Two very interesting comments on USA’s politics posted on
the discussion forum that follows Paul Krugman’s article, “Rubio and the
Zombies” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/opinion/krugman-rubio-and-the-zombies.html?hp&_r=0
1.
Markus Stokmaier (Germany)
“So the problem I identify is the difficulty
in the US to get new parties established.
I read all that moaning and whining about the huge influence and stability of an anti-intellectual thinking school benefitting in the end only a tiny circle within the top layer of money aristocracy. Wasn't the creation of democracy supposed to relieve modern societies of that worry?
I think the game theory of US elections is outdated. imho, if the discussion were to go to the roots it should be directed to the effects of the "winner-takes-it-all" way of vote counting, the ease within a proportional parliament to let new parties rise, the effectiveness of the mere threat of new parties in enforcing new-fact-acceptance, and the benefits of coalition treaty negotiations in grinding-down of ideologic craziness.
A last point: in a multi-party system some parties can focus on facets of society life, whereas in your two-party system each party is required to offer an all-encompassing philosophy of life. So people vote according to the social environment they grew up in, instead of according to own thinking and vivid discussing with family, friends and colleagues.”
I read all that moaning and whining about the huge influence and stability of an anti-intellectual thinking school benefitting in the end only a tiny circle within the top layer of money aristocracy. Wasn't the creation of democracy supposed to relieve modern societies of that worry?
I think the game theory of US elections is outdated. imho, if the discussion were to go to the roots it should be directed to the effects of the "winner-takes-it-all" way of vote counting, the ease within a proportional parliament to let new parties rise, the effectiveness of the mere threat of new parties in enforcing new-fact-acceptance, and the benefits of coalition treaty negotiations in grinding-down of ideologic craziness.
A last point: in a multi-party system some parties can focus on facets of society life, whereas in your two-party system each party is required to offer an all-encompassing philosophy of life. So people vote according to the social environment they grew up in, instead of according to own thinking and vivid discussing with family, friends and colleagues.”
2.
Terence (Canada)
“Apart from being easy victims of zombie ideas,
Americans have one other attribute: obstinacy. No mind in the United States
ever changes, it seems. Even the most innocuous idea in the press is excoriated
by the most vehement, illogical, insulting comments: this paper being the sole
exception (and I read tens of newspapers each day, and until latterly, the
comments pages). But I digress. These zombie ideas exist because their
perpetrators - congressmen, senators, etc. - have no vested interests in the
consequences. They, if not by the time of their election, certainly after it,
are in the 1 percent, and if they get enough publicity, their stock rises , and
they become rich. So why represent the interests of the little people? There's
nothing in that for them. The way your politics are played out daily, in full
view of the world, is a pathetic demonstration of venality, corruption, and
irresponsibility worthy of any third-world plutocracy: it makes me wince.”
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