Oh, I'm more familiar and confused by various European systems then I like to be, I made an effort to figure them out and keep up while I was stationed in Germany, I eventually gave up in favor of the newspaper with the naked chicks in it. Between language and culture barrier I gave of up on trying to figure out anyone besides the UK.
Thanks to some helpful direction from Legolas it now seems to me the federal approach in Europe generally and Norway particularly is not that "foreign" to Americans (see what I did there? 
) The mechanics are very different in many cases, but the objective is nearly the same, and involves a certain degree of apportionment by region as well as population. My biggest concern, that national proportional representation denied non-urban citizens their own federal representatives, seems to be groundless.
) The mechanics are very different in many cases, but the objective is nearly the same, and involves a certain degree of apportionment by region as well as population. My biggest concern, that national proportional representation denied non-urban citizens their own federal representatives, seems to be groundless.I don't think any of the countries there have identical systems anyway, anymore than the states do but with even more diversity of structure.
After that we are just back to debating whether the head of government should be chosen by a direct popular vote or by popularly elected representatives, and it is rather ridiculous for people using the latter method to criticize America for not doing the former. Charity begins at home, and all that.
Criticizing American politics is a planetary pastime particularly popular in Europe. I don't think it would really matter if they had legitimate grounds or not. Mostly, for us, it comes down to not wanting a single person with a lot of power in charge and not in a position to grab more, no kings, if POTUS or his foreign equivalent is the only person elected by the entire country in a totally popular vote it's very hard to resist slow power grabs, alternatively one elected by the legislature really can't grab power but my also be fairly useless as a check on them. I like our reasonably balanced method of doing that, not perfect but what is?
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
Now That Romney Is Officially the Republican Presidential Nominee: Pick the President! 
- 29/02/2012 08:29:02 PM
1261 Views
- 29/02/2012 08:29:02 PM
1261 Views
I agree Romney will be the candidate.
- 29/02/2012 08:54:52 PM
655 Views
I would say the math favors Romney over Obama, but it will probably be close either way.
- 01/03/2012 03:37:52 PM
701 Views
I have never understood the point of the Electoral College.
- 29/02/2012 11:39:11 PM
702 Views
You don't think like a politician then 
- 01/03/2012 12:38:36 AM
745 Views
- 01/03/2012 12:38:36 AM
745 Views
I certainly hadn't considered much of that. I'm glad you posted it. *NM*
- 01/03/2012 07:15:03 AM
314 Views
I also have not seen most of that mentioned in the popular vs. electoral debate.
- 01/03/2012 02:34:31 PM
630 Views
a bit simplistic and unrealistic
- 02/03/2012 11:44:02 PM
672 Views
When illustrating a point realism is not required and simplicity is a plus
- 03/03/2012 03:04:26 AM
689 Views
I have a couple quibbles.
- 03/03/2012 05:23:46 AM
716 Views
Oh, certainly, I'm over-generalizing but I was already getting long-winded
- 03/03/2012 06:52:04 AM
676 Views
What a bunch of waffle!
- 03/03/2012 10:47:19 AM
820 Views
Also I don't like this refrain that implies only the POTUS vote matters
- 03/03/2012 03:29:58 AM
833 Views
IMHO, parliaments choosing prime ministers is LESS democratic than the electoral college.
- 03/03/2012 05:57:41 AM
633 Views
Re: IMHO, parliaments choosing prime ministers is LESS democratic than the electoral college.
- 03/03/2012 07:02:30 AM
670 Views
*is learning*
- 04/03/2012 09:49:42 PM
662 Views
Re: *is learning*
- 04/03/2012 09:56:16 PM
676 Views
Re: *is learning*
- 05/03/2012 12:08:08 AM
716 Views
You could imitate the French.
- 07/03/2012 10:40:16 PM
649 Views
- 07/03/2012 10:40:16 PM
649 Views
That seems... unlikely....
- 08/03/2012 03:03:54 PM
650 Views
- 08/03/2012 03:03:54 PM
650 Views
It does, doesn't it?
- 08/03/2012 06:11:08 PM
848 Views
- 08/03/2012 06:11:08 PM
848 Views
After I thought about it more, I realized France and the US are not so different in that respect.
- 08/03/2012 08:51:03 PM
625 Views
More similar than the other major Western democracies at least, agreed.
- 08/03/2012 09:32:55 PM
604 Views
I did not realize lack of a parliamentary majority dictated his cabinet.
- 09/03/2012 12:27:31 AM
684 Views
I don't know much about Norwegian politics, but you seem to be wrong.
- 03/03/2012 06:18:08 PM
689 Views
Do you happen to have that link, please?
- 03/03/2012 06:46:31 PM
566 Views
Sure.
- 03/03/2012 06:58:07 PM
740 Views
Guess we did not read far enough.
- 03/03/2012 10:38:07 PM
683 Views
Yeah, you have to know a few things about European politics...
- 03/03/2012 11:49:44 PM
887 Views
Hey, man, I am an AMERICAN: I do not HAVE to know ANYTHING! 
- 04/03/2012 11:46:57 PM
906 Views
- 04/03/2012 11:46:57 PM
906 Views
Re: Yeah, you have to know a few things about European politics...
- 05/03/2012 06:56:24 AM
684 Views
The thing is, regions often have national relevance far greater than their populations would suggest
- 05/03/2012 10:21:26 AM
631 Views
Re: Yeah, you have to know a few things about European politics...
- 08/03/2012 07:11:12 PM
634 Views
Many valid reasons, including those Isaac cited.
- 02/03/2012 02:26:37 AM
784 Views
Most states are ignored anyway
- 02/03/2012 11:56:12 PM
860 Views
Only because and to the extent they have already committed themselves.
- 03/03/2012 03:41:39 AM
709 Views
Why would we do something logical? Dude, you're utterly ridiculous. *NM*
- 05/03/2012 04:53:38 PM
373 Views
I'm kind of sad- does this mean Santorum won't be providing wonderful sound bites anymore?
- 01/03/2012 02:22:31 PM
624 Views
Romney or Obama, either way, America loses. *NM*
- 02/03/2012 01:10:26 AM
448 Views
Hard to dispute that either; six of one, half a dozen of the other.
- 02/03/2012 01:38:07 AM
605 Views
I'd agree hope and change was extremely unrealistic
- 02/03/2012 11:58:57 PM
603 Views
Well, you know my story there; I voted for Obama and got Hillary (at best.)
- 03/03/2012 01:43:20 AM
618 Views
Update: Despite rules requiring they be split, the MI GOP is giving Romney BOTH statewide delegates.
- 02/03/2012 11:10:56 PM
704 Views
Romney is damaged
- 02/03/2012 11:27:33 PM
619 Views
Obama is rather damaged also; it will probably come down to FL and OH, yet again.
- 03/03/2012 02:23:53 AM
724 Views
I'm hoping for Rubio as VP... then FL probably won't matter
- 03/03/2012 04:28:08 AM
606 Views
You should put that on your license plates.
- 03/03/2012 06:41:34 AM
728 Views
- 03/03/2012 06:41:34 AM
728 Views
And what are you basing all of this on?
- 03/03/2012 09:54:06 PM
719 Views
The closeness of several states when Obama was far more popular, and UTs heavily Mormon neighbors.
- 03/03/2012 11:44:06 PM
674 Views
Wrong
- 04/03/2012 08:08:56 AM
790 Views
Higher turnout magnifies the Mormon effect.
- 04/03/2012 08:08:09 PM
829 Views
Your reasoning is flawed and if you can't see it there is no hope for you
- 05/03/2012 11:39:04 PM
735 Views
Yeah, I think we had that conversation already, several times, in fact.
- 07/03/2012 05:36:45 AM
571 Views
Do you have any knowledge of statistics at all?
- 07/03/2012 09:04:15 PM
735 Views
I hate this message board
- 07/03/2012 09:06:30 PM
530 Views
It would probably help if you deleted the stuff from two, three posts back?
- 07/03/2012 09:25:40 PM
646 Views