The US Two-party system and "Big Government"

I just saw a note on Facebook where an American guy complains about the two-party system in the US. Among other things he wants to boykot the two parties and replace all current politicians with Main Street people. This, goes his logic, will result in "No union block votes, no quid pro quo, no back room double dealing. Just actual representation of the voting American".

I don't agree. There are policies and there's politics. Since the Greeks invented democracy 2000 years ago there has been back room dealings and quid pro quo's. And that's an acceptable part of the game of politics, I think. Slander and lying is not. I, too, think that two parties is not enough for a healthy democracy. Denmark, where I'm from, has had between 8 and 11 parties in the Parliament (+ small local parties in the municipalities) => Denmark has mostly had minority coalition governments that had to strike compromises with the majority in the parliament. That construction keeps a democracy vibrant, I think, and I wish the American constitution could be changed so that not only parties, but also coalition governments could be allowed.

On another note, being from a country that's founded on Socialdemocratic principles (socialism mixed with capitalism, flexicurity = easy to hire & fire & and a welfare state to clean up after the firing rounds so we don't have too much homelessness and crime messing up our streets), I don't consider Obama a socialist. And even if he's a proponent of "Big Government", I assure you that all countries in Western Europe have by far more positive than negative experiences with a relatively big welfare state/public sector. In return for some of the highest taxes in the world, a Danish citizen gets:

- free health care where a broken arm gets fixed right away. Unlike mine. My husband and I are insured via Microsoft, supposedly one of the best insurances in the country. Still they sent me home from the ER last night in a temporary wrapping, telling me to make my own appointment with a specialist to get a cast or an operation! The place I was told to call, said I could get it fixed on FRIDAY!!!! WTF!?

- free education from 0 grade to university + money to live for while studying AND access to VERY cheap student loans

- plenty and cheap access to child care for all 0-6 year-olds, partly paid by the municipality, partly paid by the parent. In Sweden, it's considered a child's right to be raised/developed by a professional pedagogue when your parents are at work, so they keep the price even lower than Denmark, at a mere $180 a month - including meals and diapers

- public elderly care and protected housing for more independent elders and handicapped

- all kinds of economic support for unemployed single parents, since Denmark values its future - the children - highly and therefore invests in them

- Effective, fast and clean public transport and wide, well-maintained bikelanes, so I don't have to remember where I parked and worry about parking rules :-) i MISS not needing a car!

So all in all, even though the Obama administration has managed to make some improvements in the rights of the majority of the American people, I think there's still a loooong way to go before Americans are fairly protected by strong consumer rights and the freedom to not having to lie awake at night worrying about going bankrupt if a family member gets ill, or if a parent gets unemployed.

Links
http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com
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