1. The American Political System
Friday August 26th

2. It’s complicated
American’s don’t understand their own political system
Balance of power has shifted: More power to the president and supreme court and less to congress (which ultimately means less to the people)
Seperation of powers, checks and balances, different term lengths = break on rapid political change
Makes a slow, complicated and legalistic government very unfit for contemporary globalized times.

3. The constitution old and difficult to change
has to be interpreted by the supreme court to make sense in today’s society
Originalism versus a living constitution

4. The Electoral College
The US is the only country in the world that does it like this.
The president might not be the one with the most votes
Bush vs. Al Gore 2000, for example, where the supreme court decided the deal
The founding fathers didn’t want to give too much power to the people. In fact, they specifically designed the constitution to be a republic, NOT a democracy.

5. Two parties only
First-past-the-post, simple majority, winner-take-all; you name it, it means that only two parties can play.
Ralph Nader screwed it up for Al Gore in 2000.
Making a new party is often against your own interest. That’s why Sanders is now supporting Hillary.
Also, nobody else can afford it. It’s costs millions to run a campaign.

6. The US leans to the right
The middle in US politics is significantly right of the middle in for example many European countries.
Red and Blue are switched around
Only 50% turn up for presidential elections
Issues are political in the US that are not politcal in other countries
Religion plays a bigger role in the US

7. Democracy? Really? Plutocracy Crony capitalism Oligarchy
The supreme court decides, and those folks “serve” for life
The 1%
The Electoral College
Only two parties
Low voter turnout
Difficult to vote, and more so for the already disenfranchised

8. Yeah, you still love it The political debate is partisan and bitter
The US is divided in pretty much any way you can think of
Federal shut-down, legislative grid-lock.
Is freakshow such a far-fetched word here?
BUT STILL: American Exceptionalism. The American Dream is impressively pervasive.
And the US is on the decline…