Elections Have Consequences

[RichLB]

One could argue that the US only has one party since Tweedledum and Tweedledee often seem indistinguishable from the established Democrat/Republican scheme. It seems to me that it is the uprising of a third political faction - the Tea Party - that has grown under the umbrella of the Republicans and is holding the traditional Republican politician hostage under the threat of flooding primaries with their well funded candidates is now what threatens the stability of the entire world's financial system.

[Captain Kirk]

GB without even looking at the list everyone knows the number of parties that count on election day will be...2.

Really? Tell that to the Ross Perot supporters. If he didn't quit he just might have won. But we'll never know. Meanwhile, I'm not disputing that the US is in effect a two party system, but that wasn't my point. You had said the USA has only two parties. If it isn't too much trouble for you to click on the link I provided, you'll find there are many more than two, whether any of their members manage to get elected or not.

Same in the UK GB. However there is simply no point in counting the nonentities until people desert the major parties in significant numbers. The fact that before looking at the list provided I couldnt have named any other party in the US shows the impact they have. I remember Ross Perot vaguely bt not how or why it ended.
In my experience, speaking with people about their voting intentions at elections back in Blighty, people do not vote FOR the party they agree with. They tend to vote more AGAINST the party they hate or least like. Heard it a million times "got to vote Labour and keep the Tories out" and very likely the reverse in more affluent areas. Meanwhile mainstream politicians continue on with their standard lies at each election. Nothing changes, nothing ever will until the people change.
I get told I really should vote because men have died fighting for that right etc.. But vote for who? Technically on a historical base I should be a Labour voter. Set up to fight for the working class blah blah. The first Labour Government in my adult life was Blair's. During the war criminal's time in charge the gap between rich and poor in the UK grew even more substantially than it was under Thatcher, a piece or vermin I would still happily tear limb from limb - and I couldnt give a toss how old it is. So who to vote for? The Tories? I'll die first. The Lib Dems? With a leader who sold the soul of his party for his own personal seat at the table? The Looney Greens? Enuff said there.
My admiration goes to the people of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Bahrain, Libya et al for actually doing something about their political leaders. All power to them. However, and excuse my cynicism here, I am almost certain that what they will sadly get in exchange for the current incumbents is a bunch of corrupt scumbags who will line their own pockets from the day they take power.