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Nem on 28 July 2017
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sc94597 said:
Nem said:

This is a symptom. The disease is the electoral system.

The US needs to be democratic, the person with the most votes should win and there should be more parties.

Majoritarian democracy is not the only form of democracy. Consensus democracy is just as (if not more) democratic. The U.S has a system that is designed for decentralized politics, but currently the major parties are fighting for centralized power. There is pretty much direct democracy at the local level where communities have control over police, education, public goods, etc, representative majoritarian democracy at the state level, and consensus democracy at the central government level. 

If the state switched from a first past the post system for the presidency or we abolished the presidency and switched it with a Swiss-esque directory, American politics would be even more consensus based, and even more palatable. Basically Switzerland is the perfect example of how the American system can work with less focus on the presidency, strong cantonal/state power, direct democracy, and limited central powers all balancing one another. 

I personally would rather if the office of presidency (or a directory of presidents) became less majoritarian. Congress or the state governors could vote for him. Too much focus is put on presidential politics, and not the legislatures. 

I am totally in favor of that. In Portugal for example, the President doesn't have any executive power and calls forth the leader of the most voted party to form government. This government won't pass without having a majority in the parliment, wich often means alliances must be made.

In the US model, these consensus are not necessary because it's either one party or the other that has the majority in the senate and the president actually has executive powers. Though with that said, i was having issue with the electoral college system wich is think is very anti-democratic. When electing someone in democracy, every vote has to weight the same regardless of who you are and where in the country you live (aslong as old enough). That is what i find most offensive about the system. Just because i don't consider it democratic.