Is the UK worth the change in life style and uprooting from America?

As chary said, there are always crazy people saying crazy things. I think everyone in both parties denounced Akin's statements straightaway.  Paul Ryan is a Catholic, and his statements reflect his beliefs.  However, Joe Biden, also a Catholic, does not believe the government should intervene in such cases. These are not simple issues that one can easily say Ryan is wrong and Biden is right.  They are debatable issues, and it's good that they are being debated. 

Again, the point is that the US is not the only country where these things happen.

Absolutely. They represent extreme views. But ... they're still members of one of the two major parties. And that's terrifying!

Which isn't to say there aren't people with looney views in any country.

This election cycle has been eye popping.The Tea Party bunch are far more willing to say what they think about individual rights and are blatant enough to believe that over time their cause will win out.I've been a republican, a democrat and a Independant and I must say in all my years of following politics there has never been such a large number of extremist running for public office in recent history. And yes some of those running for office this year have been exposed for supporting the idea that if a woman is raped she should be forced to have that child.The crazy part is that many in the republican party at first denounced the actions of Todd Akin but after some of the heat has died down are now backing his run for the Senate in Missouri and doing so publicly and with have recently given him two million dollars. So much for taking a moral stand. There are other examples in this election cycle as well. The ignorance level is Very scary!

As chary said, there are always crazy people saying crazy things. I think everyone in both parties denounced Akin's statements straightaway.  Paul Ryan is a Catholic, and his statements reflect his beliefs.  However, Joe Biden, also a Catholic, does not believe the government should intervene in such cases. These are not simple issues that one can easily say Ryan is wrong and Biden is right.  They are debatable issues, and it's good that they are being debated.  

Again, the point is that the US is not the only country where these things happen.

I get your point and I agree that debate is a very healthy exercise.I personally feel that politics and the choices we make are very important.Voter apathy imo is the gate way to the lost of personal freedom.I personally do not think that government should be used to tell me or anyone else what we shouldn't be allowed(with in reason) to do if that action does not take away the rights of other people. There are men that would like to legally make women second class citizens. And many of those men believe that many women would be ok with males having and keeping  that type of power.Some men think it's biological destiny performing a rightful  conclusional outcome.I don't.I'm more evolutionary in my thinking.

More evolutionary ? -

I'm very interested in evolution, but I don't understand your usage in this context.

To quote the Daleks - Explain !

New (s05) Daleks: Explain!

More evolutionary ? -

I'm very interested in evolution, but I don't understand your usage in this context.

To quote the Daleks - Explain !

New (s05) Daleks: Explain!

The context relates to the fact that I don't just talk the talk,I get involved.I don't just vote to help make change.I make every effort to register at least 1000 new voters in every mid-term and presidential election.The evoluntionary aspect is greater involvement in attempting to expand personal rights for all.One person can make a difference.

Thanks for your reply - although I'm still not any clearer as to what you mean by 'evoluntionary'.  I'm British and it's probably a trans-atlantic misunderstanding (on my part) of your usage - so that's fine 

One other thing tho - what's this about you getting involved in registering voters ?  Here in the Uk, each household is sent a form by the local county council and those in the home, will then fill it in as to the names of people to go onto the electrol roll and that's it - more to it in the USA ?  I did see a video on youtube recently about a basketball game in the US and someone had set up a stall for registering voters - I did think it odd at the time....but didn't dwell on it long.

In the US the individual has to be pro-active in registering to vote.

Here it's a criminal offence not to do so (not that I've heard of anyone being prosecuted for it).

Here it's a criminal offence not to do so (not that I've heard of anyone being prosecuted for it).

Wow, really? I don't think that would go over well with most Americans. I actually think it's good you have to actively register as I think it should be a citizen's right not to register if they choose.

You're not required to vote though.  In some countries that is an offence too - see 'compulsory voting' on wiki

Even being forced to register seems pretty intrusive to me.

I think you may well be right.

Here it's a criminal offence not to do so (not that I've heard of anyone being prosecuted for it).

I thought that was Australia?

(I've just asked a friend who volunteers on UK voting day in my area, I'll update with her response)

EDIT: she believes so, but its not enforced (which also goes to explaining how to build your credit, you need to be on the voting roll)

Edit 2: the elections office sends out a form to all households once a year. There is a £1,000 fine for not returning it or wrong info.

You're not required to vote though.  In some countries that is an offence too - see 'compulsory voting' on wiki

An election system that requires everyone to register but does not require everyone to vote seems very counter productive and contradictory.

I personally do not believe people should be forced to vote against their will. Personal freedom should be respected. But I am in favor of setting rules that state, that the benefits from voting such as rights fought for and earned(ObamaCare,Ect Ect) should be used by voters.

In a way that is the current rule because states don't have to perticipate in Medicare,ObamaCare due to states rights.This is something I didn't know until taking a government class recently at University.I had no idea that States rights actually trumped so many federal policies and agencies.Arizona for instance for years had refused certain portions of the Medicare rules and for that reason can not accept certain monies.

In the US the individual has to be pro-active in registering to vote.

Many people in America would really like to vote but they sometime don't fully appreciate the impact of not voting.Getting involve and taking an activist role in one's community can be just the catalyst to kick start the type of interest that many people are missing.Once informed on the issues, people then can form a chain of change. Not to insult any George W. Bush fans, but that guy is a good example of why voting is important.