presidential election in USA

[FallenAngel]

Yes Indonesia, gone through very tough times during the Asian Economic Meltdown and the IMF screwed her over in many parts of the reformasi framework but it demonstrates that functioning democracy is not incompatible with having a Muslim populus coming out of a long period of dictatorship, The majority practice Abangan is much less strict than the more funamentalist Santri school of Islamic thought, a land of many contrasts with a rich culture and wonderful sights but I digress, one thing with Indonesia is that the party lines are nowhere near as entrenched as GOP/DNC - they had the whole rainbow coalition thing working after Soeharto, it is still taking its steps - the corruption is still there and the millitary wields significant power when it needs too. Basically the US has had over 200 years to get its shit together, Indonesia hasn't had a decade.

Indonesia had 3 parties entrenched since 1971 with one far too strong. Then 2 parties closely compete with each other since 1998- which polled more than 50% of the votes of the elections, and the rest is scattered all over the small and very small parties. The rainbow coalition of the parliament actually has only 2 colors. The president's coalition is actually his cabinet of ppl passes with flying colors on economics and law, but also lots of political appointees. However, it's only been a decade of democratic movement. Indonesia had its first election in 1955 a democratic direct ballot with few offenses if any.

And oh, Indonesia didn't have the privileges not to be invaded by large europeans for 4 centuries, draining all the vast resources and gold and high prices spices which is worse than war because there was no pride and dignity. A system could stay there for ages, not because its perfect, but because it was intentionally difficult to change the constitution. If Americans wants to make every vote count exactly the way they had casted it, start petitioning your Senator and organize the same in 2/3rd of the states. Maybe you will get lucky

FA