MetaFilter posts tagged with elections

Who wants to be a millionaire?

Bromius — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:55:33 -0800

Many people are up in arms (heh) over the Supreme Court's decision regarding gun control, but rather less press is being given to another opinion handed down today: Davis v. FEC. The issue was the constitutionality of the "Millionaire's Amendment", which allowed for political candidates facing self-funding challengers who intended to spend more than $350,000 to raise more money from individual donors than they would otherwise be allowed to do. In a 5-4 decision, the court found the law unconstitutional. Justice Alito writing for the majority, argues that the Amendment forces wealthy candidates to "choose between the First Amendment right to engage in unfettered political speech and subjection to discriminatory fundraising limitations.” Justice Stevens, dissenting, writes: “The millionaire’s amendment quiets no speech at all. On the contrary, it does no more than assist the opponent of a self-funding candidate in his attempts to make his voice heard; this amplification in no way mutes the voice of the millionaire, who remains able to speak as loud and as long as he likes in support of his campaign.” The decision will have a marked effect on the 2008 elections, if only because parties like to recruit wealthy challengers. Check out the .rtf at the end of that last link. Incidentally, John McCain's reaction to the striking down of a section of one of his own bills is subdued. Oh, and the law really helped out a certain politician back in 2004. You may have heard of him.

Get out of the vehicle, or we'll burn it

Artw — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:52:36 -0800

Zimbabwe: Holds diplomats (after threatening to burn them), suspends aid, bans opposition rallies.

Gasoline for that fire?

allkindsoftime — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:23:48 -0800

April 18, 1980: Rhodesia is renamed Zimbabwe after it is granted black majority rule. In 1980 the Rhodesian government accepted British and American mediation and signed the Lancaster House agreement for majority rule. In elections held that year, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), as ZANU became known, decisively defeated ZAPU. Robert Mugabe was installed as prime minister, and the nation was renamed Zimbabwe. (via) Nearly 3 wees ago, Zimbabwe voted to, by most accounts, finally oust Mugabe. But he's still there, election results are still withheld, and his militia will shortly be getting their hands on 70 tonnes weaponry coming (via a complacent South Africa) from that one country in Asia hosting the Olympics this year. Lots more at ZimbabweSituation. Prev.

And the wheels start coming off again.

allkindsoftime — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:30:16 -0800

"It's ethnic cleansing happening." Fully ten days after elections that most are speculating were indeed won by the opposition party (Movement for Democratic Change), Robert Mugabe still clings to power in Zimbabwe. The voting results have still not been released, and 5 election officials have been arrested, "accused of tampering with the vote to the detriment of Mugabe's tally." Its been a tense time for Zim, and now the violence and land seizures have started again. This morning it was reported that 60 white farmers have now been driven from their lands by "groups of as many as 200 young men, organized and paid by ZANU-PF and chanting party slogans and shouting anti-white epithets." That's over 10% of the remaining white farmers left in Zimbabwe, after the thousands in the last few years that had their lands seized at Mugabe's behest: "Land must remain in our hands - the land is ours, it must not be allowed to slip back into the hands of whites." South Africa's Thabo Mbeki is expected to meet with the opposition leader. Tutu remains hopeful that Mugabe will step down, but gangs are going after opposition voters.

The Misery Circle

idiomatika — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:26:26 -0800

The Misery Circle An article about the remaining 13 also-rans in past US presidential elections.

Mapping the election conditions in Zimbabwe

PenDevil — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:02:50 -0800

Mapping the election conditions in Zimbabwe - A project of Sokwanele , the Zimbabwe Civic Action Support Group. Zimbabweans vote in presidential and parliamentary elections on March 29th.

Bloggers in Parliament

divabat — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 20:50:49 -0800

This year's elections in Malaysia are historic due to the major wins by the Opposition/People's Front and the National Front's loss of 5 states and the 2/3 majority in parliament (one they've held since 1969) (comparisons). Two of the newly elected Members of Parliament are bloggers Tony Pua and Jeff Ooi; another blogger, Elizabeth Wong, has won a seat in the state assembly of the now-Opposition-run Selangor. This is significant, as Malaysian bloggers had been under attack by the government. (last link YouTube video in Malay with subtitles).

Electoral Geography

Rykey — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 12:09:19 -0800

Had enough election coverage this year? If not-- or if you forgot that countries besides the USA have elections too-- you can see details of elections the world over via Electoral Geography 2.0. Browse elections in chronological order or by country, or read scholarly articles on various elections. Not comprehensive (yet!); in general, the more recent, the more coverage.

Meghan McCain on the trail.

OmieWise — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:31:41 -0800

Meghan McCain's blog. Just another political blog, by another candidate's daughter. O! what the internet has wrought. WTF, silhouette?

Who should I vote for?

nickyskye — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:38:06 -0800

A little lost coming up to the Presidential Primary? The Electoral Compass is a brief set of questions that matches your choices with the candidate whose positions are the closest to yours. Discover your position in the political landscape for the US presidential election 2008. Also: Political Compass