Off Topic

[Forum Monk]

Its gotta be a lot more than Iraq. Here, the war is unpopular but supported. Its a kind of paradox really. Though I am conservative (mostly) and stand behind GWB; I am really kinda glad he'll soon be flushed. I mean this is really paradoxical!

[Beagle]

If they do I'll start to believe in miracles. I've followed politics since my school days and I cannot recall another government as unpopular as this one.
Blair claimed his was 'New labour' because the traditional Labour polices made them unelectable. What we got was old party, new packaging.

Well, Digit, I think we're poised to go down a black hole again. Since I have been born, the worst governments that we have had has been when a president (any president) also has his party in control of both houses of congress.

We just traded one party in Congress for another.
Meaning - if we elect a democrat president to match it we're in the same jam all over again.

I was really hoping for a split in Congress this last time. We never learn the value of checks and balances.

[Minimalist]

Lots of people "stand behind" Dubya.

I don't notice many of them picking up a rifle to help him out, though.

[Digit]

Unfortunately Beag our two governments supply all the ammo that those who reject democracy require. We seem to be our own worst enemies in that respect.
Strangely, many who make a stance about Iraq keep beating the drum about him having US and Uk support, but up till the war with Iran he was, by middle east standards a damn good leader. He plowed enormous amounts of oil revenue in to hospitals, universities and the like and raised the standard of living of his people.
Then he went rotten!
Instead a going on about our supporting him people should perhaps appreciate that we stopped supporting when he went crazy.
If we could save absolute rulers from meglamania it might one day be a good system.
Perhaps what we need is a well programmed computer.

[Forum Monk]

Ban statues and building sized posters. Maybe then these guys will see themselves as men and not gods.

[Beagle]

I realize that there are strong and differing opinions on politics. I am certain though, that absolute power corrupts, whether it's in the Middle East or the US.

[Digit]

I agree Beag, I was simply suggesting that if we could avoid that then it could be a better system than democracy.
It has been said that democracy is a lousy form of government, it just happens to better than the rest.
Niels Bohr commented that he accepted that a moron's vote was as valid as a genius's, but could not then accept that two moron's vote were better than one genius's.
Perhaps voting should require some form of qualification other than age.

[Minimalist]

It has been said that democracy is a lousy form of government, it just happens to better than the rest.

The Greeks would not agree with that. They considered a democracy to be a corruption of a "republic."

[Minimalist]

Niels Bohr commented that he accepted that a moron's vote was as valid as a genius's, but could not then accept that two moron's vote were better than one genius's.

Adlai Stevenson, Democratic nominee for president, was told by a woman during a campaign stop.

"Senator, you have the vote of every thinking person."

"That's not enough, madam," he replied...." we need a majority."

[Beagle]

Perhaps voting should require some form of qualification other than age.

Tempting, really tempting. But then where do we stop with that. Qualifications for parents, genetic testing, etc.

Tempting.

[Digit]

Personally I'd go for proving you knew something about politics, that should thin 'em out.

[Minimalist]

Personally I'd go for proving you knew something about politics, that should thin 'em out.

That might thin out the candidates, too.

[Digit]

I love this forum!

[Beagle]

"Will be President for food."

[Minimalist]