Choice 2012

You can watch the debates, but for an interesting insight that won't be in the debate, watch the PBS Frontline special.

Watch The Choice 2012 on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

Click here for the full video.

Trouble with Elections in America

DRAFT, Check Back

Last Updated 10/16/12 12:10 AM

I'll have some comments, but I wanted to get this video list out...

Practical Problems

Voting Block Party Platform Voting

Systemic Problems

As if all the practical problems aren't bad enough, our election system, when you view just the facts has many problems, so many problems, there's a YouTube Channel for it, that I highly recommend...   CGPGrey  He does other interesting videos too, but here are the ones related to election processes.

See these videos:

The Problems with First Past the Post Voting Explained
Our method is closest to this, but its main problem is it devolves to a two party system with many voters not happy with either party causing an alternating power between the tow parties with neither one being liked by most people.

The Alternative Vote Explained
This method makes a slight improvement to the past first post method in that a third party can actually gain power without becoming a spoiler, thus allowing for productive evolution of politics beyond the two party system.

Mixed-Member Proportional Representation Explained 
This is an interesting method that allows parties to be properly represented to overcome spoiler voting.

Gerry Mandering is a century old way that we have corrupted the election process.  See the following videos.
Gerrymandering Explained 

Multiple Party Gerrymandering

The Shortest-Splitline Algorithm: a Gerrymandering Solution


Tne following videos show how our antiquated system with its bizarre oddities can deprive the public of the will of the majority.

Primary Elections Explained

How the Electoral College Works

The Trouble with the Electoral College

What If the Presidential Election is a Tie?

US Military Role in the World

What is the purpose of the US military?

To protect its citizens?
To defend against Communism?
To protect national interests (oil)?  
To spread democracy?

With the recent failures of communism we've moved to policing the world.

Did our founding fathers envision this as a suitable pursuit?

Is it patriotic to pursue being the world's policeman, or is it arrogant?

Mitt said he'd increase the military by $2 T without them asking.  This will surely ring well with certain crowds who feed on patriotic machismo and bravado  and it will be great news to defense contractors everywhere, but is it the right priority for limited resources?

Besides the bills and dead citizens, what rewards are there for being the world's police?  Do we get a break on oil prices for saving Kuwait facilitating a near eutopian society that has no taxes, free education to PhD level, free health care, etc. ?  No, we don't even get their oil exploration contracts that they've mainly awarded to China.

Check out an interesting film on this very topic.

http://theworldwithoutus.com/index.htm
http://theworldwithoutus.com/theworldwithoutus_trailer_1HQ.htm
http://theworldwithoutus.com/theworldwithoutus_trailer_2HQ.htm

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_World_Without_Us/70104222?trkid=8379860
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1223900/