[Info-vax] VSI has released 9.2-1

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 6/19/2023 5:35 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
> I will agree with that, to a point.  What really amazes me is that with 
> 330 million or so people, we cannot find even one better than the last 
> 2.  And it's looking worse each day.
> 
> Just remember, we got Trump because the Democrats were leaning way too 
> far left.  He is their fault.  Can't we find anyone in the middle.

You can probably find some people in the middle.

But getting them elected may be difficult.

The US inherited the winner takes all from the British.
Most votes in a house district get the seat - other votes
doesn't count. Most votes in the state for senate get the
seat - other votes doesn't count. Most votes in the state
for president (for most states) get all electors. That
system tend to lead to a two party system. Small parties
do not have many chances.

On top of that the US got the public primaries. To
become a candidate for one of the two parties the
potential candidates need to get most votes from
the registered voters for that party (if closed primary,
which is still very common). That favors candidates
that are in the middle of the party's registered voters
over candidates that are in middle of all voters. It tend
to lead to more extreme candidates.

So the system push for a two party system with extreme
candidates.

In many countries in continental Europe there is a
totally different system. Seats in parliament is distributed
to parties according to their share of votes. And at least
some countries got low minimum to get seats.

That makes it easy for new small parties to get in. So it is not
unusual with 5-10 parties in parliament.

And the prime minister is elected by parliament. And a typical
parliament looks like:

right parties
right-center parties
center parties
left-center parties
left parties

and it very often end up that the center parties control who
become prime minister.

And that tend to result in center oriented prime ministers.
Tradition is not for the center parties to get the prime
minister role for themselves, instead they pick someone from
either right-center or left-center that is willing to compromise
over the middle.

That system also has its drawbacks. It often frustrates the
voters that there are so little differences between how
different prime ministers actually govern.

But people in the political center get elected. Almost
every time!

Arne