I am getting tired of people here talking about the amazing virtues of the German Model of boring politics...

A fierce debate in how society should conduct itself is healthy...

There are other models that work just as well or even better...

The Canadian model allows for debate and disagreement and we have a normal country that is consistently ranked above Germany as a great place to live.

The idea that you must have always have a  consensus centrist coalition and no actual serious disagreements is rather boring.

Here in Canada, the major split is left vs right and it is a true contrast of ideas and direction for the country and gives people a clear choice.

For example, the choice would be yes to more refugees or no to more refugees in the next election between the two main parties and that causes a lot of debate, anger and division but people have a clear choice.

Imo I find many people dont like direct democracy as they think the avg voter is stupid and uneducated which imo is an elitist statement. 

I do think for major issues like Brexit or changing the constitution and such things there should be referendums.

Having leaders who get like 30% of the vote deciding such issues is far less democratic. 

"A true contrast of ideas" not really, the Liberals continued many of the policies the Conservatives did, and both parties are going to accept refugees, the main difference would be on how many.

Well, as far as I have heard, some anthropologists (I think that's the study group) think thay we're at the brink of a collapse of western civilization anyway. They don't think it'll be like the Dark Ages, but it will definitely mark the end of the US's global dominance. Of course, they say that could happen as soon as 2050 or as late as 2150. But they're noticing the signs that typically show when a society is about to fall. But anyway, when it does inevitably occur -the US is one of the last places you wanna be. 

Nothing will change if it ends up just being a passing of the crown like it was with England to the US. 

How ironic...a country of immigrants complaining about immigration.

Also islamists != Muslims. It's incredible how people from a once so 'free' country can be so narrow minded and xenophobic.

Much more of a real choice then in Germany imo..

Oddly Muslims in the United States and Canada are likely wealthier and successful than in Germany and France likely...

lol

Bringing in a ton of them and putting them into low-income poverty areas without much social mobility as we see in France and likely the future in Germany is rather narrow-minded and xenophobic.. 

It appears to have been planned before. I believe it's a good thing when more moderate people like Petry split from the openly far right and racist parts of the party. I could say I'd hope the party to kill itself but tbh I think all parts of the country should be represented in the Bundestag even if we don't agree with their opinions...as long as they're not openly racist of course since that would be against the German constitutional law.

What makes you think you know anything about Muslims in Gernany?! We have a lot of wealthy and successful Muslims over here. And a lot of hard working ones too. Stop generalising and listening to Trump please.

And for god's sake... let us deal with our problems please. 

Agreed.

Also, if some say people are too stupid to decide politics, they basically argue against democracy at all. I don't understand how that is an argument against direct democracy but not against representative democracy. It just makes no sense.

Besides there is a simple solution: the political parties should be instructed by the constitution, that they have the duty to educate people about politics. Simple solutions to the perceived problem that the voters are too uneducated to decide political issues.