Questions about the voting system in USA

[kandrathe]

:) I think we can all look at our respective nations politicians and find them wanting. Sometimes it takes a "special" kind of person to want to be in politics.

I lived through the times of Ronald Reagan presidency, when in the face of nuclear armegeddon he wanted to put short and medium range nuclear missiles in Germany, seriously uping the ante in the mutually assured destruction (MAD) gambit. Now many people are looking back at that time as when the US finally demonstrated to the Soviets that we were really, really serious. Everyone was pretty terrified for awhile.

[segue to a philosophical tangent]
The current events of the world are due to a myriad of actions and inactions performed by many nations. It is no use to play the "what if" game concerning the past, but very useful to play "what if" from the context of the future. If you can choose the future end point you desire, and then work backwards to the present. Take terrorism as an example. There are some who are looking at direct action against terrorists and those that (or might be inclined to) supply with aid as a way to foment future aggression, and then the opposite camp that looks at anything that stirs up the anger of the "arab street" as a way of increasing terrorism. As I see it, in each case you need to decide what you can do, and then if you will do it, and if it will get you closer to your desired goal. I think the Clinton administration demonstrated that terrorism does not decrease with inaction, so maybe action is what is required. I don't know.

As a world citizen here are some things I would like to see all governments do, starting with my own.

1) Take action to minimize the impact of humanity on the environment meaning pollution, permanent destruction to ecosystems, and global warming.
2) Work together to create a common framework and cooperation for inter-nation criminal justice (crimes, punishments, extradition).
3) Tangibly promote peace by using the UN for its intended purpose and stop incenting nations to buy weapons.
4) Share our good fortune -- we can do more to ease the strife and malaise of poorer nations by feeding and clothing them in the present, and then helping them to curb unrestrained growth, and increase their productivity.
5) De-emphasize consumption as a mechanism for growth -- not meaning to debunk capitalism, just that I believe the quest of human endeavor is not linked to double digit increases in the GDP -- so I would desire than that we come to more value things like education, peace, art, science, innovation and other pursuits which bring to people a sense of accomplishment.
[/segue]

I was listening to a radio program yesterday which was interviewing people from a small town in France, where the Kerry (as in John Kerry) family has roots. The majority said something akin to "We are fed up with Bush". Which was the sentiment I was expecting to hear. Some addressed their perceived folly of the Iraq war. Some recalled the liberation of France whose 60th anniversary is drawing nigh. No one interviewed could understand why so many Americans were angry with France. To me, this sounds like what happens when people do not communicate directly with one another. As world citizens we need to have a dialog about substantive issues, and not rant over Bush, Blair, or Chirac -- or for that matter "representative democracy" vs "parlimentary democracy". One way or another it is "WE" who influence the decisions (and election) of our leaders and it is "WE" who must come to a consensus. Some of our perils are too great for old nationalistic fervor to be our obstacles.

Edit: AKK -- not hooked on phonics.