[Kosh]

http://politics.slashdot.org/politics/06/10/01/2141222.shtml



It's actually a good question.

[BlackDove]

Who cares? Since they introduced them, none of them really mattered anyway.

[Rictor]

Congrats America: you've gone from owning the world to being what essentially amounts to a rich third world country within the span of a decade. It took Rome a good 200 years to do that, but as always you're the best at what you do.

Simply the serious possibility of widespread electoral fraud, even if it turns out to be unsubstantiated, speaks of the condition of America's body politic right now. And I doubt it's going to get better anytime soon, no matter who succeeds Bush.

[Nuke]

sure it will get hacked, but this time by the demos, to retaliate for the last 2 eletions. unlike the rebublican hackers, the democratic hackers will get caught in the act. democrats seem to be good at that

[Mefustae]

sure it will get hacked, but this time by the demos, to retaliate for the last 2 eletions. unlike the rebublican hackers, the democratic hackers will get caught in the act. democrats seem to be good at that

Oh my God, that's going to happen. There's no doubt about it.

Hell, even if the Democrats get into office, the sweeping changes they'll need to make to restore the economy and other glaring issues arising across the nation will mean higher taxes and sacrafices by the people, which means the populous will dislike the Dems for instigating the changes and they'll get ousted next election.

[Turey]

democrats seem to be good at that

Democrats like Richard Nixon?

[Kosh]

Hell, even if the Democrats get into office, the sweeping changes they'll need to make to restore the economy and other glaring issues arising across the nation will mean higher taxes and sacrafices by the people, which means the populous will dislike the Dems for instigating the changes and they'll get ousted next election.

Which is exactly why they won't do anything either, which makes all of these problems even worse. Compounding this is the fact that most Americans don't seem to give a **** about what their own government is doing.

If the American people are going to solve these problems, then they will have to make some sacrifices, but the problem is that they won't without a huge fight.

[redmenace]

They can fix things without raising taxes. Just get congress TO STOP GETTIN EARMARKS. Stop non competivley giving out contracts of the basis of race, sex, and business size. Stop with the useless social services. Limit the DoD's spending. Problem solved.

[Sarafan]

Congrats America: you've gone from owning the world to being what essentially amounts to a rich third world country within the span of a decade.

Hey! Dont compare us with that lot!

[Mathwiz6]

democrats seem to be good at that

Democrats like Richard Nixon?

(off tune singing) At least he's not Nixon... He's even worse! For he was Ron... Ronald Reagan.... Ron... Ronald Reagan (/off tune singing)

Actually part of a song 

Anyway, all we people in other countries have to do is H@xXx0R the U.S. election, and see what they say about 1.9 billion votes  (Hey! Did we allow all Chinese citizens to vote?  )

[WeatherOp]

Go Republican hackers. Woo Hooo

[Ford Prefect]

Congrats America: you've gone from owning the world to being what essentially amounts to a rich third world country within the span of a decade. It took Rome a good 200 years to do that, but as always you're the best at what you do.

That is not true, and frankly I am offended. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a mob of jobless people outside with no health insurance, and I have to go shoot at them with my legally owned submachine gun while the government finishes reading my email.

[IceFire]

I worry for your country and for mine.

[Mr. Vega]

Congrats America: you've gone from owning the world to being what essentially amounts to a rich third world country within the span of a decade. It took Rome a good 200 years to do that, but as always you're the best at what you do.

Simply the serious possibility of widespread electoral fraud, even if it turns out to be unsubstantiated, speaks of the condition of America's body politic right now. And I doubt it's going to get better anytime soon, no matter who succeeds Bush.

Being a resident of America I'd say we're still at 150AD, but hey...

[BlackDove]

Congrats America: you've gone from owning the world to being what essentially amounts to a rich third world country within the span of a decade. It took Rome a good 200 years to do that, but as always you're the best at what you do.

That is not true, and frankly I am offended. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a mob of jobless people outside with no health insurance, and I have to go shoot at them with my legally owned submachine gun while the government finishes reading my email.

[Nuke]

absolute power corrupts absolutely. america has been a world power long enough and now it will become corrupt, and eventually screw its self over as all superpowers enevetably do. when that happens we might become a sensible nation, but sombody has to kick our ass in a really big war.

[NGTM-1R]

Of course, the person to do that doesn't exist.

Seriously. Just to have a noticible chance of winning you'd have to pit the entirety of the EU and Middle East against us. Even then the odds are still kinda long.

[aldo_14]

Of course, the person to do that doesn't exist.

Seriously. Just to have a noticible chance of winning you'd have to pit the entirety of the EU and Middle East against us. Even then the odds are still kinda long.

Depends on the war; I couldn't see the US losing a defensive war (i.e. being invaded by another power), but an offensive subjugational one is an entirely different matter (as we've seen with the relatively small war in Vietnam).  I doubt the US could succesfully invade the EU, for example.

[Rictor]

Sure they could. The British would cooperate, the French would capitualte and Germany would simply take it as a slight, is unannouced, expansion of the bases the US already possess. The Netherlands and Italy would welcome the tourism.

Though honestly, if the US can't exert control over a third world country of 25 milion, what are the chances it could control a prosperous and advanced contintent of 500 million? Hell, the US probably couldn't even hold on to Albania for more than a few years.

[Mefustae]

Though honestly, if the US can't exert control over a third world country of 25 milion, what are the chances it could control a prosperous and advanced contintent of 500 million? Hell, the US probably couldn't even hold on to Albania for more than a few years.

Aside from the complications of a considerably larger population, I would wager it would be far easier to control a prosperous and advanced area compared to a nation like Iraq. Think about it; when you have a high standard of living, you've got a lot to lose.