Lead_Rain
10/31/04 06:58 PM
66.185.84.69
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On November 2nd, probably the greatest test of democracy will be met. The only way to make it truly valid, will be for each American to vote. This will undoubtedly be the most close election in history (save 2000, lol). Your vote will indeed count. Put down the protest signs for 15 minutes and spend the difference actually going to the polls and making a difference. Your vote will count... Make it a personal decision to make it happen!
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Lone_Wolf_Radick
11/11/04 07:22 PM
129.33.119.12
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Been there, did that, got the sticker, and glad it didn't drag out or go to the courts... Now may we please get on with our lives and return to Fictional Universes? LOL!
-Wolf
War Never Determines who is right, only who is left.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing-Darth Vader"
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Cray
11/15/04 08:41 AM
147.160.136.10
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At least the victory was pretty clear in the popular vote. I'm wondering what the chances are of getting the electoral college system axed before 2008.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Lone_Wolf_Radick
11/15/04 01:16 PM
129.33.119.12
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Yeah, I'd say 5.5 Million votes was pretty clear... LOL! Now I'm so glad I won't have to listen to any more raving about a "non-elected" president or any other such BS... As far as the electoral College, no dice my friend... The system may be flawed, but do you really want those people to try and come up with another way to squeeze political power from the smaller states? This one's bad enough... but it's all we have and at least it settles things peaceably...
-Wolf
War Never Determines who is right, only who is left.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing-Darth Vader"
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Gnome76
11/15/04 01:42 PM
68.12.242.212
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Well, might I just give a bit of advice to anyone who smokes or is seeking a civil union?
Oklahoma is not too welcoming... a new tax passed increasing cigarettes by 4 cents per cigarette ($0.80 per pack, $8.00 per carton)... and then we get to the one that really pisses me off... the citizens of Oklahoma voted for a resolution that not only bans same-sex marriage, but also anything even resembling marriage, civil unions, even completely non-legally-binding ceremonies (like you just want to make a lasting promise to your partner and you want all your friends to be there when you do it)... and also makes it a misdemeanor to issue a marriage license for a same-sex ceremony.
I'm thinking I'll move to Missouri after I get done with college... at least there I can get a pint of Jäger at a gas station.
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Cray
11/16/04 08:11 AM
147.160.136.10
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Quote:
As far as the electoral College, no dice my friend... The system may be flawed, but do you really want those people to try and come up with another way to squeeze political power from the smaller states?
Is there some reason I should care about the political power of the little states?
Oh, sure, the "Great Compromise" (which protected the power of weenie states while not completely emasculating the big states) was great for forming the United States in the 18th Century. However, it was a compromise, and it's point was to get states to sign up to the new Constitution. It's original purpose has been served.
And the electoral college's entire point was to isolate the dirty, illiterate masses from the actual process of electing a President, which was better reserved for the better-bred hands of land owners and the wealthy. This is not, IMO, a point in its favor.
Now, this balance of power between big and little states is hindering democracy by opening the possibility of letting candidates win without holding the majority vote, or the largest share of the votes.
I mean, in every vote in my state (it could be any one of the 4 largest), a group of people larger than the voting populations of the 10 smallest states put together have their wishes ignored in favor of the majority's vote. Democracy includes an element of ignoring the wishes of some people, so why stop that at the state level?
Quote:
This one's bad enough... but it's all we have and at least it settles things peaceably...
The great thing about the US Constitution is that it's designed for periodic upgrades in a peaceful fashion. When a part of it gets too dated, it can be (and has been) rewritten without resorting to civil war. There are options for electing Presidents other than the electoral college method, some with a great deal of practice behind them.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Lone_Wolf_Radick
11/18/04 12:24 PM
129.33.119.12
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Perhaps, Perhaps, but now that we're in a media-biased two-party dominant system that thrives on political one-upsmanship, do you really think any of the methods our forefathers put into the ability to change the Constitution would be inacted in such a way as to better the democratic process? No way! they'll screw the system in such a way as to further increase our dependence upon their two parties, who incidentally need each other to survive and rose from the same party anyway. And speaking as a resident of a "weenie" state, as you so eloquently described it, I for one will be damned if I'll have my wishes dictated to me by some liberal who just so happens to be living in a more populus region of the country. And it's a moot point this election anyway, bush won BOTH the popular and the electoral vote, but as for the nay-sayers from year 2000, I say this- Wanting to change the system is great, do something about it. but Quit whining and lamenting every time the guy you like doesn't win and go out and change it instead of signing onto websites and complaining. Especially websites devoted to entirely UNPOLITICAL based subjects, such as this one... No offense intended and no invites to any flamewars of any kind, but this all goes on no matter what the stage and no matter what the reprocussions involved, You simply just can't please everyone, and though we do our best to try it doesn't work... So until a plan is layed out that works better and more efficiently without necessarily stepping on the toes of either the "Weenies" or the "bigarses", I'll stick with what we've got and pray the next few elections go as smoothly and are as easily decided as this one has been.
-Wolf
War Never Determines who is right, only who is left.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing-Darth Vader"
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Cray
11/19/04 07:50 AM
147.160.136.10
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Quote:
And speaking as a resident of a "weenie" state, as you so eloquently described it, I for one will be damned if I'll have my wishes dictated to me by some liberal who just so happens to be living in a more populus region of the country.
Oh, darn, no, we can't have democracy in the US. We gotta have those protected little special interests. :P 
If the electoral college was abolished, the issue would not be, "living in a more populous region of the country," it would be "are there more liberals or conservatives voting on the issue across the country."
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
Edited by Cray (11/19/04 07:50 AM)
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Lone_Wolf_Radick
11/19/04 09:29 AM
129.33.119.12
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Exactly, that's why at least until something CLEARLY better crosses the table, the electoral college will be fine by me... I don't represent any special interest other than the interest inherent in a region that doesn't carry the same clout as say the West Coast or New England, whos views and needs are obviously different, but no less important. I don't advocated it's abolition, rather, a sweeping change could be set in place, like a pilot program, to test the efficiency of any new system ideas that come along. Nevermind just liberals and conservatives, those are just buzzwords now used to describe followers (willing and otherwise) of the two dominant political parties anyways...
-Wolf
War Never Determines who is right, only who is left.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing-Darth Vader"
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Brandx0
12/18/04 05:40 PM
24.207.43.89
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From an external viewpoint, as a non American, if you compare the policies of democrats and republicans, both quite squarely fall into the generally established label of "Conservative" anyways (though its a very relative scale, what's liberal in the US is not liberal in England, and is not liberal in Iran)
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Goliath
01/08/05 11:17 PM
4.244.90.150
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I'm sorry to dissagre, but... in my prospective of both parties the democrats and republicans have great differances. On normal issues of the national defence, jobs, and other economical things neither of the parties have an advantage, much less a monopoly on right awnsers. but on moral isues the, in my own opinion, Republicans have a better idea of whats right. Conserveitism is not based on economical policies, but on moral isues. Both are definetly not conservitive.
Oh, and Gnome76 I agree that Oklahoma is realy screwed up. I live there so I should know. I would have only voted for 2 or 3 of the questions, but every frickin' question passed! (I didn't vote since I can't. being 16 sucks)
Edited by Goliath (01/08/05 11:20 PM)
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Brandx0
01/13/05 02:18 AM
24.207.43.89
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Yeah, GOP are great, the party which is going to make america more free. That is, if you're a heterosexual male... =P
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