Comments on: On Hillary http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/ Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:18:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Ms .45 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315841 Ms .45 Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:26:04 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315841 Well, I live in a la-di-da fantasy world where, although we do indeed have a two party system, independents and small parties have grown in popularity and our independent Electoral Commissions (state and Federal) give grants to parties based on how many votes they got. Whilst marketing campaigns are important, no party seems to be fully in bed with any particular interest group except for a shared general ideological outlook. None of our Prime Ministers have been related to any of the others, although there has been some family names that have popped up from time to time, and the Premier of my state in the early 80s was the son of a former Premier. On the whole, though, it's reasonably credible. It's a LOT more credible than the US system, although obviously both shit all over the emirates (small e!). Still, what the hell is up with that Electoral College? Well, I live in a la-di-da fantasy world where, although we do indeed have a two party system, independents and small parties have grown in popularity and our independent Electoral Commissions (state and Federal) give grants to parties based on how many votes they got. Whilst marketing campaigns are important, no party seems to be fully in bed with any particular interest group except for a shared general ideological outlook. None of our Prime Ministers have been related to any of the others, although there has been some family names that have popped up from time to time, and the Premier of my state in the early 80s was the son of a former Premier. On the whole, though, it’s reasonably credible. It’s a LOT more credible than the US system, although obviously both shit all over the emirates (small e!).

Still, what the hell is up with that Electoral College?

]]> By: fadfadation http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315542 fadfadation Tue, 23 Jan 2007 07:50:11 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315542 very well put Arabist... ideyha ya me3alem :) very well put Arabist… ideyha ya me3alem :)

]]> By: NICE http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315517 NICE Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:48:05 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315517 What la-di-da fantasy world do you live in, where a large and socioeconomically diverse pool of candidates vie for head of state with equal financial backing from their respective parties? Where candidates run campaigns free of marketing techniques and religious influence and are judged solely based on their platforms? What la-di-da fantasy world do you live in, where a large and socioeconomically diverse pool of candidates vie for head of state with equal financial backing from their respective parties? Where candidates run campaigns free of marketing techniques and religious influence and are judged solely based on their platforms?

]]> By: Wathani http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315473 Wathani Mon, 22 Jan 2007 16:53:24 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315473 What's free about an election where two powergroups decide who's going to represent them (after each use their connections to raise millions of dollars), and then get the public to annoint one of the TWO candidates? ... then there is the questionable exploitation of the electorate's religious sensibilities in a secular democracy. What’s free about an election where two powergroups decide who’s going to represent them (after each use their connections to raise millions of dollars), and then get the public to annoint one of the TWO candidates?

… then there is the questionable exploitation of the electorate’s religious sensibilities in a secular democracy.

]]> By: Thomas D. http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315420 Thomas D. Mon, 22 Jan 2007 07:51:01 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315420 But compared to Saudi rivalries and other succession debates in the Arab region it's been more or less the result of free elections. I've got a problem comparing two things that have nothing to do with one another....! But compared to Saudi rivalries and other succession debates in the Arab region it’s been more or less the result of free elections. I’ve got a problem comparing two things that have nothing to do with one another….!

]]> By: Adam http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315382 Adam Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:03:39 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315382 Interesting, but remember that 1992 was the only Clinton vs. Bush election. The other four (including 2008, I assume) are all against someone else. So it's a stretch to call them "feuding." Interesting, but remember that 1992 was the only Clinton vs. Bush election. The other four (including 2008, I assume) are all against someone else. So it’s a stretch to call them “feuding.”

]]> By: SP http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315347 SP Sun, 21 Jan 2007 14:51:01 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315347 It's not exactly a recent development in American politics. Way back in the dark ages I remember reading a rather cheeky piece in an anthropology reader titled Kinship Networks on Capitol Hill that straight-facedly applied old-fashioned kinship charts to senators and congresspersons over the course of a century and it was remarkable how pervasive family ties were, and how important descent was in producing new generations of representatives. Voters like Family Names (ahem, the Kennedys?) On the presidential level, see this: http://highclearing.com/index.php/archives/2007/01/20/5834 It’s not exactly a recent development in American politics. Way back in the dark ages I remember reading a rather cheeky piece in an anthropology reader titled Kinship Networks on Capitol Hill that straight-facedly applied old-fashioned kinship charts to senators and congresspersons over the course of a century and it was remarkable how pervasive family ties were, and how important descent was in producing new generations of representatives. Voters like Family Names (ahem, the Kennedys?)

On the presidential level, see this:
http://highclearing.com/index.php/archives/2007/01/20/5834

]]> By: Tim Seah http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315346 Tim Seah Sun, 21 Jan 2007 14:01:33 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315346 wonder if hillary, with her HORRIBLE record on the Middle East, will stoop to <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion?pid=158928" rel="nofollow">this level</a>. wonder if hillary, with her HORRIBLE record on the Middle East, will stoop to this level.

]]> By: Brian Ulrich http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315342 Brian Ulrich Sun, 21 Jan 2007 11:59:30 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/01/21/on-hillary/#comment-315342 The odd thing about this is that there have been lots of news stories over here about how the Bushes and Clintons have become friends. The odd thing about this is that there have been lots of news stories over here about how the Bushes and Clintons have become friends.

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