| Rath said: 4 In NZ we have MMP which seems to work pretty well. We have constituencies in which we directly elect a politician to represent us locally but we also have proportional representation in which you vote for a party and if they get enough of the vote they get members in parliament which they get to choose. We do have a 5% vote threshold on the proportional representation (they need at least 5% of the overall vote to get anybody in parliament) basically to stop some extreme fringe from being a kingmaker. The system has flaws, small parties are somewhat too powerful, but it is reasonably balanced.
Now onto the topic. Here are my suggestions for America. 1) Fix your healthcare system. I don't know exactly what is wrong with it (though I suspect at least some of the problem is due to doctors being sued?) but it's broken and it's costing you way too much. Proportional to GDP healthcare for all other OECD countries I think is less than 10%, in America (once again from memory) it's 17%. 2) Somehow or another get a third party. Whether its through proportional representation or whatever doesn't really matter (it isn't exactly needed, Britain has four parties in parliament with first past the post). The current two party system isn't a healthy political environment. 3) Make some cuts to your military budget. It's pretty extreme at the moment, and when you need to save money it's a lot of money to be untouchable. 4) Have some way of making your politicians accountable to their country, not just their constituency. As it currently stands your politicians try and earmark as much money for pet projects in their area as possible, no matter the cost to the country. |
Very good post, Rath, and I agree 100%.
#1 is a very hard issue, because there is no simple one-shot answer for fixing healthcare costs. We have a lot of issues with our system, and everyone - doctors, patients, government, and insurance companies all share part of the blame, but never want to shoulder any burden.
Realilistically, to fix the system, we have to deal with all aforementioned parties. We have to break up the AMA, which is the doctor's union, which decides what it takes to practice in the US. Our doctors have the most insane standards when compared to any developed nation (8 years 4 years residency to become a doctor vs. 6-8 in every other country). That translates to much higher costs, as doctors have less years to earn their income and pay off student loans (much the same reason why every field that requires a doctorate is incredibly costly in the US). Patients must have a stake in the system, or else they will continue to enjoy the benefits of obesity without the faults of it. Obesity is linked with much higher costs of health care, so its no wonder we spend more. The government requires massive amounts of compliance for medicare, and pegs services at whatever they decide, which can raise prices, and stifles competition. Finally, insurance companies aren't required to compete for individual health plans, as the government gives significant subsidies to companies offering health care. This is bad, because health care should not be pegged to your work, but yourself, and our system discourages individual competition.
#2 will happen, I think. Voters are dissatisfied with both parties at an all-time high. Its just a matter of someone coming out of the woodwork with the money to establish a significant 3rd party. I'd wish the Libertarians started coming out in droves, but it hasn't happened yet.
#3. Won't happen until we get someone in office with a pair of balls. Something we've lacked since Clinton. If Johnson or Paul get elected, its a certainty it will happen, which is my hope.
#4. As Kasz said, Republicans have banned earmarks. However, the core of the problem is that Americans are......Quite frankly........Retarded. Average voters cringe at the thought of losing their pension/health care/government jobs/welfare/ect, even when its bankrupting us. We always put the burden on the other party, or effigies of wasteful people, when in reality, its usually those same people that are mooching off the system one way or another. Its sickening, but no one really wants to do what is needed to reform the system. The AARP always uses scare tactics when we try to reform pensions, and its a death warrant for politicians, as the elderly are the biggest US voting bloc.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
