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DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#39876: Nov 12th 2012 at 5:53:52 AM

It all comes down to what kind of representation people want: by party ideology, or by geography? In the US, both because there are relatively fewer ideological differences between the two parties compared to Europe and the fact that we are so spread out and far apart, it's entirly possible that Americans perceive themselves to have more in common with their neighbors regardless of party than with supporters of their own party from the other side of the country (this is where we get things like "Blue Dog Democrats"). Regional representation reflects that. I think there is also an element of cultural mythologizing going on where Americans have a tendency to attribte the wealth and power of their country to its cohesion and unity, compared to European states (so the myth goes) which are fractured and socially divisive. Americans are understandibly wary of anything that might divide us. PR has the appearence of placing party interests over national ones.

That said, PR might work well at the state level, as Kost pointed out.I also think that the European Parliament might be better off if it adopted American style regional representation (like our House of Represtatives). Generally, I think the smaller and more cohesive the political entity, the more PR makes sense, while the larger it is the better off it is with RR.

Unfortunately, people tend to want to use the same system of representation at all levels of gov., as both the US and the EU demonstrate.

edited 12th Nov '12 5:56:42 AM by DeMarquis

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#39877: Nov 12th 2012 at 6:03:47 AM

[up]Agreed... to some extent. But... isn't there another thread for this? smile

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#39878: Nov 12th 2012 at 6:09:33 AM

Oops, sorry, /derail.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
MidnightRambler Ich bin nicht schuld! 's ist Gottes Plan! from Germania Inferior Since: Mar, 2011
Ich bin nicht schuld! 's ist Gottes Plan!
#39879: Nov 12th 2012 at 6:23:10 AM

[up][up][up] Um, the European Parliament already does that. Each country gets a number of seats based on population, and EP election results in one country only affect that country's "own" seats.

Mache dich, mein Herze, rein...
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#39880: Nov 12th 2012 at 6:31:48 AM

Romney did what in the what now? Dude could buy each of his staffers a plane trip to anywhere and he's cutting off their credit cards? Ugh.

edited 12th Nov '12 6:32:00 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
ohsointocats from The Sand Wastes Since: Oct, 2011 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#39881: Nov 12th 2012 at 7:19:30 AM

@Midnight Rambler: Then most of it could be solved by midnight rambler. Not much, though. The fact is that I don't think most people would be happy with districting like Nevada's federal.

DrunkGirlfriend from Castle Geekhaven Since: Jan, 2011
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#39883: Nov 12th 2012 at 7:42:10 AM

People at my work are concerned about Obamacare's effect on their future health insurance. I know that my employer has been pushing us to move into high deductible plans with a pretax healthcare savings account, although they started that option a few years ago and are only now really trying to get us all to switch.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
DrunkGirlfriend from Castle Geekhaven Since: Jan, 2011
#39884: Nov 12th 2012 at 7:54:18 AM

Yeah, I know that the insurance I'm on through Mom is going to get a lot worse next year due to her company offering worse options. Bleh.

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian
Balmung Since: Oct, 2011
#39885: Nov 12th 2012 at 8:10:33 AM

Re: Rick Perry running in 2016: I'm not scared. After his showing in the 2012 primary, I doubt he'll ever hold national office.

RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
scratching at .8, just hopin'
#39886: Nov 12th 2012 at 9:50:24 AM

From DG'S link:

“Yesterday I called all my part-time employees in and said because Obama won I was cutting their hours from 30 to 25 a week so i would not fall under the Obamacare mandate,” Stu, who said he is from Williamson, Ga., told C-SPAN.

Under the Affordable Health Care Act, businesses with more than 50 workers are required to provide health care coverage for full-time employees or those working more than 30 hours per week. Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Red Lobster and The Olive Garden, announced in October that it would test a plan that would boost the number of employees on part-time status in a handful of its markets.

“I had to lay two full-timers off to get under the 50-person cap,” Stu told C-SPAN. “I tried to make sure that the people I had to lay off voted for Obama.”

Don't tell me this shit is legal.

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.
Chalkos Sidequest Proliferator from The Internets Since: Oct, 2010
Sidequest Proliferator
#39887: Nov 12th 2012 at 9:56:38 AM

According to federal law, it is. Some states prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of political views— California, for example. I don't know if wherever Olive Garden is based does. I have a sinking suspicion it does not.

EDIT: To be more precise: in most places, public employees are protected against employment discrimination based on political views or affiliation. Private employees have spottier protections.

edited 12th Nov '12 9:57:20 AM by Chalkos

Midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#39888: Nov 12th 2012 at 9:57:33 AM

[up]

Businesses. Totally out for your best interests.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#39889: Nov 12th 2012 at 9:58:30 AM

It's legal for businesses to do that. It's reprehensible, but legal. Anything to avoid having their precious CEO paychecks reduced.

Anyway, this is a predictable (and predicted) backlash from businesses. Time will tell who blinks in the game of political chicken.

edited 12th Nov '12 10:00:30 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Karkadinn Karkadinn from New Orleans, Louisiana Since: Jul, 2009
Karkadinn
#39890: Nov 12th 2012 at 10:00:20 AM

I'm really surprised that isn't illegal. It seems like one of those obvious things that should be, in a bipartisan (lol) fashion. Then again, I don't remember people firing their employees over the last few elections either, so maybe it wasn't as much a problem in the recent past.

Furthermore, I think Guantanamo must be destroyed.
Linhasxoc Since: Jun, 2009
#39891: Nov 12th 2012 at 10:01:41 AM

Actually, the actual answer is more closely "maybe." There are no specific laws against firing someone based on their political beliefs or voting patters, but that may fall under "voter intimidation" which is illegal.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#39892: Nov 12th 2012 at 10:02:04 AM

The business world in general has been almost obsessively antagonistic towards Obama in this election cycle. It's rather amusing that he's implemented the most business-friendly healthcare plan imaginable, one that was originally proposed by Republicans as an alternative to single payer, and they're still griping about it.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#39893: Nov 12th 2012 at 10:05:19 AM

[up][up][up]

The sad part is idiot libertarians will jsyt go "SEE REGULATION HURTS BUSNESSES AND THEYRE BEING FORCED TO HURT THEIR EMPLOYESS BECAUSE NAZI SOCIIALIST KENYAN"

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#39894: Nov 12th 2012 at 10:16:15 AM

OTOH, it is illegal for employers to ask employees how they voted, so unless you are careless, you should be safe.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
chihuahua0 Since: Jul, 2010
#39895: Nov 12th 2012 at 10:18:50 AM

How plausible is this?

Also, I find it amusing how two different sides think "he got us out of this mess" and "he got us into this mess". Is one wrong, or are they simply looking in different directions?

Karkadinn Karkadinn from New Orleans, Louisiana Since: Jul, 2009
Karkadinn
#39896: Nov 12th 2012 at 10:24:12 AM

The US is extreme and past Germany for this, but it is a northern-European cultural thing. BUT part of this is that Americans have bought into their own laws… up till now. If that changes (and it’s almost impossible it won’t if regulations keep getting piled) it will destroy the culture.

I'm curious as to how the author reconciles this viewpoint with the fact that we have the highest incarceration rate, bar none, in the entire world.

...and further along, the post goes on to talk about how 'weakness' in the US will result in the Arabs nuking our major cities.

Why are you even taking crackpot drivel like this seriously?

edited 12th Nov '12 10:27:15 AM by Karkadinn

Furthermore, I think Guantanamo must be destroyed.
HilarityEnsues Since: Sep, 2009
#39897: Nov 12th 2012 at 10:43:43 AM

...It will be used to bring a lot of UN law and regulations over here...

...Meanwhile new taxes will decimate the middle class, till we ALL can’t survive without some form of assistance...

...In this case we break in pieces. Literally. There are food crisis, and how your local area goes depends on who is in your area. The government has no way of maintaining order except using force, and that won’t go over well many places...

Good Lord. A UN takeover, a massive tax hike that destroys the middle class (even though Obama's kept taxes low for the middle class), and societal collapse that, unless I'm misinterpreting here, will make it necessary for the government to enforce martial law? Seriously, is this from a Ron Paulite or something?

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#39898: Nov 12th 2012 at 10:44:16 AM

Indeed. Chihuahua, do please try to distinguish between rabid conspiracy theorists and actual news.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#39899: Nov 12th 2012 at 11:02:37 AM

Double Post, with more fun news.

Gingrich 'dumbfounded' by Obama win. Gingrich admitted, "I was wrong last week, as was virtually every major Republican analyst. And so, you have to stop and say to yourself, 'If I was that far off, what do I need to learn to better understand America.'"

Teacher allegedly tells class Obama's reelection is 'America's funeral'. A fourth-grade teacher mind, you, who came to school dressed in black (for mourning) and told the class that the country will turn into China.

White House website deluged with secession petitions from 19 states. Apparently any petition with more than 150 signatures automatically gets displayed at the White House website.

Senators develop comprehensive immigration plan. Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Lindsay Graham of South Carolina have developed a plan that would permit all illegals currently in the country to earn citizenship if they "learn English, go to the back of the visa line, have a job, and not commit crimes."

U.S. will overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's top oil producer in 2017, according to the IEA, and may become energy-independent by 2035, thanks to "light tight oil and shale gas resources".

And, because I know someone will post it so it might as well be here, Elmo apparently had a sixteen year old "boyfriend". No, don't bother starting a thread about it.

edited 12th Nov '12 11:09:45 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#39900: Nov 12th 2012 at 11:06:32 AM

Do they get to live and work here while they wait for a visa? If not, its a no-starter.

edited 12th Nov '12 11:07:04 AM by DeMarquis

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.

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