July 15, 2020

Three Dysfunctional Factors in US Presidential Elections

In response to Anonymous's interesting comment of July 15, 2020:

Ever since the year 2000, when George W. Bush was voted President, there have been 3 major factors in the US Presidential Electoral system that have thrown up unwise/dangerous choices.

Those factors are:

-  Nepotism (influence of George W's former President father, employing Trump's daughter and son-
   in-law as senior White House advisers (and further back "Bobby" as Attorney General, under 
   JFK)).

-  Personal financial fortune, allowing candidates to effectively buy the Presidency independent of,
   and even in spite of sober and experienced Party members, and

-  Democrat or Republican Party members influence electoral procedures in each State.
   In the US “A presidential election is held every fourth year. Federal elections are administered by
   state and local governments, although the specifics of how elections are conducted differ between
   the states. The Constitution and laws of the United States grant the states wide latitude in how they
   administer elections.”

Australia also has a Federal, State and Local government system. Australia's system of an independent Federal Australian Electoral Commission is an example the US could consider adopting, by amending the Constitution.

These 3 factors have resulted in poorly qualified Presidents and their family-staff members, over-aged Presidents and/or Candidates, rich Presidents who buy the Presidency and dubious “Swing state” election systems that determine who wins (eg. Florida in 2000).

The big exception to the Nepotism and Personal financial fortune facors was the sound, experienced, and also not too old Barack Obama.

Taking your references in sequence:

[1] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2020/03/11/commentary/world-commentary/biden-obviously-dementia-withdraw-race/   “Biden obviously has dementia and should withdraw from the race”

The 25th Amendment of the US Constitution deals with issues related to presidential succession and disability.

It appears the US Constitution and Amendments do not apply to Biden because he is only a Candidate, not a President - so far.

“Almost 40 PERCENT of Americans ‘think Joe Biden has dementia and 61 percent think he should publicly address it’”

and

“38% of Voters Think Biden Has Dementia"

Those 38% to 40% of Americans do not have to vote for Biden. Furthermore replacing Biden now would look like a Democrat Party weakness virtually guaranteeing Trump wins.

Due to the three dysfunctional factors and no upper age limit, the dangerously ignorant and irresponsible Trump is the only alternative Americans can vote for.

Another possible problem is the Electoral College System see "Top 3 Pros and Cons".

Pete

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Biden has a life long speech impediment, not dementia... its a continuation of the Clinton has major health problems of the last campaign

Pete said...

Hi Anonymous

Re your "Biden has a life long speech impediment, not dementia... its a continuation of the Clinton has major health problems of the last campaign"

Indeed it looks like a confected scare by Trump campaigners. I don't know of any panel of specialist doctors who have published a finding that there are medical reasons.

Cheers

Pete

Anonymous said...

Biden hides the results of his cognitive tests. Why?

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/505562-biden-must-release-results-of-his-cognitive-decline-tests-voters-need-to#bottom-story-socials

Pete said...

Is Trump's mental state and erratic performance since 2016 more dangerous than Biden's decades of able performance?

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

Trump took a series of effective countermeasures against China’s Hongkong policy in last week. Biden as a general manager in charge of China in 8years-Obama administration did nothing against China’s aggressive behaviors such as the South China Sea, because he colluded with China. As a result, China takes aggressive attitudes against Vietnam and Philippines as well as the alliance of USA including Australia and Japan.

Regards

Pete said...

Hi Anonymous [at July 19, 2020 at 6:38 PM]

Yes China has become far more aggressive since the time Biden was VP.

Hence Biden's policies and the whole foreign and defense policy machinery of a Democrat Administration will change accordingly. That is IF Americans get wise and vote Biden.

Trump is as erratic, dangerous and an economic failure for America's allies as much as Trump is for Americans.

Regards

Pete