Band of Bullshitters

[Cato]

Blaming 'the other' for blaming 'the other'. Hilarious.

[Autumnlicious]

I've yet to hear a coherent plan as to why not to "sink to their level" proverbially. Greece voted in a far-left ridiculous party twice who effectively sank to their level. Meanwhile, center-left parties all over Europe are getting drubbed.

What's your solution to this Captain Planet level of villainy?

[Autumnlicious]

In addition, I will ahead of time discount all arguments of "It won't be so bad" considering the official policies echoed by the President Elect and his team are either designed to sow discord (bad) or really are the real McCoy (worse).

[Pat Mustard]

I've yet to hear a coherent plan as to why not to "sink to their level" proverbially. Greece voted in a far-left ridiculous party twice who effectively sank to their level. Meanwhile, center-left parties all over Europe are getting drubbed.

What's your solution to this Captain Planet level of villainy?

Greece didn't vote in a far left party, they voted in a centre left party wedded to Keynesian economic policy who turned Bliarite third way (i.e. very right wing, but with lots of insincere hand wringing) when installed in power.

A far left government would have nationalised everything and seized the personal assets and bank accounts of the shipping magnates, killing a few pour encourager les autres.

And that's the problem with modern politics, it has swung so far right that a party that suggests using empirically tested working policy which is actually centre right (Keynes was a Liberal), gets branded as Stalinist, or worse.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I'm also pretty pissed that the uneducated votes are worth more than the educated.

This^. I've never been able to understand why sovereign franchise should be available to nearly everyone. How is it that a 30 years-old imbecile can be trusted to cast a more well-considered vote than a 16 years-old genius?

I won't go as far as Heinlein in suggesting that the ability to solve a quadratic equation should be a yardstick for voting, but shouldn't there be SOME qualification, beyond being over 18 and alive? Perhaps a current events or civics quiz (not too involved, 10 questions or so): You go into the voting booth, take the quiz, If you get at least 7/10, the machine unlocks, and you get to have a say in governing the State. If you score 6/10 or below, a red light flashes and a loud klaxon sounds, and you get to slink red-raced out of the booth, having just demonstrated that you're either too lazy or too stupid to exercise this particular right.

Boru

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'm also pretty pissed that the uneducated votes are worth more than the educated.

This^.  I've never been able to understand why sovereign franchise should be available to nearly everyone.  How is it that a 30 years-old imbecile can be trusted to cast a more well-considered vote than a 16 years-old genius?

I won't go as far as Heinlein in suggesting that the ability to solve a quadratic equation should be a yardstick for voting, but shouldn't there be SOME qualification, beyond being over 18 and alive?  Perhaps a current events or civics quiz (not too involved, 10 questions or so):  You go into the voting booth, take the quiz,  If you get at least 7/10, the machine unlocks, and you get to have a say in governing the State.  If you score 6/10 or below, a red light flashes and a loud klaxon sounds, and you get to slink red-raced out of the booth, having just demonstrated that you're either too lazy or too stupid to exercise this particular right.

Boru

Man, you really want to drive American turnout down, don't you?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

This^.  I've never been able to understand why sovereign franchise should be available to nearly everyone.  How is it that a 30 years-old imbecile can be trusted to cast a more well-considered vote than a 16 years-old genius?

I won't go as far as Heinlein in suggesting that the ability to solve a quadratic equation should be a yardstick for voting, but shouldn't there be SOME qualification, beyond being over 18 and alive?  Perhaps a current events or civics quiz (not too involved, 10 questions or so):  You go into the voting booth, take the quiz,  If you get at least 7/10, the machine unlocks, and you get to have a say in governing the State.  If you score 6/10 or below, a red light flashes and a loud klaxon sounds, and you get to slink red-raced out of the booth, having just demonstrated that you're either too lazy or too stupid to exercise this particular right.

Boru

Man, you really want to drive American turnout down, don't you?

I wasn't thinking particularly about Americans, but why not?  If I need plumbing work done, I'd take one plumber who knows the job over 10 who aren't sure what the word 'pipe' means.

Boru

[vorlon13]

Trump's going to piss away his first 2 years, just like Obama did . . .

[Aroura]

If some people wish to include all people, and some people wish to EXCLUDE all people, it is hard to include the excluders.

I mean, if someone turns themselves into the other, I can't change it.
This is a lot like the "tolerate my intolerance" BS.

[Minimalist]

Yeah.  We should never establish "Be Kind To Bigots" Week.