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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#45326: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:01:25 PM

10 rounds isn't high capacity. It's standard for smaller pistols. Standard capacity is 30 in most long guns. Such silly and pointless legislation. I shall write my congress person!

Fight smart, not fair.
Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#45327: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:04:39 PM

[up][up] That's not so bad when you consider roughly that number think the sun orbits the earth.

No matter what happens a good ~10-20% will always take the stupid side of things.

edited 29th Dec '12 9:04:49 PM by Joesolo

I'm baaaaaaack
DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#45328: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:06:30 PM

[up][up][up]

King George, a communist USA, and Nixon immediately after Watergate are all more popular than Congress.

edited 29th Dec '12 9:12:56 PM by DeviantBraeburn

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
LMage Since: May, 2011
#45329: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:09:42 PM

Has any sort of compromise been reached? Things are getting down to the wire here....I mean, I don't actually think the Republicans will push us over the Cliff-it's political suicide- but...

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#45330: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:09:58 PM

[up][up]I'd prefer our current congress to Nixon and a communist US if it acted like Russia or China. Not by much though.tongue

[up]If there was we'd all be talking about it. It looks like they want to avoid the cliff but their extremism is sabotaging their efforts.

edited 29th Dec '12 9:11:16 PM by Kostya

Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#45331: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:13:16 PM

doesn't do anything helpful is marginally better than actively kills it's ciizens for complaining.

I'm baaaaaaack
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#45332: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:18:31 PM

Exactly and we might eventually get a chance to replace these idiots.

Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#45333: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:24:53 PM

[up] Not that we will easily. that 27% that blames obama is most of the republican's powerbase. spread in their areas correctly and they can cover a good portion of the vote that wants them out.

I'm baaaaaaack
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#45334: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:32:38 PM

A democratic system that is incredibly screwed up is better than none.

RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
scratching at .8, just hopin'
#45335: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:37:50 PM

The Dems really need to improve their state game if they don't want to keep electing Presidents beholden to Repubican Congresses. Get into the governorships, the state legislatures, undo all that gerrymandering.

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.
Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#45336: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:40:09 PM

[up] No kidding. I really think the gerrymandering should be illegal. Base it off cities borders and communities or something. hell, use geographical boundaries if they want. something that isn't so ridiculous.

edited 29th Dec '12 9:40:19 PM by Joesolo

I'm baaaaaaack
RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#45338: Dec 29th 2012 at 9:53:29 PM

[up][up] Each district within a state has to have the same number of people in it, though, and you're not going to get that to happen without giving districts some irregularly shaped borders.

If you want to get rid of gerrymandering, I still say we should just let redistricting be decided by computers.

[up] While it makes sense, I still don't like the idea of political parties having an official role in government.

edited 29th Dec '12 9:57:19 PM by RavenWilder

DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#45339: Dec 29th 2012 at 10:21:56 PM

[up]

What would political parties do then? Organize picnics?

edited 29th Dec '12 10:22:20 PM by DeviantBraeburn

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
terlwyth Since: Oct, 2010
#45340: Dec 29th 2012 at 10:26:26 PM

Independent Comissions have done well so far thank you very much.

Topazan from San Diego Since: Jan, 2010
#45341: Dec 29th 2012 at 10:33:05 PM

@Raven - Yeah, I know what you mean, but it's the best solution I've seen to the problem. At least it would slightly reduce the advantage of the major parties.

Actually, I kind of feel that the concept of districts itself is becoming obsolete. Peoples' interests aren't defined by which part of a state they live in as much as they used to be.

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#45342: Dec 29th 2012 at 10:34:37 PM

Raven, they already have an official role, and it's ridiculous to think otherwise. Otherwise the parties in this country wouldn't have caucuses or raise such a fuss over picking a candidate that they think best represents their party's values and interests. Hell, they hold an official position in politics simply because people choose to be members of them and then seek political office.

RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#45343: Dec 29th 2012 at 11:05:54 PM

Frankly, if it weren't for the fact that it would demolish freedom of assembly, I'd support banning political parties altogether. While that's clearly unfeasible, the least we could do is remove political parties and candidates' names from ballots and require all politicians be elected by write-in vote.

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#45344: Dec 29th 2012 at 11:18:33 PM

We already have write in vote, in that people have a space to write in the name of anyone they like that's not on the list. And it's really not practical to vote for someone who isn't actively running for an elected position. At least for the presidency. I don't see how you've suggested anything more efficient and freedom giving.

Also, it's impractical not because it violates freedom of assembly, but because people naturally gather in clusters with people who share their particular values, regardless of whatever rules are in action. You would be trying to subvert human nature. This is why Washington's warning against political parties failed.

RavenWilder Since: Apr, 2009
#45345: Dec 30th 2012 at 12:51:08 AM

People will always cluster together based on shared beliefs, but that's not the problem. What I've got a problem with is party loyalty, where people vote a certain way, not because they reached that conclusion on their own, but because the party they're affiliated with said that's how they should vote. I doubt many people agree with everything their party does, but so long as they agree with their party on most things, there's a lot of pressure to support the other stuff they do as well (a.k.a. towing the party line).

My hope is that, if we made ballots write-in vote only, party solidarity would be weakened. A lot of voters don't do much research on candidates before going to the polls; they just look at the names on the ballot and vote for whoever's been endorsed by a certain party. But if ballots don't mention candidates or parties by name, then someone can only get elected if voters actually know who they are. I'm not saying everyone would do in-depth research before voting, but if they have to look up who's running for office, they're likely to come across a little more info on the candidates than just their names and party affiliations. This would make being a memorable candidate a little more important and being in a party's good graces a little less.

edited 30th Dec '12 12:57:22 AM by RavenWilder

DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#45346: Dec 30th 2012 at 1:29:55 AM

the least we could do is remove political parties and candidates' names from ballots and require all politicians be elected by write-in vote

I fell sorry for the people who will have to read all the bad handwriting and spelling errors.

And for any politician with a long name or a hard to spell name.

edited 30th Dec '12 1:34:07 AM by DeviantBraeburn

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
Thorn14 Gunpla is amazing! Since: Aug, 2010
Gunpla is amazing!
#45347: Dec 30th 2012 at 1:43:25 AM

I can't wait to see Congress's approval ratings if we go over.

Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#45349: Dec 30th 2012 at 2:45:27 AM

^

0% Approval Rating? And what would happen if Approval Rating of Congress hits the single figures? Can the American Constitution deal with that situation?

edited 30th Dec '12 2:54:12 AM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On
Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#45350: Dec 30th 2012 at 5:15:14 AM

When it comes to congress members, I don't think it's possible to get rid of both political parties and gerrymandering: Proportional representation implies a political party (or at least candidate lists) rather than individuals.

However, for the presidential election there's little excuse. From what I've read in wikipedia, members of the Electoral College have the sole function of voting for whomever they promised to. This leads to gerrymandering in an election supposed to elect one guy. Add to that the winner-takes-all grouping by most states, and you've got two layers of indirect vote (which would lead to two layers of gerrymandering if state boundaries could be rearranged easily).

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."

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