Strangeness in America

[The Kaiser]

America pretty much has a two party system, yes you get the third party candidates, but as Kang said (or maybe Kudos) "go ahead, throw away your vote! hahahahaha!"

Now the thing that striked me after reading arguments between some Americans is they seem to have system where everyone can be divided into either pro-abortion, pro-freedom, anti-religion "Democrats" or anti-everything new, pro-religious "Republicans".

Now the sources I have read were probably totally unfair cross-sections of the American public, but the conversations went something like:

"Hey, I just bought a cat."

"That's nice"

"(Argument X or Random Bible Quote) proves God doesn't exist! Christians suck! You should all die you warmongering bastards!"

"Heathen! Sinner! People let us renew our faith in the lord and pray that the unclean one might be thrown into the pit of fire and brimstone!"

"Son of a Bitch! Abortion is right, the freedom's of the mother are most important! You're just brain-wahsed you Nazi bastard"

"Anti-Christ! The abortion doctors should be hung and spat upon! Thrown from the community of God! No torture is equal for their crime for the Lord sayeth (Random Bible Quote)"

"You cock-face! Stop oppressing me with your religious crap!"

"I'm saving your soul child, but if you will not be saved you will be burned on that stake so we might purify you!"

"Evolution"

"Creation"

"Republican Whore!"

"Democrat Scum!"
etc etc

I once thought it was just a minority, but it seemingly is becoming more and more common and really starting to look like the dominant trend.

But the thing is, can someone reassure me their are more moderates in America other than the 0.17% that voted for Ralph Nader?

[LordTerrible]

Wow, at I'd love danish debates to be like that. At least they're exciting! We have something called DK4, a channel which mostly transmits debates live from teh folketing (place where minister-guys are). Now that is just some boring p00. They still insult eachother grossly though, but always in a very respectful tone.

"Thanks to Minister A for the delightful sharing of his wisdom. I must disagree however, with the reasoning that he, while seemingly intelligent, is dumber than a teaspoon and eats small children while we aren't looking."

[Bludgeonman]

Heh, English politics is blissfully free of religion, so in that respect it's more like Danish politics.

Some guy: "I would like to bring to the House's attention that Mr.Speaker was caught with a ballot box in his second country home, where he has five hundred voters registered!"

Ministers on the Benches: "Yeeaar! Uraaarr! Mrrueeaaah! <other nondescript jeering>"

Mr.Speaker: "I have a large family, something that the accuser wouldn't appreciate seeing as he is widely regarded as infertile!"

Ministers: "Yeeaar! Uraaarr! Mrrueeaah! <even more jeering>"

...and so on until we have a law that somehow victimises students, men or white people. Mind you, the recent...events...in London will no doubt bring a change to that little cookie.

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Back on topic - as Kang (or Kodos) said, many Americans will view a non-Democrat-or-Republican vote as a wasted one, and therefore will not bother. It is the same reason that the Liberal Democrats lose each election - people see it as a wasted vote, thereby perpetuating a vicious circle.

[The Kaiser]

bludgeonman said:

Ministers: "Yeeaar! Uraaarr! Mrrueeaah! <even more jeering>"

That is the most accurate way I have seen the jeering in the House of Commons ever written ;D I can just hear the "Mrrueeaah"

But exchanges between politicians can be awful. I saw a debate between two senators that went something like:

"Well yes, ignoring what you just said and taking only my points into consideration, along with the fact that I'm actually the father of your children, then I see that the only logical conclusion is that I am right, and your mother was man."