Hello Bob,   
      
    LL>> "Unlike a single-party system (or a two-party democracy),   
    LL>> it [multi-party system] encourages the general constituency   
    LL>> to form multiple distinct, officially recognized groups,   
    LL>> generally called political parties."   
    LL>> [source: ibid]   
      
    DD>> Why is it that everyone seems to labour under the illusion   
    DD>> that the US is a democracy. It was designed as a   
    DD>> representative republic. And has devolved into an   
      
   BK>If you read up on it, the founding peoples (fathers) saw them   
   BK>pretty much the same.   
      
   Not really, as they had to re-do it after the flop of the   
   Articles of Confederation.   
      
   "We have a federal system, with a republican form of government."   
   - Thomas Jefferson   
      
   "You have a republic, if you can keep it."   
   - Ben Franklin   
      
    DD>> oligarchy. Neither of which has a lot to do with democracy   
    DD>> (mob rule). Of course everyone wants to be an oligarch ...   
    DD>> even those who have never heard the word before.   
      
   BK>Which is why we need to enforce laws to stop *THEM* from   
   BK>becoming oligarchs. Those same law will restrict us.   
      
   Everybody loves a good dictator.  We had one in Huey P. Long.   
   Until a doctor shot him, and ended all the fun.   
      
   --Lee   
      
   --- MesNews/1.06.00.00-gb   
    * Origin: news://felten.yi.org (2:203/2)