That's it. We're done. Get the nukes, kiddos.

There are so many ways you could have argued that case without bringing up Ayn Rand.

I agree with Xz: Dead people can't pay taxes, and the minority loses out on stuff all the time. What Rand is pushing for is for is intensely decentralized government power. The kind of thing where your mayor gets to make more choices about your life than your President. Except that the mayor will also be the owner of the factory you work in, in turn meaning if you go against his word he fires you and your family starves. There are no union laws, either, so when you try to rally your friends together to fight your mayor, they trick you into attending a meeting where everybody gets machine gunned.

Judging from cases in Southern America, yeah, this philosophy works very well.

If a minority of people disagree with something, what would be the alternative of having the majority overwhelm them? Instead of complaining about this, maybe it would be a better idea to let politicians publically argue on our media until the majority of us considers one way or the other, as they do now.

Republics aren't just mobs of people who are taking your rights away. Is this an idea you got from Rand? I've heard other people make this assertion right before quoting Rand before. Parliamentary systems work in such a way that you vote on somebody to represent you, signing with them a social contract agreeing to give up some of your power in exchange for the services they provide. If they piss you off too much, you vote against them in the next election. Voter apathy destroys this. If you don't vote, any complaints you make are idle whining. If you do vote, you're perfectly within reason to complain incessantly about whatever the candidate who won (Whether you vote for them or not) is doing. When the system is well-oiled, however, the politicians must support their people's viewpoints in order to stay in power.

I've seen plenty of discussion on the media, from every side, about how the Democrats are going to end up losing seats because of this, so they're prepared for that possibility. If you're trading your power to support an issue, you must believe in it.

 

You're right. But it was 3:30 in the morning when I responded and was tired and just needed an easy quote to express what I wanted to say.

You got this from...??

Oh, I agree completely.

Civics need to be taught in American schools again. The first civics course I took was in college at age 20. I believe it should be reintroduced into high school courses to better inform the soon to be voters on how the voting and political processes work. The extent of my civics exposure in high school consisted of watching School House Rock's "I'm just a bill" song.

I also believe there needs to me more transparency in the government and increased communication between the individuals and those that represent them. As it is, we hear about who is running when they campaign, people might vote, then it's rare that you hear anything from the one representing you in congress. I write letters, emails, and call my senators and representatives when bills come up with why I want them to vote for or against something, but I always get a pre-generated response back. I'm not even sure if they actually read any of the letters. Also, as you said, let the politicians battle it out on TV. C-Span I think was intended for this very thing, but I don't know of a single American that actually watches it.

As for the Republican question, no it's not something I got from Rand. I don't think either party, Republican or Democrat, is any good. Both tend to vote along "party lines" or because of "party loyalty" than on what the people in their district whom they are supposed to represent want. Republican's used to herald themselves as the champions of individual rights, but that's a laughable claim now and is why some refer to them as RINOs (Republicans In Name Only). I think we should rename both parties just for a little truth in politics for a change. Rename the Democratic Party to Socialist Party, and the Republican Party to the Theocratic Party.

 

My uncle watches CSPAN. As you might imagine, he's not a very exciting guy.

 

I agree, parties are silly. I don't even understand why they are there. I would prefer to see everybody be independent.

In Canada, our Prime Minister just doesn't run the government. It works, because his party supports decentralized government. Basically, h supports his plans by turning government off whenever it's time to make decisions.

 

We had those two groups... except we were just violent. Fun fact: those of us with Jnco jeans? A lot of us had weapons. Silly jocks.

 

Woah, hold up a second. So here I am, awash with alcohol, somewhat high, typing with one fuckng hand on a fucking 486 and that twilight link (remember that??) still makes me want to kill myself. No seriously,that is the most self-important ignoran,bashful,anooying shameful thing I've ever fucking read. Someone tell me who this is and I will take them out. I don'tcare how young they are, the sheer amount of retard required to achieve this tells me they wont be much good anyway. It has tobe a joke right?

On democracy: The whole system is fucked regardless as the vote of an individual is meaningless compared to the masses. You vote for a lying politician who appears to have similar policies to you but in the end is just another two face moron who cannot back his former promises. Clearly the individual is more important than a successful government else no one would be bitching about their taxes being spent by said government when you're actually meant to be paying for services. That's all I will say as you're all typing far too much and I can't stomach the drawn out explanations right now.

 

Masses are made up of individuals, though. If you are part of a segment of people that has mass voter apathy, you don't do yourself any favours by complaining that voting is pointless because everybody else does it for you. It's the same as if you're in a group of ten people and you are trying to vote on something. It may be true that six of the people are voting against what you like. That doesn't mean that your vote is useless. Just that 60% of the people prefer something else. Voting on a larger scale is just adding more and more people to the mix.

See: South America.

 

Oh god I'm suffocating from all the drama in the air.

 

Awwww, let the guy murder the Twitards. It'll probably increase the world average IQ by about 20 points.

 

impossible, it would only increase by about 2 points, next he would have to target people with the Southern Cross Tattoo.

 

You obviously don't have to LIVE with any Twitards. I live with three of them.

KILL THE TWITARDS!

 

Is this a case of 'me, myself and I' Caity?

 

Har har, real fuckin' clever Zanza. Why do you continue to make an idiot of yourself when my attitude to that... travesty of literature is well known? Are you projecting again?

(Seriously, though, fangirl roommates with DVDs, nuff said.)

 

I'm stuck with two permanently at the moment, although I do have four other sisters elsewhere that are constantly getting the one here riled up. And a niece. And three nephews. And several cousins. And an aunt or two. Not to mention her 'friends'. her friends friends, her cousins friends and her cousins friends friends etc.

You get the idea...

 

*hugs Charonte* Unfortunately, I know exactly what you mean.

Next time someone tells me I should be swooning over Edward, I'ma throwing a punch. Or five.

 

I'm still watching the fantasy of the horrible, yet oddly stimulating things you could be doing to your roommates teaching them the error of there ways.
Of course you'ld all be wearing the appropriate costumes.

 

I'm quite trying to understand the context of what you just said. It's quite trying.

Recently, I had an encounter, not helped by the fact that the girl in question is in every literature class I attend, and one's today. Anyway, after this super-sized girl had calmed down, she began to ask why I don't find Edward attractive. I had the misfortune of being the only male present in that class. "Sharp teeth and what I look for don't go together." Said I, and gave her ample time to comprehend. I sort of wish I hadn't, as she told me the thought of Ed'n'me was hot. A true fangirl.

 

Come on Caity you have to admit that was golden, anyway walking past a bookstore today and what did I see? Twilight the graphic novel. It is probably better written than the books to be honest.