.la1n
Member
That's the spirit
I vote locally and I make an effort to vote in the Presidential election even if it does feel fruitless most of the time.
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- Thread starter Davedough
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That's the spirit
I vote locally and I make an effort to vote in the Presidential election even if it does feel fruitless most of the time.
RobotNinjaHornets
Banned
Virtue's Last Reward on Amazon.co.uk -
Also the American voting system is fucking stupid from what I can tell.
Well, I think people are disillusioned with politicians in general. I know I am.
I don't vote anymore. Perhaps I should, but it has come to a point with me where I have stopped caring who goes in power. There doesn't seem to be any real difference between the parties.
Social-policy wise... I disagree.
Nah, I would say the parties are more in the middle in this country. Of course their policies may differ in certain areas, but I don't really see any significant difference.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Way
English version came out? Time to buy a US 3DS
Featheredkitten
Banned
Today i vote for the first time (Marrec convinced me to register a while ago), and also get my flu shot.
I am a responsible adult. yeaaaa
I am a responsible adult. yeaaaa
.la1n
Member
EVOL you have returned!
edit: we have mandatory flu shots so no getting around that one (never had any issues though.)
Holy shit. I'm never talking politics in this thread again.
lol
Don't let my pessimism bother you Billie.
I will say one thing though about American politics: if you look at Obama's foreign policy, it is basically a continuation of Bush's foreign policy. In terms of the erosion of civil liberties, he has probably out done Bush. Sure, they all differ on certain issues, they have to, but it doesn't really change things in any significant way.
keep it up!
ShockingAlberto
Member
This is the kind of thing misinformed, poorly-educated people say.
RobotNinjaHornets
Banned
Ok, know what's REALLY. FUCKING. ANNOYING?
When fucking Visual Studio doesn't show you half the fucking variables in use at a breakpoint. Specifically all the ones you want to look at. GRR.
When fucking Visual Studio doesn't show you half the fucking variables in use at a breakpoint. Specifically all the ones you want to look at. GRR.
Featheredkitten
Banned
Marrec's allergic to eggs so he can't get, but our son and i get it every year...gotta keep that herd immunity up!
right!
That's totally not insulting.
Of course I'm talking UK politics mainly, but I can see elements of the same thing happening in the States. I'm not talking the traditional ideological differences between the main parties, but rather how political parties have adapted and changed over the years. They're moving towards a more political centrist approach. Rather than there being a distinct left and right like in the past, there is fast becoming a sort of moderate middle ground. Labour in UK did this in the 90s when creating 'New Labour'. An attempt to modernise and become more appealing to the electorate on both sides. New Labour adopted the 'Third Way' approach to politics.
You have parties pandering to both sides. Taking a more moderate line and making polices that are very similar to each other. A way to make themselves more appealing to the wider electorate.
An interesting article on this subject:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/01/return-left-right-politics-2012
Wikipedia article on centrism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrism
However, what the fuck do I know? I'm poorly educated.
RobotNinjaHornets
Banned
If you coded better you wouldn't have to debug
jk
I DIDN'T WRITE IT >:C
CrudeDiatribe
Member
You live in a parliamentary democracy, if idiotic party politics is getting you down, vote based on your local representative if there's anyone decent. I totally miss my old MP (moved out of the riding a year ago), she was balls-out gonzo.
America as the world's policeman was originally a Democratic thing, hardly surprising that selective interventionist policies would continue. The biggest difference in foreign policy Bush to Obama is in the quality of execution. Additionally, with the exception of Israel and Pakistan, I think US relations have improved or stayed the same with most nations. That's just my perception.
Yeah. Of course Obama hasn't invaded a major country, so I imagine US relations have improved some what. To be fair, there was not a lot he could do really, he inherited this 'War on Terror' from Bush. However, the whole 'drone strikes' debacle and a number of proxy wars, perhaps isn't helping their cause in that region.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Debacle? Drone strikes are a non-issue for the American people. Twenty civilian causalities for every terrorist killed is a small price to pay when: 1. They're brown and in a developing country; 2. American casualties are non-existent in such operations if you ignore the incidence of PTSD in drone pilots.
lol
Yeah. I'm sure there are those who are perfectly happy with it. It means no American deaths.
Perhaps not so fun for the people in those countries though.
http://www.cnn.co.uk/2012/09/25/world/asia/pakistan-us-drone-strikes/index.html
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/newsfoc...s-in-cia-attacks-in-pakistan-are-drones-legal
ShockingAlberto
Member
right!
That's totally not insulting.
Of course I'm talking UK politics mainly, but I can see elements of the same thing happening in the States. I'm not talking the traditional ideological differences between the main parties, but rather how political parties have adapted and changed over the years. They're moving towards a more political centrist approach. Rather than there being a distinct left and right like in the past, there is fast becoming a sort of moderate middle ground. Labour in UK did this in the 90s when creating 'New Labour'. An attempt to modernise and become more appealing to the electorate on both sides. New Labour adopted the 'Third Way' approach to politics.
You have parties pandering to both sides. Taking a more moderate line and making polices that are very similar to each other. A way to make themselves more appealing to the wider electorate.
An interesting article on this subject:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/01/return-left-right-politics-2012
Wikipedia article on centrism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrism
However, what the fuck do I know? I'm poorly educated.
Oh, the Wikipedia article for centrism. That's...illuminating.
You're making like six different arguments here so let me look at this piece by piece.
Examples of this? In what situation are the two party platforms coalescing over the last thirty years that can not be explained by different candidates being two actually different people. In fact, if you want to use the current situation as a barometer and show one person's opinion changing over time, you can show Mitt Romney as going further right from center rather than further center from right since the 90s. Of course, this incredibly pertinent example doesn't fit your argument, so I guess we should ignore it.
Nope! Under this reasoning, logically the vast middle ground should be getting more bi-partisan efforts done since they basically agree on the same thing. And yet the 112th congress is the least productive since 1947.
But ~*centrism*~
Okay. So tell me where the middle ground is on Roe v. Wade. What about gay marriage? It doesn't really matter who we elect because they would choose the exact same supreme court judges, right? McCain would have chosen Sotamayor and attempted to pass healthcare reform and try to push a public option, surely.
But you're right, they both like cars when they're in Detroit, so clearly they're functionally the same.
Dr.Palutena
Member
Whoa, don't throw all those facts at him, he's not uneducated, he probably already knows all that stuff.
RobotNinjaHornets
Banned
Stop arguing
LOL. It was not meant to be deeply illuminating to you, it was simply pointing out that my point about political parties being the same in my country has some basis to it. It was not simply an ignorant comment. The degree in which they are similar is a question of debate though.
There is no point to this. As I said, I was speaking mainly of UK politics not US poltics. I said I have seen elements of this happening in US politics, but not necessarily to the same degree.
LOL. And funny thing is, Romney switched tack in one of the presidential debates and went full on centrist.
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/10/10/982471/suddenly-centrist-the-new-moderate-mitt-romney/
Obama himself, to a degree appears to be ideologically aligned more towards the centre. He speaks a lot about 'cooperation'. About the need to put our differences aside and come together for the good of the country.
Dr.Palutena
Member
Yea one debate, in which everyone in which a good portion called out Romney on blatantly lying and changing tack , shows he has been going centrist for a decade.
Wow. I have not actually argued this. The point was made clear in my last post.
CrudeDiatribe
Member
Stop arguing
Go play some video games with the volume up. Mommy and daddy have things to discuss.
Spoiler: Many people get upset when foreigners tell them something about their country they don't feel is true. Never mind that you were originally talking about the UK while several people thought you were talking about the USA (and then you made the small mistake of actually talking about the USA in passing).
Dr.Palutena
Member
What you quoted and what you mentioned seem to be only tangentially related, "lol funny thing but he was very centrist this one time and it was largely a lie compared to what he was doing and saying for the past decade, but yea, he was!". No one said you argued this btw, but there is this stuff called implications and people are always capable of gleaning their own interpretations from comments.
Don't carry this on now.
My original post:
I was talking mainly of UK politics. I said I have seen elements of this happening in the states.
Yeah. Will not make the mistake again. lol
Dr.Palutena
Member
Yes I was clearly talking about that argument, clearly. But yes,It best be said you probably shouldn't have and we can all just move on now.
Finished 1984 yesterday and while it dragged in some spots, it was really good overall. Part III was fantastic,
was so terrifying in such a good way. I still don't have power and want to start Dune, but I feel like I need to take a small break from reading after I finish a book, am I the only one like that
O'Brien
shanshan310
Member
I'm glad you liked it!
I'm thinking about reading irobot after exams are done. Anyone know if it's good?
anyway! I hope everything goes well today!! I'm really nervous D: tv is betting on a Romney victory...
I'm thinking about reading irobot after exams are done. Anyone know if it's good?
hang on, marrec? Did I miss something?
I always thought the Democrats were central as well. They probably align better with our right wing party tbh.
anyway! I hope everything goes well today!! I'm really nervous D: tv is betting on a Romney victory...
RobotNinjaHornets
Banned
If Romney wins, then I have lost faith in America and would like it to be jettisoned into space. The cool people can move to Canada and here and Australia.
Well, according to one article: "Vote Obama – if you want a centrist Republican for US president"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/27/vote-obama-centrist-republican
lol
UK politics and US politics are certainly different though. I notice that more liberal type people in the US look down on Republicans with scorn. It almost seems like a Republican is synonymous with a racist, a bigot, an uneducated individual, etc. There seems to be this 'us and them' mentality in US politics. I'm not saying there is or isn't an element of truth in that, but it is something that simply doesn't exist in the UK.
Your character is not judged by your political affiliations. Of course you do tend to get the rich preferring the Conservatives and the poor preferring Labour, but besides that, no one really cares what political party you prefer. It holds very little significance in that respect.
RobotNinjaHornets
Banned
Well, that's not entirely true.
...cunt.
lol
Well, of course there is the BNP. They're like the fucking Nazis though. :/
Edit: I'll just mention actually. I think it is more hardcore republicans that some people tend to take issue on. A certain demographic that associates exclusively with the republican party. That paradigm doesn't exist to the same degree in the UK. At least not anymore really.
Featheredkitten
Banned
ClassyPenguin
Banned
Obsidian Stout from deschutes brewery. Yum.
Professor Beef
Banned
I don't even like touching my OWN feet that much. What's in it for me?
I can't say... but guess why I lost my job.
RobotNinjaHornets
Banned
Ok, played some Ass Creed 2 'cause I couldn't sleep.
Still as Ass (LOL GET IT) as the first one. Oh well.
Still as Ass (LOL GET IT) as the first one. Oh well.
shanshan310
Member
I just had a really nice afternoon. Aced my Japanese exam, and then the whole class, most of whom I had never spoken to, went to get drinks. Turns out everyone are huge nerds (big surprise for a Japanese class right?) So we just talked about dota and cosplay and whatever while we watched the election. It looked like Romney was gonna win for a while there D:
I wish my boyfriend was a Gaffer...
What?!! omg, How did I miss that?!! that's awesome!!!Marrec's my Fiance.
I wish my boyfriend was a Gaffer...