[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >From what I understand, in the parliamentary system such as Canada, you > vote for the party whose policies you agree with, and then expect your MP > to vote in Parliament in a manner that is for the good of the country. > > In the USA you vote for an individual and he'd better vote the way YOU > want or you throw him or her out at the next election -- and they all know > that, which is why no one will take a stand on anything even remotely as > controversial as metrication.
I have heard this assertion before and I enjoy educated discussions of cultural nuance. In the UK you definitely vote for the person and they do stand or fall on personal activity. However, they are part of the party and are viewed as such. I have recently been watching the US TV show C-Span where they have political guests and the public get to phone in. I noticed that not only do they have a 'Republican phone number' and a 'Democratic phone number' but that the discussions run along predictable lines according to the affiliation of the caller and the guest. For example there was a lot of ad hominem criticism 'your idea is bad because you are a [enter party here]' rather than 'your idea is bad because of [logic]'. I do enjoy the show and it is quite different from UK politics. I was keen to watch out for evidence of this point that was raised about the US having more individuality of politicians versus party allegiance compared to the UK but could see none. I am still open about it though.
