If we could vote "no", would this change elections?
820707
Yes.  But the key to the future is "proportional representation."  Look for it online.  Instead of majority rule taking all, voters are guaranteed representation proportional to the membership of their party, similar to representation by state or district. \n\nVoter turnout increases when people's votes count toward representation no matter how big or small.  \n\nI believe in adding representation based on party affiliation.  So there could be a Senate with two reps per group, and a House based on reps per population or membership.  Since some people may be affiliated with more than one, any group or individual could propose legislation, but decisions would be based on consensus between all parties affected.  So you can legislate for your own party or district; but if legislation affects the greater public, it must be adopted by consent of those affected.\n\nThis would encourage direct participation and representation in government, and help to organize the population by party and by issue.  Policies based on common solutions would invite practical ideas and cooperative support, instead of campaigns that exploit emotions or media stereotypes to manipulate the vote, divide the public, and fuel conflict and debate over problems.\n\nThe government is not a failure but the population has outgrown the current system.  As a society we have developed the technology and communication to localize government and to organize by interest so that groups no longer need to compete for power.  Solutions will come from cooperation between groups. So that is where government is heading, based on expanding on the current model we have for checks and balances between the various branches and levels.
1008860
Uh, no.  Who would be able to make the change?
86638
Sure they could. It's called voting. People need to direct more thought into voting. The American people vote their representatives into office, who in turn get to make the laws and vote for the President. Too many people sit idly by and don't make sure their voices are heard. Whenever there is an issue that I strongly have an opinion about, I make sure to call my Representative's office-be it a local, state, or Federal issue. This is the only way to make sure your opinion gets recorded! They are your elected reps. and are there for you, to vote according to the people of their districts. Signatures on a petition are just an amplification of this. Also, if more people who disagree with the system and would take action to run for office can you imagine the changes that would ocurr? I'm not saying any nutjob can get elected, but if you make sense and others agree with you then why not give it a try? People need to realize they are vested in the actions of this country whether they agree with them or not. We need to eliminate the people from office who do not represent our views as a whole. Our society needs to take action! Stop saying "It doesn't matter when I vote, so I'm not going to vote". That kind of attitude is what's gotten our system into the sorry mess it's in now. If you don't vote or take action, others who do vote will get control of things & quite possibly do things you don't agree with.
1014143
Probably. www.votetoimpeach.org---sign it soon.
730317
Yes. You can just vote for part of the ballot.
708837
No, that would mean much less people would support it.
1076443
No... \n\nYou get to "vote" between two very closely related sides of the business party.  Basically tweedledee and tweedledum.  \n\nWe cannot elect a President from our own class, or even close.  \n\nWe have no say in State Department decisons or the CIA actions which affect most of the global situations that our so-called"democracy" engages in.  \n\nOur politicians reply to us with form letters.  Will not take questions.  There are no town meetings and people are apathetic.\n\nThis is why politics from above, the concerns of the Government are not the concerns of the People.  We need to look below, issues like health care, child care, wages, environmental protections, human rights... are all politics form below, tha tis what people care about... we need to look at these issues outside of the politically corrupt system, make decisions for ourselves, create alternatives and force the Government (as we always have had to) to do what we want.  \n\nWe need to take the power back. \n\nPeople in the USA seem to be far from this realizaion, because politicians always co-opt any form of progressive change with their lies and slogans, and people here go for it time and again.  In a few months we will see it happen... then again before the election in 08, Hillary will throw a bone to the anti-war people, or the immigrants rights people then she will be seen as a leftist candidate, when she is no more left than Jeb Bush or the current King George II\n\nInternational politics can teach all Americans a lesson, but we may be too brainwashed to learn them... \n\nwho knows.
437817
There is more power in the vote. It is the final answer to petition, however to bring an issue to vote sometimes you have to petition to do it.
738489
I would go for a change: a mixture of the current system and a component of proportional representation. This would mean an overall majority would be unlikely. That is a good thing in itself, so rotten laws are not forced through Parliament.
445813
Yes. But you might think about changing districts.
1132856
No. It sounds like a good idea given the nature of certain presidents elected in the past, but this would be way too complicated.  It's likely  registered voters of the opposing party would mostly vote against the incumbent, meaning the incumbent would need to spend his entire first year in office campaigning to protect himself against being voted out.  If this were the case, the President would have no track record to go on.  It would cost the country hundreds of millions of dollars more in campaign funds that could go to better use, and would distract the executive branch, the media, and the general public from focusing on real issues.  \n\nThe ultimate solution to this is for voters to do some more research before they vote.  Look at track records, look at the candidate's real stance on the issues, and resist being spun by the propaganda machines that dictate campaigns.  That's probably unlikely to happen though.
497319
I'd say that voters need to update their knowledge about the political system. It's not like 200 years back when you just voted for one or the other party, if you are aware that things changed then you should inform yourself of what to vote for.
366499
no.\n\nVermont and one other state allows voting on State issues, but the others don't. \n\nIt's called disenfranchisement. A pretty good way to get the wrong people out of the voting booths; just make them felons. Got rid of a lot of blacks that way. \n\nHmm. If everyone became a felon, and couldn't vote, would it still be a democracy?
945612
I have wondered that and kind of would like to see that day.  It wont happen until a third party stops trying to win at the top of the ballot and learns to win at the bottom.  Americans will not vote for someone they havent heard of for national office.  I was thinking about how a major third party could have changed the outcome yesterday.  If no party received a majority, two parties would have to come together and form some sort of coalition for the purpose of leadership votes, who gets chairmanships, etc.
1127513
Absolutely not. It would disenfranchise wide swaths of the poor who have just as much a right to vote as anyone else.
845131
Would it make a difference? Most of us didn't vote for him the first two times.
1161579
The most important benefactor to the voting process is the person doing the voting. There is a disconnect between those who don't vote and the society around themselves. It's a symptom of diminished self-image ..... ie., "My voice isn't important enough to count," vs. "Even if my voice isn't heard by the masses, I'll speak up." As for me, I hate politics, but I love our system. I don't believe in being a victim by default. Hey look, I spoke up. Does this count as a vote?