Oz,

Our system differs from your's in that we directly vote for all our
representative. The President & Vice president, all the member of the
Senate (our upper house), representative to the House of Congress
(our lower house) Governors and other local officials, and local laws.

None of our reps are appointed. You vote for a party, the after the
election a party leader is selected to form government (Prime Minister)

Our system is more complicated but is more democratic. We also have a
time limit when or officials most face elections

Hope this helps you to understnd our system. I have a naturalize
american/ dutch friend and haven't been able to make him understand.
YET!

Ole Thom

In article , Thom
Stewart wrote:

Oz,

Our system differs from your's in that we directly vote for all our
representative. The President & Vice president, all the member of the
Senate (our upper house), representative to the House of Congress
(our lower house) Governors and other local officials, and local laws.

Hmmm. We vote for a local representative based on population. We vote
for candidates running for the Senate, elected 'at large' for each
State & territory. We elect local council members and state govt reps,
both lower & upper houses in most states.

None of our reps are appointed. You vote for a party, the after the
election a party leader is selected to form government (Prime Minister)

No we don't vote for a party at all. We vote for individuals who may be
members of a party - usually are. Exactly the same as your guys being a
Dem or a Rep. The elected members choose the Prime Minister.

Our system is more complicated but is more democratic.

No it's about the same, you just don't understand how our system works.

Also you don't really vote for a President - well you do, but the
electoral college actually selects him. He's not directly elected. This
isn't much if any different from how our system works in practice.
Think about it.

PDW

In article et,
Maxprop wrote:

OzOne wrote in message

Here in Oz, voting is compulsory.

Dictatorial, totalitarian state?

Don't display the appalling state of American education quite so
blatantly.

PDW

"Peter Wiley" wrote in message

In article et,
Maxprop wrote:

OzOne wrote in message

Here in Oz, voting is compulsory.

Dictatorial, totalitarian state?

Don't display the appalling state of American education quite so
blatantly.

I promise I won't if you'll lighten up a bit when faced with blatant,
obvious sarcasm.

Max

OzOne wrote in message

We have much in common....except that I don't believe guns are the
answer to the worlds problems.

Oh, you just had to bring up that issue, dincha?

Max

OzOne wrote
All done ....on a Saturday so most are available.

On a bloody Saturday! My day of R&R? Who ever came up with that idea!?! I
hope an emu kicks hi dunnie down with him in it! Whadda ya expect of limeys
who stand upside down all day?

In article , OzOne wrote:

On Thu, 4 Nov 2004 21:50:10 -0500, "Scott Vernon"
scribbled thusly:

Do we really want non voters to be forced to vote? How many would
simply close their eyes and touch the screen, just to satisfy a stupid
law? Too many stupid voters and we'll have a Dem in the office.

Scotty

That's always been the argument here....but it just doesn't happen.

Hey, Howard got re-elected. You mean people knew what they were doing?
Time the ALP developed some policies & got rid of the apparatchiks
then.

PDW

Do we really want non voters to be forced to vote? How many would
simply close their eyes and touch the screen, just to satisfy a stupid
law? Too many stupid voters and we'll have a Dem in the office.

Yeah! And a zeero deficit.

RB