Presidential Candidates

[haasd0gg]

I already posted this, but it really wasn't in line with the discussion at hand.
Does anyone have thoughts on this? How does the average joe make himself heard over the reps and dems? Over any party for that er?

Every year we have this (no tags for the site, sorry);

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/154582/debate-2004


Every year...
The reality could be so much broader. There are 415 candidates. I'm sure, right off the bat, you could cut 80-90% right out as unqualified or insane. What if one of them was exactly what our country needs? We will never know because we won't see him on TV.

http://www.fec.gov/press/press2011/presidential_form2nm.shtml[/quote]

[(=DK=)Samonuh]

Gary Johnson is polling a steady 6%, but the debate committee still refuses to allow him to be in the debates because of the ridiculous 15% rule. How can a candidate outside the two party system possibly hope to gather 15% UNLESS they are in the debates? It's a 2 party dictatorship.

[11_Panama_]

That's why I think the voting process is a sham. You really don't vote for the candidate of your choosing, you vote for the candidates given. And if you're not a part of the two party system....you will never be known as a serious candidate. Selective democracy.

[Yanoda]

Cheers

Yanoda

[MATTHEW'S_DAD]

Lol@ron paul. That was funny.

[Darth Crater]

I already posted this, but it really wasn't in line with the discussion at hand.
Does anyone have thoughts on this? How does the average joe make himself heard over the reps and dems? Over any party for that er?

Vote in the election. This gets you one "bit" of decison-making power - you're deciding between 2 people.
Vote in a primary. This gets you a few more "bits".
Get an organized group, and make your desires known to your representatives. Look at what happened when SOPA threatened the internet - enough pressure can override the usual partisanship.

I don't really see any easy way to remove ourselves from the two-party system. Even if one party fragments, the other party will just move in to take over the gap until a large enough single group bands together to challenge them. There's too much entrenchment in the upper levels, and "sports team" mentality in the people, to break us out of this.

Still, it could be a lot worse. At least we regularly perform peaceful transitions of power,we have a choice of who to vote for, our votes actually get counted, and leaders are somewhat accountable to the people.

[Duel of Fates]

Rodney 2012

[Brazosgrad]

I already voted. I just want it over with, off my tv, out of my forums, and in a lesser loser's hands.

[WD-40]

That's why I think the voting process is a sham. You really don't vote for the candidate of your choosing, you vote for the candidates given. And if you're not a part of the two party system....you will never be known as a serious candidate. Selective democracy.

Actually, Ross Perot was considered a pretty 'serious' candidate. So much so, that he seriously [m'kay] up Bush 41's re-election chances. So it has happened at least once.

[CommanderOtto]

Rodney 2012

lmao!! I have not seen that guy for centuries.