(October 21, 2016 at 11:32 am)Aroura Wrote:

(October 20, 2016 at 9:54 pm)vorlon13 Wrote: BTW, the pollsters must think Iowa is in play now.

I've been polled (via landline) 4 times today. (and I wasn't home full time today)


And (LOL!), I lied all 4 times.

I'm not sure what you mean by "now".  As far as I'm aware, it's been one of the tipping point states needed forboth candidates this entire election.  It's nearly 50/50 with just a slight lead to Clinton right now.

It's not an essential state for Clinton to be honest. However for Trump it is an absolute necessary that he wins Iowa.

(October 21, 2016 at 10:59 pm)vorlon13 Wrote: Heinlein came up with this:

add a third body to congress that can only repeal laws.  And they can repeal anything with a 1/3 vote.

And make an almost impossible situation completely unworkable?

Here's my go at solving the problem:

1) Make parliament unicameral (get rid of the very undemocratic senate)
2) Make all electoral positions, including the committee which decides district boundaries, non political offices, i.e. no elections, no party members need apply.
3) Severely limit the amount of facetime lobbying companies have access to politicians, making an absolute limit for each company.
4) Severely curtail the amount of money parties can accept in donations from individuals, disallow any donations from companies. Also have a (low) set amount of money each party can spend on electioneering, paid out of central funds.
5) Create an independent judicial appointments board, made up of academics, legal experts and ordinary people. Much more likely to have people who understand what cleaving to the law means, and a lot less likely to have another Antonin Scalia*.

I know it's a complete pipe dream what I'm looking for, but frankly the political system we have currently (and Ireland is as much a problem as the US) is unfit for purpose, government for the rich, by the rich and through the rich only guarantees misery on Earth for the masses of the people.

*I'm still mystified how he can reinterpret the second amendment which literally states that guns are only allowed for members of a state regulated militia during the time they carry out their duty as "assault weapons for everybody!!!!!"

(October 24, 2016 at 5:54 pm)Crossless1 Wrote: "Confederate Leadership Confident that Grant Will Move on Vicksburg / Full Route of Union Forces Expected / Grant Looking so Dumb"

It's almost a shame that the Joint Chiefs won't get to spend just one day explaining military reality to Trump. I hate to think that he will walk away from the ass-kicking he's about to receive, still secure in his senseless belief that he understands the situation better than the generals, the civilian leadership in the Pentagon, the State Department, and the sitting President.

There's a difference between capable militaries coming to the wrong conclusions and a perfect idiot, who's attention span is measured in seconds by most accounts.

Trump also needs to feed his followers with bleak news. Good news, as with every rightwinger, is their political death sentence, since their whole strategy is based on fear.

(October 24, 2016 at 5:54 pm)Crossless1 Wrote: It's almost a shame that the Joint Chiefs won't get to spend just one day explaining military reality to Trump.

With a mouth like his? I dunno, but I think Trump's the kind of guy who'd ascend to Heaven and criticize the flatware, the service, and try to stiff the restaurant for the meal. Surely the Pentagon shouldn't expect treatment any better.

(October 24, 2016 at 5:59 pm)abaris Wrote:

(October 24, 2016 at 5:54 pm)Crossless1 Wrote: "Confederate Leadership Confident that Grant Will Move on Vicksburg / Full Route of Union Forces Expected / Grant Looking so Dumb"

It's almost a shame that the Joint Chiefs won't get to spend just one day explaining military reality to Trump. I hate to think that he will walk away from the ass-kicking he's about to receive, still secure in his senseless belief that he understands the situation better than the generals, the civilian leadership in the Pentagon, the State Department, and the sitting President.

There's a difference between capable militaries coming to the wrong conclusions and a perfect idiot, who's attention span is measured in seconds by most accounts.

Trump also needs to feed his followers with bleak news. Good news, as with every rightwinger, is their political death sentence, since their whole strategy is based on fear.

That explains why so many Christians go rightwing despite worshiping a liberal.