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

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#53926: May 3rd 2013 at 12:25:09 PM

Both parties' political primaries are "tyranny of the minority" given the proportion of people who vote in them. What matters is which minority does the voting and whether they are representative of the interests of the party in general.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
scratching at .8, just hopin'
#53927: May 3rd 2013 at 12:30:12 PM

Assuming the party knows what the hell its interests are or even has a definable list of common interests in the first place. (*cough*current Republicans*cough*)

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#53928: May 3rd 2013 at 12:31:56 PM

In that I'd say that Republicans have a far more coherent party platform than do Democrats. Given that the GOP is the party of exclusion, they have the luxury of pandering to their most vocal base, and that means a platform that can be as crazy as they want it to be. Democrats, by contrast, have an extremely broad base and must make sure that they include as much of it as possible; this means by necessity a diffuse platform.

Now, if you mean a rational platform, then yes, Democrats have a significant advantage there.

edited 3rd May '13 12:32:29 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#53933: May 3rd 2013 at 1:01:30 PM

Cruz's ego is amusing to watch. And its making him enemies on both sides of the isle, the new guy walking into a place and acting like he owns never ends well, regardless of the politics at play.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#53934: May 3rd 2013 at 1:05:23 PM

Bipartisanship on Ted Cruz, to wiz.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#53935: May 3rd 2013 at 1:05:44 PM

The FDA is doing necessary work. Caffeine is the most widely consumed drug in the world and it's vitally important to study potential negative long-term effects.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
#53936: May 3rd 2013 at 1:09:50 PM

True. But they fail to acknowledge other problems, like the stuff in our shampoo or processed food ( oh boy that's probably the biggest problem)

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#53937: May 3rd 2013 at 1:14:36 PM

That's not a problem with the FDA, that's a problem with the political environment. The FDA wants to regulate sugars and other crap, but it's being blocked.

edited 3rd May '13 1:15:03 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#53938: May 3rd 2013 at 5:28:29 PM

The FDA tries to do its job, but since that involves regulating what businesses can and can't do, a lot of the Republicans are against the FDA. And hell, shoving caffiene into nearly everything we eat sounds like a fucking terrible idea, even in small doses.

But I'm kind of surprised people don't have more to say about the attempt at regulating banks that actually has Wall Street worried.

GlennMagusHarvey Since: Jan, 2001
#53939: May 3rd 2013 at 6:15:44 PM

David Vitter is still a jerk because of the DC Madam stuff (IIRC it ended with the death of one of the prostitutes or something), but for now I'll take good policy over vengeance.

...come to think of it, if only everyone would be willing to take good policy over vengeance...

Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#53940: May 3rd 2013 at 6:45:40 PM

[up][up] I used to live in a town where a coffee shop experimented with caffeinated bagels. They didn't catch on because the baker could not figure out how to make the bagels not feel like sand was mixed in.

And there's a really, really obvious side effect of caffeine in everything. It will screw with sleeping patterns. Sure, some caffeinated products are fine, but keep it a rarer thing. I like the smell of coffee, but I loathe the taste of strong caffeine, so that's a turnoff for me.

Although I do have it on good authority that Nestle Global isn't currently considering it. Nestle America might be though.

But, OT, the FDA should be listened to. Their job is to prevent the companies from selling food that could kill people or make them very sick. Over-regulation is hugely preferable to not enough, especially as even the companies will take huge hits if their product is dangerous.

They're not trying to prevent companies from making money. They're trying to make sure that the companies maintain their consumer base.

edited 3rd May '13 6:58:13 PM by Zendervai

NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#53941: May 3rd 2013 at 7:42:44 PM

Who the hell is talking about "adding caffeine to everything"? It's not like they're going to start spiking random foods with caffeine without telling anyone about it. The article was talking about stuff like gum specifically marketed as a caffeinated energy-booster.

Really, without seeing anything on why caffeine in food is any worse than caffeine in liquid form, I don't see what the big deal is.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
DrunkGirlfriend from Castle Geekhaven Since: Jan, 2011
#53942: May 3rd 2013 at 7:52:43 PM

[up] Considering that you can get "energy drinks" that are strong enough to make you lose consciousness, I think the FDA is onto something.

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
theweirdKiddokun What a Wonderful World! from Last Place in the Race Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
What a Wonderful World!
#53944: May 3rd 2013 at 8:24:09 PM

...Damn! Sounds like Syria's Civil War is going to destroy the region. Iran will not stand for it and things keep getting worse.

I wonder if it was Israeli was supplying weapons to the Syrian Rebels?

edited 3rd May '13 8:25:08 PM by theweirdKiddokun

The Reaper Games starts anew.
DemonSharkKisame Since: May, 2009
#53945: May 3rd 2013 at 9:22:49 PM

Oh, god damn it, North Carolina. (blogpost, but still infuriating. Not too surprising given we're also the only state that constitutionally banned same-sex marriage. Whee.)

GlennMagusHarvey Since: Jan, 2001
#53946: May 3rd 2013 at 9:53:33 PM

More info on these North Carolina state legislators' douchebaggery:

http://www.southernstudies.org/2013/05/north-carolina-a-banana-republic-for-dirty-energy-.html

Bonus! includes a list of the bad guys

edited 3rd May '13 9:54:12 PM by GlennMagusHarvey

tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Never Trust
#53947: May 4th 2013 at 4:29:32 AM

Wow, North Carolina is actually starting to make South Carolina look sane. Almost.

Trump delenda est
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#53948: May 4th 2013 at 4:30:31 AM

Wasn't this the state who wanted to strike "North" out of its name because of tourism?

"You can reply to this Message!"
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#53949: May 4th 2013 at 4:46:49 AM

Now I feel glad that in my Alternate Universe I am working on, North Carolina and South Carolina are one state and Puerto Rico + both Virgin Islands another, very leftist state.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#53950: May 4th 2013 at 7:00:36 AM

[up][up]Can states change their names?

edit: Apparently a 5 year old shot his sister with a gun that was purchased for him. Read that again, the gun was his and he is five. according to this article there aren't many states that have laws saying children can't own guns.

If I had to be 16 before I could apply for my driver's permit and then I had to practice for 50 hours and wait at least six months before I can get a driver's license, something that is pretty necessary to society, then little kids should not be allowed to have guns. That is just an accident waiting to happen.

edited 4th May '13 7:10:23 AM by Kostya


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