I don't know as much about U.S politics as I do Australian politics but over here it seems that there aren't that many advertisements as the U.S during a political campaign. That the political commentators on T.V and radio really hold the keys to the powers of negating political individuals. From what I have observed it seems that the better the commentators are the less advertisement is present. This means that there must be a good mix of Left and Right commentators here in Australia. I think another reason there is less political advertising in Australia is that their is the compulsory vote law, which makes people more serious about their politics and less prone to believe in political sensationalism.

I didn't the U.S was much of a democracy anyway. If (from what I've heard) most of the people don't vote in America, then the election of political representatives seems to favor the politically zealous over the politically indifferent. In Australia we do have a few "donkey voters"; people who scribble on a ballot ticket with a picture etc. But donkey votes make up less than 15% of the total votes, This means that the vast majority of the Australian public wants to pick a candidate over the other.

Another major difference that in my view makes the Australian democracy far better than the U.S democracy is that we have more distinctive political parties. From what I've seen of the Republicans and the Democrats is that their campaign goals are far too vague and pose no real policy visions that enable voters to realistically envisage, yet this may be due to the fact that Australia's government has a far more greater responsibility to it constituents, through common socialist organisations, such as public transport, social welfare, protectionism, medicare etc. The only real socialist institution that is topical in U.S politics is the military. However it is very difficult for people to understand the military, as personal experience of it is restricted to a single few minorities. Where as an institution such as public transport (in Australia) enable people to have a greater understanding of it (because the vast majority use it or come across it every single day of their life.)