On Sat, 18 Oct 2008 23:33:13 +0100 Raph Frank wrote:
On Sat, Oct 18, 2008 at 8:54 PM, Dave Ketchum <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
In FPTP parties NEED primaries - a party cannot afford to divide its
members' votes among multiple candidates.
Well, in the UK, the party leadership decides who the candidates are.
Ministers are generally assigned to safe seats for example.
A DISASTER! Mechanics become difficult. Voters cannot learn enough of all
to sort them out. Etc.
A party with sufficient voters can reasonably nominate a candidate.
Makes sense for a reasonable sized group of voters to nominate a
candidate without formally getting involved in parties for this.
As to losers - they chose to try for party backing and got rejected - not
the same as someone who only got approval outside the parties.
Well, there is a balance between having hundreds of candidates and
having only two.
The ballot access laws should allow sincere candidates to stand.
How do we measure 'sincere'? In most places in the US N backers place a
candidate on a party primary ballot, and N2 (usually a larger number)
directly on the general election ballot. Also voters can usually vote for
others via write-in. N and N2 NEED to be based on the number of potential
nominators and getting a 'reasonable' quantity of candidates.
Party leadership may also place candidates on the primary ballot (no
need for primary election if only one candidate, though voters can demand a
primary to provide for possible write-ins).
Intent is to prevent large states from swamping small states.
Having two houses is a standard thought - single houses too easily wander
into stupid thoughts.
Right, and also, it is recommended that they are elected in different
manners. If both Houses use the same electorate and method, then they
are copies of each other.
--
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Dave Ketchum 108 Halstead Ave, Owego, NY 13827-1708 607-687-5026
Do to no one what you would not want done to you.
If you want peace, work for justice.
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