The very many questions-not-worth-their-own-thread question thread XXXI

[civvver]

I thought Germany was supposed to have a pretty good version of democracy. They split seats into parties proportionate to the number of votes they got.

 

[Arakhor]

PR is undeniably more representative than FPTP. Whether or not that is a good thing depends on how many terrible parties you have but don't want in power.

 

[Lohrenswald]

I thought Germany was supposed to have a pretty good version of democracy

lol no

 

[Commodore]

When someone in the US says they are going to leave the country when their political opponents win an election, why is it always Canada? Never once have I heard someone say "If so-and-so wins the election I'm moving to Mexico!"

 

[Lohrenswald]

I think for Democrats it's like liberal policies, and for republicans that Canada doesn't have as many icky spanish speakers

 

[Arakhor]

Canada has good healthcare, speaks English, uses (a version of) the dollar, has the Queen as head of state and is a liberal paradise (compared to some places).

 

[Commodore]

I think for Democrats it's like liberal policies, and for republicans that Canada doesn't have as many icky spanish speakers

That's probably a big part of it. I'm thinking another big part of it is many US citizens aren't aware that Canada actually has pretty strict immigration requirements, whereas Mexico's immigration policy is quite lax in comparison.

Plus, some quick reading on this issue seems to indicate there would be more economic opportunities for US citizens in Mexico than there would be in Canada.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

I thought Germany was supposed to have a pretty good version of democracy. They split seats into parties proportionate to the number of votes they got.

PR is undeniably more representative than FPTP. Whether or not that is a good thing depends on how many terrible parties you have but don't want in power.

It's OK. I certainly prefer it over the American or British system, but it has its own issues. One big problem with it is that the actual governmnent is almost always a coalition negotiated between the parties. A small party can get 5% or 6% of the vote and end up with almost half the cabinet after a bidding war. Or you get a grand coalition between CDU and SPD when almost three quarters voted the way they did because they wanted to prevent the SPD or CDU.
The big advantage is that the real crazy ones -the facists, the leninists, the fundamentalists- have their own parties. They can't hide in the big tent like all the trash that has accumulated in the GOP and even if they make it past the 5% threshold and gain some seats in the diet they won't find a colition partner and can't graduate from nuisance to danger.

lol no

Care to elaborate ?

 

[Lohrenswald]

Care to elaborate ?

Am I not mistaken that you need 5 % of the vote to even be able to get into parliament?

 

[GoodSarmatian]

Am I not mistaken that you need 5 % of the vote to even be able to get into parliament?

Yeah.
The rule is there to keep the extremists out and prevent the parliament from being cluttered with dozens of parties with a few seats each. It's one of the lessons learned from the mistakes of the Weimar Republic.
You object ?

 

[Lohrenswald]

You object ?

yes

Neither the party I've voted for, or my second option have 5 % of the votes. And neither of them are extremists (even though I'd like them to be lol)

also many parties in parliament is good kthnx

 

[Arakhor]

The Norwegian electorate is roughly 3.2 million, but if the people you are voting for can't even muster 5% between them, perhaps you should vote for someone who has a chance or representing you.

 

[Lohrenswald]

The Norwegian electorate is roughly 3.2 million, but if the people you are voting for can't even muster 5% between them, perhaps you should vote for someone who has a chance or representing you.

offense taken

 

[Hygro]

Represent Lohrenswald!

 

[Arakhor]

offense taken

In Commonwealth English, offence is spelt with a C.

Now I've said that, put that fence back!

 

[Lohrenswald]

In Commonwealth English, offence is spelt with a C.

nice deflection

 

[Chukchi Husky]

How can I lower my confidence?

 

[shadowplay]

Try golfing.

 

[Traitorfish]

[

PR is undeniably more representative than FPTP. Whether or not that is a good thing depends on how many terrible parties you have but don't want in power.

You say that, but a winner-takes-all system gave us President Trump.

At some point you have to trust the electorate to make their own mistakes.

 

[Arakhor]

I can certainly trust the electorate to make a whole bunch of mistakes.