just catching up with this thread.
It's my understanding that party "loyalty" (ie voting the party line) is less strictly enforced in the American Congress (especially in the House of Reps) than in our House of Commons because of the fact that our Governing Party will fall if it it loses on a major vote. So party discipline is more significant here and hence "crossing the floor" becomes A. Big. Deal. Same in UK politics. But it does happen there (as it does in Canada) - one famous example: Winston Churchill.
gotta love the Electoral College. btw - part of the Constitution's framers' approach-avoidance conflict over democracy.
But at least the Americans decided to elect their Senators directly (when? 1900ish?) - someday that might happen here.
c.
