Organisms evolve due to changes in DNA, but they change so slowly that humans don't really notice any change. Political systems evolve due to changes in the laws defining the political system. This usually happens so silently that the average voter becomes evermore out of touch with political reality.
Don't expect too much
A handful of single page articles. Just a few U.S. political laws and institutional functions that U.S. voters may find interesting. Modest documentation with links when available. I only had multiple oral sources in a few areas. You will have to make your own judgment about the accuracy of my material. It wouldn't be the first time I was in error. I am not an expert.
I don't go into great detail because this site's purpose is to provide knowledge for the general population. Additionally: Many political laws relating to national elections vary from state to state! The laws requiring nominating primaries are one example. It would be extremely complex to provide much more than national generalizations.
There were seven (approximately one page long) articles on this site the last time I counted. "What is a Political Party?," is probably my most popular article. However; there are two other articles that are strongly related but almost never read. Therefore I am promoting them below here on my entry page.
1. What is a Political Party?
Great Quote from 1927Here in
the last generation, a development has taken place which finds an
analogy nowhere else. American parties have ceased to be
voluntary
associations like trade unions or the good government clubs or the
churches. They have lost the right freely to determine how
candidates
shall be nominated and platforms framed, even who shall belong to the
party and who shall lead it. The state legislatures have
regulated
their structure and functions in great detail."
2. Platforms: From the Voters Perspective
How some elected House leaders are using
the Internet to change the old political rules
about platforms a bit.
3. Our Glorious National Committees:
This article is a bit boring but it does helptie the first two articles together.
A DEMOCRACY STORY
Many people refuse to admit that they fear representative democracy. I spent hours going around in circles with an individual on an email list. I was pointing out that a widely used voting system called proportional representation would increase the voters choices, and a higher percentage of the voters would gain a seat at the political table.
Finally the poster summed up his problem with this particular voting system.
He wrote: “I worry that the wrong kind of people might get elected. I will not support any form of democracy, unless I am certain that only the right kind of people will get elected.”
After thinking about this for a while I replied that the form of “democracy” that he favored would probably also be acceptable to most kings and dictators. I have yet to find a king or dictator who would not find a form of government acceptable, if it insured that - “only the right kind of people would get elected.”
He got very huffy! I suspect that he actually believed that he favored democracy. However, It seemed to me that his primary interest was to use the political system to gain power for himself.
