Re: Free market elections (for countrys that believe the free market)

The heart of the issue here is the "one man, one vote" system.  The
Irish system you describe allows individuals to have multiple votes.
Both are ways of running a democracy.  Given the usual complaint in
the US (and of the US by Europeans) that there is little difference
between Republican and Democrat on most issues, it is difficult to see
the benefits of more "moderation" of the two parties in the US.  Such
moderation as is necessary tends to come from the bicameral
(two-house) legislature, separation of executive and legislative
branches (unlike most parlimintary systems), and by the force of the
constitution as interpreted by the courts (themselves constituting the
third separate brance of government).