American Politics

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

How would you like to be a fly-on-the-wall in the Flag Room today when Obama meets the Dalai Lama?

Should be a real zinger for Beijing.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Time for a 3rd party or one of the Big two to split apart?

[Barbarossa 51]

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  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[Duke87 1,070]

Fiscal Conservative/Social Conservative	= Republican / "Tea Party"
Fiscal Conservative/Social Liberal	= Libertarian
Fiscal Liberal/Social Conservative	= Communist (sort of)
Fiscal Liberal/Social Liberal	= Democrat / Progressive

...of course, you can take different approaches to different issues and look at things from different angles. This is how you can list more than one party in some of those categories. And you can have parties that quite don't fit into one.

That said, our system seems to have a tendency to want to operate as a dichotomy (always two there are... no more, no less).

The Republicans' rise to prominence was the Whigs' downfall. If the "Tea Party" ever becomes an actual party (and a big one), it will likely be the end of the Republican party as a major party.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

All these parties are familiar to us in Canada.  Its what we've got, so if you look at us, you can see yourselves under such a system in microcosm.

The main difference is not the number of parties, but the form of government.  Yours is a poorly invented thing cobbled together from John Stewart Mill and other 18th century political writers.  A reasonable job considering the lack of history.  Ours is based on the mother of all parliaments with at least 1000 years of development.

The government of the United States will be fine in another few centuries.  You just have to keep it alive until it grows up.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Needs must a consecutive post.  Two days have elapsed, and I feel this is a necessary item.  Link.

Most intriguing.  The time-table for elections is a bad thing.  The election isn't for a long time, yet the Democrats are already getting soft to slow down disapproval.  I like our system where there are only 44 days to campaign after an election is called, essentially on a random basis.

[bluemoose 223]

Politicians are corrupt... bottom line...

I think there are a very few good, honest men/women out there that believe in original US government....

Both Big Parties point fingers at the other. God forbid someone vote against someonelses' bill. Isn't that the point of the system?? Of course, thats not to say people who vote down bills are right, if you vote it down, present something else, and vote on the basis of your people, the ones that voted for you.

What im saying is, the people voted for you because (or were supposed to) they agreed with your platform, so run with your own platform rather than that of your party, and keep with it. I don't think the founding fathers would be proud of congress today

[Easy Bakes 253]

A big figure in 80's politcs passed away

ALEXANDER HAIG, the former US secretary of state and adviser to three American presidents,  died at age 85.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7034922.ece

 

 

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

With respect to the Government of the United States of America, don't confuse them with facts.  Their minds are already made up.

[Duke87 1,070]

Couple tea party related tidbits.

First, over in the UK, an MEP (that's "Member of European Parliament" not "Mechanical, Electrrical, and Plumbing") has decided to launch his own little copycat movement. (Link 1) (Link 2)

Second, in response to Tokyo Rose Keith Olbermann's jab at the tea party's alleged lack of diversity, the Dallas chapter came up with this. Heh.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

If you are going to have a new tea party, why not bag some congressmen and steep them in Boston Bay?  You can use the senators for bag-tags.

[Duke87 1,070]

Here's another political test you can take.

My result:

[Easy Bakes 253]

Hmmm

Whats a Statist?

[astronelson 339]

And here's where I stand:

While I am not a US citizen, this does seem rather accurate given results from various other political questionnaires.

I will admit I had to look up "Eminent domain". It's called "Compulsory acquisition" in Australia.

[Larks2242 251]

Originally posted by: Easy Bakes

Hmmm

Whats a Statist?

quote>

It appears to be the opposite of libertarian. IE socialism, or communitarianism.

[astronelson 339]

Statism is the belief that all power should be vested in the state and none in the individual. Libertarianism is, of course, the opposite, with the belief that there should be as little government as possible.

Liberal and Conservative are less picky about the size of government, mostly being defined by economic policy and what role the government should take in welfare, health care, and the like.

Centrists are generally the swing voters.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

-isms beget -ists.  In all cases they besmirch the word freedom by placing limits on it.  Freedom is a very expensive commodity, usually paid for in blood.  Unfortunately, our two favorite O'Cracy twins, Dem and Bur also have a lot of drawbacks, but in all, don't you all feel that they are the best we have tried so far?

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: astronelson

Statism is the belief that all power should be vested in the state and none in the individual. Libertarianism is, of course, the opposite, with the belief that there should be as little government as possible.

Liberal and Conservative are less picky about the size of government, mostly being defined by economic policy and what role the government should take in welfare, health care, and the like.

Centrists are generally the swing voters.quote>

How did i get that?

[hamsterTK 93]

http://www.kens5.com/

Word from Texas gubernatorial primaries:

Hutchinson dropped out. Perry officially has ~53% of the 3-way republican vote with roughly a quarter of precints reporting. Medina(the tea party one) has a maybe 11 percent share. So its going to be Perry vs. White for Gov(Shami is also sunk). Probably Perry for his 158th consecutive term. He's going to make Strom Thurmond look like a freshman. I decided to be an interloper and declare myself a Republican so I could vote on this more critical ticket. But not for Governor, I'll say why later-but for the various state house candidates.

Of course since the real power is held by the Lieutenant Governor-he runs the senate and appoints commitees. Incumbent David Dewhurst is probably going to win again, so I guess its all futile anyways

[Barbarossa 51]

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  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Originally posted by: Barbarossa

I have opted to pin this thread. It seems to be consistently active.

Barbquote>

Good idea.  You Americans love to discuss your country's goings on (and off).  I think it is probably a matter of numbers.  You have so many people with the ideals of freedom that this discussion may never end.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Joe Biden seems to be able to sling the arrows of outrage in the middle east.  He was blindsided by Israel and came out pitching for Palestine.  Wonder it he talked to Obama before he made his announcement, eh?

[Barbarossa 51]

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  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The spin from the states today seems to be all is sweetness and light.

[Gridlock 9]

Within a month the US Treasury must rule whether China is a "currency manipulator", triggering sanctions under US law.

With America's U6 unemployment at 16.8pc,it's going to be really hard for them yet again to fudge on the obvious fact that China is manipulating.

[Barbarossa 51]

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  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Considering the relative histories of the nations being discussed, it is not surprising that age and treachery is winning over youth and enthusiasm.

May you live in interesting times.

[astronelson 339]

My university's socialist organisation is planning to protest Obama's visit. I hereby dub him President Barack "Light Brigade" Obama.

Cannon to the left of him, cannon to the right of him...

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Originally posted by: astronelson

My university's socialist organisation is planning to protest Obama's visit. I hereby dub him President Barack "Light Brigade" Obama.

Cannon to the left of him, cannon to the right of him...quote>

Rather silly of all of you.  He's a visiting head of state and nothing you do or say will have any effect other than to make you look like a bunch of radical student fools.  I suppose some idiot will carry a sign denigrating the United States as the Great Satan.  Students are so black and white that they are beneath notice.

[astronelson 339]

Originally posted by: N_O_Body

Originally posted by: astronelson

My university's socialist organisation is planning to protest Obama's visit. I hereby dub him President Barack "Light Brigade" Obama.

Cannon to the left of him, cannon to the right of him...quote>

Rather silly of all of you.  He's a visiting head of state and nothing you do or say will have any effect other than to make you look like a bunch of radical student fools.  I suppose some idiot will carry a sign denigrating the United States as the Great Satan.  Students are so black and white that they are beneath notice.

quote>

I'm not a member of said organisation, I should point out. I consider myself more politically central, personally.

I'm not sure whether or not to take offense at that last sentence. I won't, as I don't tend to take offense at many things. I know there are many shades of grey, and there is absolutely no chance anything they say would change the position the President has on anything. I merely wished to point out the absurdity of the right calling him a socialist and the left calling him "the new face of American imperiaism", as I saw on one of their posters. I haven't heard what the American left calls him, but then again, I haven't heard of the American left at all.

I was considering making a sign saying something along the lines of "I think he's doing rather well under the circumstances" but I have better things to do with my time than go to protests and annoy socialist organisations.