Actually, it has been a year and a half since the folks started to battle. It should not have been this way and I expect that in the future there will be some changes. That was just Clinton's own personal money, does not include all the donated money or the government available funds. No biggy, the Clintons have gone from in debt when they left the presidency to over 100 million wealth in just a few years. I wonder how they did this so quickly.



What is the biggest difference between the two types of government? Best I can see is that one type includes a hereditary figure, Royalty, and a Republic does not. The other differences are just in how the government is established to operate. In the US we have a rather complex setup in that the power starts at the bottom. Local elections decide local issues. Each state is pretty much on it's own and directs it territory. Then finally, the federal government is supposed to manage the states in such a way that the unity is preserved. This is where 'pass ports' and security issues take precedence over state rules.



Our civil war was partly over states rights, the slavery issue being a big part of the problem. Federal said no slavery and some states did not agree.



Not my choice as I don't live in Australia. Which ever way you choose must be your choice.



EDIT: To add this comment.



The US elections shambles has not happened. This was actually only the Democrat party deciding who they would select to be their candidate. The actual election won't take place for a few months yet. This has just been the primary type work to decide who gets to run for the office. Each party will, or has, gone through this effort first and then their candidate will be posted for election. Now the election debates will begin followed by the election in November. It is hard to tell how many parties will actually be on the main ballot. We know for sure the two main parties, Republican and Democrat. But there will likely be others as well.

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Always interesting to read your viewpoint Bobagain.

And I for one, have been fascinated following the battle between Clinton and Obama. Fascinated also to see and hear Obama described as black, as he is not full blood from all accounts. (Reminds me of many of the Aboriginal activists here, who are not full blood.)

I would be very concerned if the Democrats win the election.

I heard a report that Obama would win if an election were held now.

We now have Labor in every State here in Australia, with a Labor Federal Govt. Britain has a Labor govt as well.

Strange that Russia and China are moving toward capitalism, away from Socialism. And we are moving rapidly toward socialism.



Edited to add:

I hope we don't become a republic in my lifetime. We have one of the best systems in the world, and I think some people have allowed their personal opinion of some members of the Royal Family to colour their view.

Thanks Bobagain,

Guess I didn't name the post very good as "Election Shambles". How many different political parties are there in the USA. Presidential Elections? We only seem to hear of the Republicans and Democrats.

Thanks Bobagain,

Guess I didn't name the post very good as "Election Shambles". How many different political parties are there in the USA. Presidential Elections? We only seem to hear of the Republicans and Democrats.





There really are several parties registered. We only hear of the two biggest mainly because the others are so small that they do not make news. Occasionally one of the smaller groups will take enough votes to make it possible for one or the other of the main parties could say 'they caused us to lose'. I don't know how they can really say that as the votes are silent so there is no real way to know.



Here is a link to the registered parties. Sometimes the link is too slow and won't connect. But I just tried again and it linked OK.





http://politics1.com/parties.htm



DIRECTORY OF

U.S. POLITICAL PARTIES

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Koko, you are very right. His mother was white.



There really is much concern about the voter base for Obama. Hillary had a stronger support in polls than Obama, not much but stronger. And now McCain is having trouble getting higher polls than Obama. McCain is have a lot of problems trying to win centrist and swing voters and still maintain the conservative.



There is a lot of concern in the US with the direction we seem to be going too. We have a lot of folks that seem to want to destroy the US life style entirely. We have the enviro's that don't seem to care if they destroy the worlds economy, the socialist that want to sit on their bums and get life necessities handed to them, and the secular progressives that want to take religion right out of the US. All these things actually go against the intent of our forefathers and the constitution they put together.



I hope McCain can get enough folks to wake up and win the election. I would have preferred that another person would have gotten the Republican nomination. So we are at the position of choosing the lessor of two evils. But at least he won't fit the charge that he is a continuation of the Bush ways. Which some think has been a bad thing.

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Hi bobagain,

Had a quick look at the web-site. Have to go back when I've got more time. Like Australia you seem to have a few "crank" parties, but some have well known names connected with them.

G'day Bobagain. It sounds like you are a republican but would you care to comment on the following --

Do you think Hillary shot herself in the foot with that porkie about coming under fire getting off her plane in Afghanistan or Iraq (cant remember which).

Do you think people compared/remembered back to when her husband told a porkie? when he 'never had sexual relations with that woman' (young Monica L)

I think, from press reports, McCain is portrayed as more of the same old and (as reported) with the US is on the brink of a recession, it will take an astute president to turn things around.

Do you think he has what it takes?

This makes interesting reading



http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/ownwords.asp

At the democratic convention in Denver last night Baraks wife made the point ,hopefully convincingly, that she loves America, Im sure all americans, republicans and democrats are pleased to be assured of that in view she might become the first lady. Hillary's turn tonght that should be interesting. All the comments about different countries election processes and costs involved makes it all very interesting and we in Australia add our own spice with the preferential and compulsory voting and up to however many weeks before we know a true result.......... Funny world aint it.

The "U.S. Election shambles" that most concerns me is this particular period in time. I dont pretend to know enough of U.S.politics to comment on the candidates, but the United States is the worlds great military, economic and political "Superpower". At this time, The incumbent "Bush" is seen to be very much in the "Lame Duck" period of his presidency and is reluctant to make decisions or take initiatives which will effect his successor. The New President must be elected and subsequently inaugurated.

Many regimes around the world see this time as a period of weakness and indecision for the U.S. and seek to make significant gains for their agenda's . I believe that is why we see an upsurge in political instability, military aggression and terrorism around the globe at election time for America.

Thank you for this interesting topic and the links. I have always been amazed at the processes involved in electing the President of the U.S.A. and now I understand a lot more than previously. Maybe it's just the way the process has been portrayed by the Australian media, but it has always seemed to me to be a lot of rhetoric without much substance. That sounds familiar doesn't it????? One thing that does bother me though is the comments about Obama's colour - what has that got to do with anything. Each candidate should be elected based on his/her ability to do the job and their partys' policies. Then everyone keeps their fingers crossed that the winner will achieve at least 10% of what was promised.