45 days before the election.

-Our "Conservatives" have more in common with US Democrats than with US Republicans. Canada is overall a much further left-leaning country than the US. We also have mercifully little theological involvement in government, since even our leaders who profess religious beliefs usually know well enough to leave them out of policy-making. Harper has said and done an awful lot that makes me uncomfortable, but he's got nothing on most American conservatives when it comes to socially right-wing credentials, thankfully.

Despite what your media tells you, THE U.S. IS NOT A THELOGICAL STATE.

[PortInStorm]

Regardless of how often we'd have to vote, I want to decide those who gets those public positions. And the one that irks me the most are those appointed Senate positions. If they get even some veto power, they should be voted in. You can't see the steam coming out of my ears...

[searcheagle]

	Originally Posted by 2ndtimestudent To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Regardless of how often we'd have to vote, I want to decide those who gets those public positions. And the one that irks me the most are those appointed Senate positions. If they get even some veto power, they should be voted in. You can't see the steam coming out of my ears...

Appointed senate positions are more of a practical consideration than anything else. In the US, we are never more that about 9 months from an election. It costs a lot of money to setup a special election. It it is easier and cheaper to nominate someone else to replace the senator until the open seat can be filled.