[redmenace]

I see a Network News war in the future.

Some of his arguments are not true, BUT, much of it is probably true.

[Bobboau]

from a governmental ideology point of view, I think that's a fair simplification.

[Kosh]

I suppose it's sort of the difference between whether you see the United States firstly as 52 different states or as 1 country.

52? I thought there were only 51.

[Unknown Target]

Non biased view (as best I can do):

The Republicans are typically conservative, pro small government, religious. They are the "right".

The Democracts are typically liberal, pro large governments (taxation), non religious. They are the "left" of US politics.

---end of non biased view

And the problem with Democrats is that their campaign advisors are stupid and they are behind the times. The Republicans always win because they are good at convincing people that what the Republicans want is what's good for them. For instance, estate tax (random example, it's not necessarily true, but it's how they work); the estate tax only cuts taxes for rich people (typically Republicans) - it has NO EFFECT on poor people. But Republicans spin it so that they get people to believe that because they're cutitng taxes for the rich, they're helping them, either because when those poor people "eventually get an estate," they will have to pay less tax. Or they make them think that they're reducing taxes for everyone, or that a lowered estate tax sets a lowered tax precedent (witness the tax cuts for everyone, but the significant tax cuts for the rich).

Basically, Republicans are good at convincing everyone that their agenda is best for them


The Democrats, while they have good views (IMO), are freaking retarded. The reason Gore and Kerry lost was because they were blindly following their pollsters and campaign advisors; so they didn't show any personality. They showed what the Democrats thought was the correct and calculated "posture" for whichever audience they were talking to. Thus, they came off as fake and non-personable. The Democrats are also worse at raising money than the Republicans, and are absolutely pathetic at mudslinging. The Republicans can turn a blow job into Armaggeddon, but the Democrats can't turn a botched and bloody war into more than a fizzle.

I like the Democrats, but they're retarded at politics. Watch; election after next, Republicans will probably come back strong.



EDIT: And a lot of people in the rest of the world (and in the United States, too), are confused about what our government actually is. We're not "one country" per se, we're 50 smaller countries bound together in an agreement that we can't get out of. I've seen here (on HLP), a lot of foreigners (and again, US citizens) express shock or suprise or just plain confusement when they see a state going in a completely opposite direction as compared to the Federal Government. You have to realize; the USA is the United States, while the Federal Government has overarching power, it does have limits, and the state can actually supersede the feds in certain circumstances.

[Bobboau]

"Federal Government has overarching power"

many people feel the federal government actualy has overreaching power.
the states are suposed to have a lot more political power, the federal government is actualy suposed to do little more than handle interstatce commerce, law, and relations, and international politics (national defence included, incedently each state is suposed to have it's own independent military force, this is what the national guard is suposed to be)

[Unknown Target]

From dictionary.com:

overarching: encompassing or overshadowing everything.

Sorry if you were making a joke. But you're right, that's really all it's supposed to do. But after WWII, the federal government's powers expanded exponentially to meet the demands of the Cold War. Unfortunately, it shows no sign of slowing down or going back to the way it was before.

[Bobboau]

it actualy started (to the largest extent) with the civil war.

and overarching doesn't imply that it goes to far, just that it is in controle, not that there is anything wrong with that.

[NGTM-1R]

Regardless of what it's supposed to do, going backwards from the current system is of doubtful usefulness.

[Flipside]

Problem is, going forward in it's current manner is going to be too expensive, and standing still is always a dangerous policy, although at least George Bush doesn't have to worry about Rogue Generals or the like, however, the knives are out in the Senate

I think taking a few steps back and trying a different direction would be a wonderfully novel approach, I've always wondered why governments that U-Turn are considered 'weak' to be honest, it takes more strength to say 'Well, that didn't work, let's try something else instead' than carry on regardless. Could it ever be carried out effectively, I don't know, obviously, you cannot simply un-invade Iraq, that's something that has to be dealt with now, come rain or shine, but I do think there's too much power in Industry in the US, too many blind eyes being turned, and I think that a lot could be done both for Americas funds and for its image by having more strongly enforced rules about how these compaines operate.

Edit : Of course, the problem is that Democrats obviously rely as heavily on corporate funding as the Republicans do

[Mars]

Edit : Of course, the problem is that Democrats obviously rely as heavily on corporate funding as the Republicans do

Which shows the biggest problem with the US system of democracy...

[Blue Lion]

Money is power here

[redmenace]

Of course the democrats also have they cukes in the party just like the republicans as well.

[Mefustae]

Of course the democrats also have they cukes in the party just like the republicans as well.

That's no excuse.

[redmenace]

No I was adding on to Flipsides comment.

But yes it is no excuse for Democrats of Republicans to act as they do.

[vyper]

Name me a western democracy in which power doesn't flow from money?

[NGTM-1R]

Name me ANY country in which power doesn't flow from money.

[Unknown Target]

Um...Togo?

[Janos]

Name me ANY country in which power doesn't flow from money.

You got it kinda wrong. Authority flows from power. Money is power in today's enviroment but it's just one form of it. There are other forms too.

[Unknown Target]

Point being? Either way, money = power.

[Janos]

Point being? Either way, money = power.

all money is power

not all power is money