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Politics What is happening????

Discussion in 'Tilted Philosophy, Politics, and Economics' started by pan6467, Apr 23, 2012.

  1. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    Israeli politics have always been a mess.

    Personally, I just find multi-party systems messy, bordering on chaotic at times, and not more democratic (as Alistair suggested if I understand him correctly) and enabling strange bedfellows like the Conservative/Liberal Democrat alliance in UK.
     
  2. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    A lot of compromise occurs. That may look messy from the American perspective, where compromise is a sign of weakness.
     
  3. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    I'm not Ace. I am all about compromise and consensus building. :)
     
  4. ASU2003

    ASU2003 Very Tilted

    Location:
    Where ever I roam
    Fine for some issues, but if there is an expense to all of society or a few members of society, they should have to pay more for the privilage. No subsidizing bad behaviors.

    Our whole strategy needs to be redefined. Do we do anything about pirates with our Navy? Or is the Navy there to protect against attacks on America.

    I would say a simple tax. It doesn't have to be totally flat, but make the IRS send you a bill or a check in April.

    Food, clothing, shelter. Make them do volunteer work, and get donations. I would even look into outsourcing all Federal/State food stamps to local food banks, farmers letting groups plant and tend crops, and can drives. Kids should be exempt, but also given a cookbook guide (The First Lady should be working on this).

    A police force that investigates real crimes, and a prison system that is appropriate.
    Strong capitalism, but some enforced regulation
    Corporations are not citizens.
    Free speech does not equate to money
    Yes. Unless the other approves it.

    I would even say, must pass balanced budget. And if they can't, then the people can vote for certain items.

    Fusion (ITER, etc...) :)
    Space elevator or something like it. or a electromagnetic rail gun up a mountain.

    Increase spending on established tech depts. (NASA, NOAA, etc...)

    Isn't that a passport?

    Yup, that's all good.
     
  5. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    From a historical perspective, George Washington was not a fan of political parties in any number or form.

    From his farewell address:
    So much for the ideal of "gentlemen" getting together periodically to address the nation's needs and challenges and putting aside their differences for the greater good...but they still produced something special, even with all of its warts.
     
  6. Alistair Eurotrash

    Location:
    Reading, UK
    I realise that it can't happen, but I'd love it if political parties were abolished. Just vote in the person who will best represent you on the national/local stage and have the representatives argue each point independently.
     
  7. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    But you (and even Baraka) get to celebrate the diamond jubilee of the Queen of the Realm, Head of the Commonwealth and Defender of the Faith. :)
     
  8. Alistair Eurotrash

    Location:
    Reading, UK
    Pageantry .. bleh! :oops:
     
  9. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    Pfft. :rolleyes:
     
  10. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    What? You guys dont like a reason to party?
     
  11. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    Well, let's just hope the millions the Canadian government is spending has some kind of ROI.

    The closest I've come to partying for a queen is getting drunk in the "honour" of Queen Victoria.

    Canada is the only country in the world to celebrate Victoria Day, and the ‘May Two-Four’ long weekend is as distinctively Canadian as the two-four — a case of 24 bottles of beer — with which it is often celebrated.​

    Other than that, I see the Queen specifically and the monarchy generally as more of an aesthetic thing. Elizabeth II's profile portrait looks pretty good on our coins.
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2012
  12. Joniemack

    Joniemack Beta brainwaves in session

    Location:
    Reading, UK
    Redux, if a two party system works more efficiently for the US and is obviously the undisputed standard, why do we bother with the pretense that 3rd party candidates are welcome? Going back to Pan's original suggestion, is the pretense maintained to sustain the premise that Americans have several choices over a single choice?

    I don't agree that the US would do worse under a legitimate coalition style government as opposed to the de facto one we have.

    I mean, can things be any worse than they are now? Could a legitimate 3rd or a 4th party be useful in breaking the bi-partisan deadlock on so many issues? Or do you believe that, in the case of American politics, the deadlock would merely be divided into quarters instead of in half? :)
     
  13. Alistair Eurotrash

    Location:
    Reading, UK
    You are quite right, of course.

    I just forgot for a moment.

    Now, let me see. Oh yes.

    Huzzah!

    There. All better now.

    Here's a picture of the Queen (Gor bless her!)

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Joniemack

    Joniemack Beta brainwaves in session

    Location:
    Reading, UK
    What's a Jubilee without a pet roast chicken?

    What's a Jubilee?
     
  15. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    Coincidentally, the word jubilee always reminds me of the word giblets.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  16. Alistair Eurotrash

    Location:
    Reading, UK
    Two days of paid leave :p
     
  17. Joniemack

    Joniemack Beta brainwaves in session

    Location:
    Reading, UK
    Jubilee fashions something pre-Civil War in my mind. The old South. Plantations. "Gone with the Wind" attire. Party on the lawn sipping mint juleps served by Negro slaves in their Sunday Best. Maybe a band playing and a gang of little white masters setting a stray cat on fire behind the magnolia tree.

    Good fun!
     
  18. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    I would suggest that we have choices, but those choices are in the primaries.

    The Republicans had the choice of a hardline social conservative, a hard line libertarian, or a flip flopping panderer. The one with the overwhelming financial advantage won.

    To even the playing field in Congressional primaries, I would take the money out of politics so that incumbents do not have an overwhelming advantage. Do that and we would have alot more choices and they would not be diluted by a multi-party general election.

    I would also eliminate the Electoral College in favor of a straight popular vote.

    I dont know that it would be worse, but I believe it would lessen your influence by diluting your choice. Look to Canada, where a Conservative government was elected with 40% of the popular vote only because the established Liberals and the upstart New Democrats, with a combined near 50%, split the vote on the left. ( I dont know how the Conservatives got more than 50% of the seats with only 40% of the vote - winner take all, I assume)

    Perhaps more parties would break the deadlock, but I dont think so. I could see even more chaos, with endless amendments, debates, etc.

    The best way to break the current deadlock would be to revise the rules of the Senate; specifically the filibuster/cloture rules, allowing less than 4o% of Senators to effectively block any legislation, a process that has been abused in the last three years like no other time in our history.

    I agree our system needs fixing. I dont agree that the fix is more parties. i am much more interested in serious and significant campaign finance reform, even to the extent of a Constitutional amendment.
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2012
  19. Alistair Eurotrash

    Location:
    Reading, UK
    I agree that finance reform is the priority. Hell, even greater transparency would be a step forwards!
     
  20. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    That comes from living in a commonwealth rather than a state. You Virginians and Kentuckians. :)