The Political Machine

I'd like to have something to say in order to cheer you up, but I saw some parts of it on TV too, so I guess I am wordless.

As for the political machine, I'm quite curius about it. The game looks quite ambitious, and it was one of the reasons why I got Drengin.net in the first place. I've been going through its forum. Lots of debate there, but I am a bit reluctant to post in it since it seems controversial political topics seem to heat up very fast. And all political topics are controversial.
On the other hand it's a good sign, at least people are debating out there. So I guess there are some chances that things change over there.

In the mean time, here am I, commiserating at your side...

~SDC~

Well first the candidate must prostitute himself to the insurance and banking industries. There isn't a member
of Congress not on the take from those 2 biggies.

~SDC~

[Message Edited]

nah, all they need to embrace is some good ol' aussie gumption......they've embraced the australian (or secret) ballot, now all they need is compulsory voting - that'll get the 50% or so of the population off their arse.....and shake a few things up!

Yes, it's always a hoot 'n a holler! Ya gotta watch it though, Killa. Ever watch one? It's Cirque du Soleil and Nosfaratu all in one - a whole lot of flash, little is said. And guess who's Dracula! LOL



What do you think this is? A democracy?!?! LOL Oh how I love this republic.

So, can we send in some postal votes for the next "leader of the free world"?

Have a friend going into politics. His goal is to make it to the position of Sergeant of Arms of the House of Representatives. A gent whose sole duty, apparently, is to announce:

"Mr. Speaker! The President of the United States!"

Gotta love those government jobs...yeah...

Why yes! The address is:

Attn: Barney
The White House Paper Recycling Division
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Now look: this thread has already come up with 2 sensible ways in which the US political system could be immeasurably improved.

(1) Make voting compulsory.
(2) Allow the whole world to have a postal vote.

Kit: I watched GWB's address last year (which was all about foreign affairs). This year, I didn't watch, but I (obviously wrongly) thought that with all of the world's problems and the social, environmental and economic problems in the US, the 'problem' with gay marriages being ruled upon by evil Courts was a bizarre issue to address in the S of the U address. Hence 'The Political Machine' will educate me on the currency and weight of issues in this year's election.

PS: #8 was very LOL

Ah yes, that time of year again. Our "State of Dis-Union" Address. Ol' GWB again looking like a tot making a presentation to a room full of adults. Let us not forget it is also an election year.
I believe the entire "non-traditional" marriage issue was introduced to fracture, marginalize, and polarize the Democratic candidates.
As for "Compulsory Voting"? NO WAY!!!
If an individual is too stupid to realize voting is a responsibility as well as a right, do we really want to make them vote? Don't we already have enough write-in votes for Barney, Mickey Mouse, and The Rock?
This Empire too, shall someday fall. :notsure:

Well after saying that democracy was the worst system except all others, Churchill did say that the best argument against democracy was a 5 minute chat with the average citizen...

I don't think I am for compulsory vote (Brazil has it, France doesn't). But on the other hand it is true that a huge number of americans don't vote, and that certainly is a problem.

sigh.....and why is that other democratic responsibility - taxation - compulsory? i've worked the booths here in oz (where voting is compulsory) and the amount of Bart for President votes are very small, and anyway people have the right to vote for Bart if they want. It's a liberating feeling watching brides in full dress coming in to vote alongside crims, alongside old people with no English etc etc. are these people stupid? the point is that as a citizen you MUST vote. what you do with your vote is up to you. people aren't as stupid as you think, but they are as lazy as you think.

Killa,

American Democracy at a national level is pretty depressing. I'm a moderate who has been registered in both parties and supported candiates on both sides in the same election - so I don't have a particular bias.

Basically, the US has roughly equal amounts of voters in either party. SO politics is a matter of not pissing off your base (they won't vote for the opposition, but they won't vote if you do) and hedging middle of the road policy issues so that you can pick up a couple middle of the voterss.... and win by a percentage point or so.

The trick is to do this without pissing off either your base or your opponents, because if you do -- the some of the wrong 45% for your party might actually decide to vote. The only safe thing to do is to increase spending, cut taxes, and avoid proposing any meaningful policy or saying anything constructive about the existing policy problems.

While we like to tell everyone else how to solve their problems, our political system is geared toward maintaining a status quo...






~SDC~