Title: Ever wondered about the importance of political structures
1Ever wondered about the importance of political
structures?
-
- We may not realize it, but overall structures
help decide the outcome more than we may imagine,
delivering good explanations for the results we
see around us. - This PowerPoint contains timed slides, please
move through them slowly.
2Take the overall structure of sport games. They
often appear to be democratic, since everyone can
participate
Yet sports can nevertheless discriminate and
segregate?
3Basketball
- Discrimination based on gender
- Discrimination based on height
- Good thing we do not elect our politicians
through a game of basketball! Or do we? -
- Like it or not, political set-ups easily exist
with baskets ten feet high the selection process
can help some candidates benefit more than others
when we elect our representatives!
4U.S. Senate
In 2005, Republicans controlled the Senate with
17 of all eligible voters (29,111,622 voters).
Only 14 Senators in 2005were women
2005 Source Federal Election Commission
http//localparty.org/SenatorMinority.html
Barack Obama First black President andonly the
third black US Senator in modern times (with
an African father and a European-American
mother).
Women account for 52 of the population
African-Americans account for one-eight of the
population
Of all 1,864 Senators elected ever, 15 have been
minorities.
Emancipation Free from bondage, freeing
someone from the control of another.
5Who Wins?
Example outcome
Second choicehas no voice!
Everyones choice counts!
6...the world according to voter systems.
7Female Representatives on the National Level
2005 Source Nationmaster.com
1 in 5
1 in 3is female
1 in 6
1 in 4
81 in 7
9New Zealand
Changed their 2 party systemin 1996 to a more
representative system
Female Representatives jumped from 21 to 30in
one election, improvingpolitical emancipation
10Examples of Different Democratic Systems in the
World Todayand how they allow for emancipation
Finland, Netherlands,Spain
USABritain
Germany
11USAPeople who cannot vote Younger than 18
Inmates Non-US-citizens
To gain the majority requires between 17 and
23 of all eligible voters
Winner of the race either a Red or Blue
candidate
People who did vote
People who voted forthe loser(s) in the race
People who did not bother to vote
12Finland, Netherlands,Spain
USA
Germany
13People who cannot vote in national elections
Younger than 18 Non-citizens
To gain the majority requires between 35 and
50 of all eligible voters
The voting population always gets the specific
person or party that received their vote to
represent them
People who did not bother to vote
14Finland, Netherlands,Spain
USA
Germany
15People who cannot vote in national elections
Younger than 18 Non-citizens
To gain the majorityrequires between 30 and
45 of all eligible voters
People get the specific party as long as 5 of
the population vote for them
Voted for parties with less than 5 of votes
People who did not bother to vote
16Actual Outcomes 2005
United States Senate Swedish National Assembly
(one of two Houses) (there is only one House in
Sweden)
Percentage based on total eligible voter
population
17Parties focus on specific voters to win the
election
Voters that swing the outcome receive
disproportional attention
Result Fixation on the mainstream
18Parties focus on specific voters to win the
election
ResultFixation on voters specific wishes,
enabling political emancipation
Result Fixation on the mainstream
19Political Structures Rule making our
representatives listen more to us voters or
less!
Finland, Netherlands,Spain
USABritain
Germany
20Not every governmental level must deliver voter
equality, yet at least one level should provide
voter equality. LocalParty.Org works hard to
realize voter equality at the local level (city
and county).Join our efforts by setting up
your own local party in your city or county!
Be a true American and help insert real
competition to the single party we now find in
full control locally everywhere!