BraveNewWorld said:
I've been researching the government of the UK and the Parliament -- talk about a clusterfuck. Americans, including myself, have bitched about our system but it's leagues above what could have been.
The House of Lords, basically the equivalent of the Senate, has 793 seats! Why is it so big?! In the US Senate each state has 2 representatives, so currrently 50 states, totalling 100 seats. In the House of Commons, basically the equivalent to the House of Representatives, there are 650 seats! In the House there are 435 seats, which are divvied up by population of each state (every state has to have at least one, even if they're tiny) so California, by far the largest state, hold 53 seats. This assures that large states don't carry too much weight, and that small states aren't disregarded.
Honestly, it'd probably be wise for the UK to adopt the system the US uses -- it'd alleviate concerns of non-English citizens in the UK that England carries too much weight (one of the reasons Scotland wante to secede) -- but it also doesn't penalize England for having a large population.
This has made me realize that our political system isn't at fault, it's the politicians and the citizens who vote for them.
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So you're making a binary comparison between a parliamentary system that is a mix of aristocracy, democracy and monarchy and the US system and deciding that there is no fault in the US system?
Seems to me your knowledge of both systems is very superficial. There are many very commendable elements to the Westminster system that the US system would do very well to adopt. Chief among them is no pork barrel legislation. The Westminster systrem requires that all clauses of a bill must pertain to the object of the Bill. So if you are considering a law regarding mining safety, for instance you can't though in a few clauses that thrown federal money into a housing project, or veterans benefits or some other pet project that will help get you elected so you will vote for a bill that you would otherwise oppose.
One thing I do like about the US system is that each member of congress is a lot more free to cast their vote on legislation according to their own views and that voting against your party is not a mortal sin. The vast majority of legislation passed in the Westminster system is strictly enforce party line voting. If you vote against your party (especially if you are the governing party) your political career is in danger and you risk explusion from the party.
But all partisan systems are shit and corrupt IMO.
“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.” - Bertrand Russell
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."
Jimi Hendrix
