>>Between the Electoral College, Vote aggregation (block voting by state), Huge campaign funding requirements, large corporate contributions, and voter fraud, and incompetent management of the elections our democracy has become a joke.
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>I'm not laughing.
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>Suppose, for a moment, that what both parties say about each other was true. Then they should both be swept away by rightful indignation of the people at the next election, and replaced by... what? And how?
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>What does the system provide for free forming and growth of other parties (apart from security detail for any party which may be in danger of being labeled as pink)? What are the chances of a third party ever becoming viable here? Fourth, fifth?

No doubt it is a smelly business - but are more parties really better ?
You have in the US a system oriented strongly on the president, whereas in europe the general trend is more on a parliament based decision making. There are quite a few points making the "limited time dictator" of a president more effective.
But the thing giving me a quesy stomach is the trend in the last few elections to have close relatives aspiring to high office: Kennedy clan, the Bush offspring and now the Clinton household. Couple that with the sentiments that perhaps a third time in office should be allowed again and you are right in the interesting times rome was in transforming to a state ruled by Caesars. (Also I freely admit to nor knowing much about presidential history: Were there other hereditary trends in erlay times? I view FDR's reign from new deal to WWII as a very special case, not as the start of this trend, but won't argue<g>)

But if you look at the european trend of "italianizing" by needing to always form a coalition government, does it really look better to your eyes ? Never a clear majority, even "big coalitions" having to compromize and just because they have a safe margin in seats be supposed to make a difference? Couple that with the trend to give even more power to the EU where there is NO clear leadership (many countries sending a few people from their parties to EU parliament) but mainly bureocrats. Not if you look at budget deficits - and by failing in this area the current american prez shows his failings more clearly to me than in the Iraq debacle.

P.S. In "my" system you as as taxpayer would have at least a partial vote in one house<bg>.

regards

thomas