Phillip Said:

Did the Democratic party vote for the war and not support it in order to use it as leverage in the Election?

We Answered:

Thats is an excellent point! I have actually thought about that before! They portray the war as a failure and say we are losing, then in the election promise they will pull us out. Good strategy but im not falling for it! McCain 08!!!

Herbert Said:

What % of voters like third parties but don't vote for them "because they don't get enough support"

We Answered:

I don't know the exact percent, but I'm one of those voters. I would like to vote for third parties but I never do.

Under our current voting system, if you vote for a third party then you give up your ability to express a preference between the two parties most likely to win. For example, I would ideally like to vote for Nader, but it's more important to me to express a preference for Obama over McCain. So I will vote Obama.

If third parties want to grow and succeed, then we need to reform our voting system so that voters can express their preferences among all the candidates running. See Instant Runoff Voting, for example. Until we change the voting system, I don't think third parties have much of a chance.

Derek Said:

Why do Prime ministers and leader of parties vote?

We Answered:

Because they are citizens just like the people they hope to represent.

It is their right to vote.

Albert Said:

Why Americans vote for 3rd parties at a far lower rate than other countries?

We Answered:

My theory is that this two-party tendency has its roots in the Civil War. Since the dispute over slavery, the United States has suffered from a deep ideological rift between "northern" and "southern" thought. Northern thought has its roots in industrialism and urbanism, and has evolved into the modern American liberal ideal (secular-humanist, pro-choice, pro-gay rights, etc). Southern thought has its roots in agriculture and agrarianism, and has evolved into the modern American conservative ideal (religious, anti-big government, pro-life/gun, family values, etc).

Our two political parties have found an interesting way to exploit this ideological rift, which oddly enough, seems to be about 50/50 (about the ratio of urban to rural dwellers). While people in most countries vote according to socioeconomic status, ensuring that their unique agenda has proper representation, most Americans continue to pick sides according to a few "Culture War" (or wedge) issues. Only the candidates with the most extreme ideological platform make it through the primaries (those voting in the primaries tend to be at the polar end of their end of the ideological spectrum). When these candidates are then introduced to the wider public in the general election, they are too extreme to appeal to the opposite side of the ideological barrier. Voters automatically have to fall in line behind a Democrat or Republican to ensure that the candidate with the proper ideology, however extreme, makes it into office. Since the results are almost always 50/50, a vote for a third-party candidate will only help your opponent win. For example, many people attribute the Al Gore's loss to George W. Bush in 2000 to a push for the Green Party candidate within the Democratic base that year.

Things may be changing now. The Republican Party is becoming more conservative, and eliminating the moderates in their ranks (ie, the election in NY this month). The Democrats, in order to appeal to moderate conservatives, have a new wing called the Blue Dog Democrats. I'm hoping this will lead to splinter parties that do a better job representing the truly moderate public. Economic woes also have a way of waking voters up and making them pay attention to what's going on.

Dolores Said:

would Telugu people who hate traditional parties vote in favor of Lok satta , a party which strives for "suraj?

We Answered:

I wish 'Lok satta' will win enough seats to make its presence felt in the house. 'Corruption' is an issue, no doubt about that. It captures the popular imagination like nothing else. Does the common man earned the 'right' to throw the first (or any) stone ?
An anecdote of Morarjee (not the urine drinking part) that comes to mind is - He said 'When I distribute honey, should I wash my hands later or shall I lick my hands ?'

Adam Said:

Can superdelegates in the Dem Party vote in block to get a candidate?

We Answered:

If the superdelegates were to get together and discuss this block voting, they sure could. But they are all over the place, geographically, so I'm not sure how it will work out.