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American Election

Posted by jonnyontheball • 5/16/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Tags: american, election, politics, usa

Now then, I do not normally do politics, but on this occasion I will venture there. I do have a question...

Why is the American election taking so long? Does anyone know? I think when they finally elect someone, it will be time to start all over again!!... or is it just me?

www.jonnyontheball.blogspot.com

User Comments

5/16/08

Shiley

We have people from republican party, democratic party, and independent party. It will keep going until Obama or Clinton give in then It will be between a republican (John McCain) or a democrat and they will take over the office in January of next year I believe.

[reply]
1. 5/16/08
  
  jonnyontheball
  
  The World has gone mad. In this day and age with computers this should be done and dusted much much quicker...
2. 5/16/08
  
  Shiley
  
  I guess you have a different calander system. For us it will be 2008.
3. 5/26/08
  
  jonnyontheball
  
  Ha ha ha ha...... sorry I've now flipped..
5/26/08

richrf

Because the stakes are so high (money and power), the money is so available, and the U.S. is probably in its worse economic and political shape in 80 years. 81% if Americans think that the U.S. is on the wrong track, an unprecedented number.

[reply]
1. 6/03/08
  
  jonnyontheball
  
  OK
5/26/08

markstoneman

What makes the American process take longer than many others is our system of having primary elections first and then the main event. Right now the Republican and Democratic parties are busy choosing their candidates. Instead of just deciding at their conventions this summer, though, they ask the electorate what it thinks. Since we have a federal system, they ask in each state, which holds a caucus or primary of its own. That takes time, not least because the candidates can't campaign in 50 states simultaneously.

[reply]
5/26/08

neoauteur

I'm starting to despise the primary process as well as both parties (the Democrats especially.) As a newly registered independent, I have decided to bypass all these stuff and just write in my favorite candidate (whether that person actually runs in November or not.)

[reply]
1. 5/26/08
  
  markstoneman
  
  So you'd rather protest than help pick the next president. That's your good right, of course.
2. 5/26/08
  
  neoauteur
  
  Actually, I will help pick the next president. My vote would have been given to the candidate of a particular party (I hate to even mention its name), but now there will be one less vote for that person.
5/26/08

cooper

It's not taking any longer than usual it will go off right on schedule. It's the fact of them starting to campaign way to earlier which is the problem.

[reply]
1. 5/26/08
  
  markstoneman
  
  Yeah. Everyone wanting to compete with Iowa and New Hampshire sure didn't help things.
5/26/08

failureblogger

That's exactly what i'm thinking.

But who are yall voting for?

I think it's pretty obvious who i'm voting for!

failureblogger-16 year old blogger

[reply]
5/26/08

jackpayne

And around and around and around we go. The good ol' U.S. of A. is a perpetual election machine. Never stops. I just tune out, selectively, at times...to save my sanity.

[reply]
5/26/08

Anok

As Mark pointed out the election proccess begins with teh primaries, which take so very long for a number of reasons.

The candidates need time to declare they will run, for their respective parties. They then need time to raise money to campaign. They need time to campaign in as many states as possible (hence the staggering of primaries throughout the country) so they can present, in person if they choose, their platforms to their respective party members.

There are debates to be had, campaigns to be financed, and trails to be blazed (and delegates to be won). Then the presidential race begins, where the two main contenders again tour the country, kissing babies, shaking hands, and debating one an another till the final day in November.

[reply]
5/26/08

Donlewis

It's a mechanism to wear the electorate out, thereby making any choice, even a poor one, more palatable than more yammering.

[reply]
5/26/08

rightcommentary

why is it taking so long?

As opposed to what - American Idol?

[reply]
1. 6/16/08
  
  jonnyontheball
  
  Yawn....... zzzzzzzzz.......zzzzz....
5/26/08

mikesilvia

Got news for you; the election hasn't even started yet! You have been watching the party nomination process and the general election hasn't even begun!

[reply]
1. 6/01/08
  
  jonnyontheball
  
  Magic.... the saga continues on and on.....into the night..
6/16/08

saraho

The process used to begin with the party conventions, which this year will be held in August and September, with the election in November. The nominees used to be exclusively chosen by the party reps. Then some states wanted to hold primaries so that the people rather than the politicians could choose their nominees. So we had some primaries in advance of the conventions. It has now gotten to the point that all states have primaries, and further, in their effort to be important, they keep pushing their primaries earlier and earlier. That's the reason it seems so long.

[reply]
1. 6/16/08
  
  jonnyontheball
  
  Thanks for your explaination... and it doesn't seem so long.... IT IS SO LONG... Other countries manage to do it in a fraction of the time... We now have computers not just carrier pigeons !