2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

[Kepler]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

So where does that leave us? Mediocre is king??????

That's where popular elections tend to get us, yeah, because the voter is comfortable with a guy he'd like to have a beer with. That durned Obamer, who does he think he is with his fancy Ivy degree and his funny way of talkin, rabble rabble rabble...

But it leaves us with the same problem as every aspect of modern life: specialization is king.

Legislators are primarily lawyers for the same reason justices are: lawmaking is a legal activity.

Lots of people from different backgrounds are in politics -- they just don't tend to be the Congressional spokesmodels that the public imagines are "running the government."

 

[unofan]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

But the converse sounds true, too. Great politicians would make lousy businessmen.

So where does that leave us?

Hopefully having great politicians running the government, and great businessmen running businesses, with enough people who are merely above average at both helping to smooth the edges between the two?

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Future President Michele Bachmann warns us about our impending doom. Especially the nations that we need to fear.

“What people recognize is that there’s a fear that the United States is in an unstoppable decline. They see the rise of China, the rise of India, the rise of the Soviet Union and our loss militarily going forward,” Bachmann said

Meanwhile Tea Party folks are mistakenly supporting Perry over Bachmann 35-14. Not only that but they support Romney the same as Michele. ***?

http://www.gallup.com/poll/149213/T...cation&utm_content=morelink&utm_term=Politics

 

[Old Pio]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Future President Michele Bachmann warns us about our impending doom. Especially the nations that we need to fear.



Meanwhile Tea Party folks are mistakenly supporting Perry over Bachmann 35-14. Not only that but they support Romney the same as Michele. ***?

http://www.gallup.com/poll/149213/T...cation&utm_content=morelink&utm_term=Politics

Guess I better brush up on my "Austrian." Fortunately we have "corpsemen" to defend our interests.

 

[unofan]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2011/aug/26/gop-candidates-politifact-truth-o-meter/

Bachmann's been rated 30 times, and 20 out of 30 statements are either false or "pants on fire." Another 5 are mostly false.

Rest of the field is decidedly mixed, with Ron Paul and Huntsman pulling up the true ratings.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2011/aug/26/gop-candidates-politifact-truth-o-meter/

Bachmann's been rated 30 times, and 20 out of 30 statements are either false or "pants on fire." Another 5 are mostly false.

Rest of the field is decidedly mixed, with Ron Paul and Huntsman pulling up the true ratings.

But then, there's this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cfu1_Scgyow


And he had a teleprompter for all of these whoppers.

 

[Tundra]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Future President Michele Bachmann warns us about our impending doom. Especially the nations that we need to fear.

Meanwhile Tea Party folks are mistakenly supporting Perry over Bachmann 35-14. Not only that but they support Romney the same as Michele. ***?

Well Perry sounds more nutty than Bachmann. I like the Fed comment and was going to vote for him if nominated. But he wants to repeal 16th and 17th amendment?. NUTs, especially the 17th.

Huntsman sounded more reasonable saw him on PBS,CSPAN interviews... not sure why they used "crazy" so many times during that interview.

So I can vote for anyone other than Perry (And Obama) for President.

Since Perry brought up the 17th amendment ... maybe some of the talking heads could ask about an amendment to change our presidential election to popular vote instead of the current electoral college system. giving direct power and choice to the people.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/seven-ways-rick-perry-wants-change-constitution-131634517.html

Scrap the federal income tax by repealing the Sixteenth Amendment.
End the direct election of senators by repealing the Seventeenth Amendment.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Years ago, before political conventions became info-mercials and networks covered them gavel to gavel, Teddy White was at the "analysis desk" for CBS. For those too young to remember, White was the author of the highly regarded "Making of the President" series and Roger Mudd asked him about having a direct election, and getting rid of the electoral college. He replied: "What, and turn the election of the President of the United States over to those crooks in Texas and Illinois?" Eliminating the electoral college would mean you'd only see candidates in the top ten or 15 media markets, ever. I realize the argument against the present system gained currency after the results in 2000. But all Gore had to do was win his home state and he would have been president. The system isn't responsible for the fact that Tennessee said "no."

As to that scary list of Perry proposals, let's get a little more clarity on the subject, before we jump off the roof. It's been a long time since I've agreed with a proposed constitutional amendment (maybe the presidential succession) and that certainly includes a balanced budget amendment. I think we have to realize politicians will occasiionally "support" something, secure in the knowledge it will never see the light of day. Unless we take that great step into the unknown and convene a constitutional convention.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Why the hell does he want to repeal the 17th amendment? Serious question. Foxton, scooby, and priceless need not apply (unless it's exceptionally hilarious)

 

[Foxton]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Why the hell does he want to repeal the 17th amendment? Serious question. Foxton, scooby, and priceless need not apply (unless it's exceptionally hilarious)

Consolidation of power.

Basically more states rights and conspiracy theory garbage. (Scroll down to direct election of senators)

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Consolidation of power.

Basically more states rights and conspiracy theory garbage. (Scroll down to direct election of senators)

Ok, I've done some more reading on the subject. I guess I can't see how anyone with half a brain would support the repeal unless they were obscenely wealthy or in a position of great power.

Although, while I prefer direct election of senators, I'm still very much in favor of the electoral college.

 

[Foxton]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Ok, I've done some more reading on the subject. I guess I can't see how anyone with half a brain would support the repeal unless they were obscenely wealthy or in a position of great power.

 

[Kepler]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Why the hell does he want to repeal the 17th amendment? Serious question. Foxton, scooby, and priceless need not apply (unless it's exceptionally hilarious)

It was a really, really, really far right talking point from quite a while back, then the Tea Party picked it up because, well, when you're riding the Derp City Express, hey, why not?, and now they have moved the national party so far in that direction it's starting to crop up in their real candidates' dossiers.

I'm surprised they're not trying to repeal the 14th Amendment. That would really give the states the power the Founders envisioned for them.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Well Perry sounds more nutty than Bachmann.

Why is it that those that admire and want to rule by the Constitution are the same who want to change it?

Here are a handful of changes he's espoused:

1. Abolish lifetime tenure for federal judges by amending Article III, Section I of the Constitution. (Endangers entire 3 branch balance of power that is the foundation of the US government.)

2. Congress should have the power to override Supreme Court decisions with a two-thirds vote. (Makes the judicial branch obsolete...just have Congress)

3. Scrap the federal income tax by repealing the Sixteenth Amendment. (recreate wealth distribution as Perry would want)

4. End the direct election of senators by repealing the Seventeenth Amendment. (Funnel power to the executive)

5. Require the federal government to balance its budget every year. (This would be a jolt to the US financial system we would likely not recover from)

6. The federal Constitution should define marriage as between one man and one woman in all 50 states. (Take away personal freedoms)

7. Abortion should be made illegal throughout the country. (Take away personal freedoms)

I thought that he was for distributing power more widely.

In case you didn't think Perry was serious...Perry has 10 amendments lined up for the Texas Constitution as we speak.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Future President Michele Bachmann warns us about our impending doom. Especially the nations that we need to fear.

Whatever you want to call it, Russia *is* a potential problem for us. They've been acting very adversarial over the past decade or so, and the arctic melt triggered by climate change could very well spark off a huge conflict between Russia, Denmark, Canada, and the US (all of whom are laying claim to the resource-rich areas that would become accessible as the polar ice disappears). I'm far more concerned about potential conflict with the Russians than the Chinese - the latter is an incredibly important trading partner, and I find it unlikely that either the US or China would want to jeopardize that relationship with mindless saber-rattling. The two nations clearly need each other. The relationship with Russia is far more tenuous, particularly due to our ties with eastern Europe allies liberated from the Iron Curtain.

As for supporting various amendments to the Constitution, I generally consider that to be a mindless sideshow, and it's not like his opinion really matters much. He'd need 2/3 of Congress to side with him (yeah, right), and then he'd need 38 states to sign on (even more ridiculous a task). So instead of wasting time on this nonsense, I'd recommend focusing on how the guy would govern.

 

[LynahFan]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

The engineers I've met have been very intelligent -- just not about politics.

It's no knock on engineers. Very few people are strong outside their field.

Ummm - isn't that the point? Start electing engineers, and there will be *less* politicking and *more* problem solving. Why would we want people who are good at politics running things? I'd much rather have someone who will look objectively at data, dispassionately score the potential solutions, and implement the ones that lead to the greatest good rather than someone who knows how to glad hand the right constituents, play one group against another, or build coalitions to foist pre-determined ideologies on the country.

Tongue slightly in cheek, of course, but that's the gist of the "elect engineers" argument.

 

[French Rage]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

4. End the direct election of senators by repealing the Seventeenth Amendment. (Funnel power to the executive)

While I don't agree with it as an idea, I don't see how this would funnel power to the executive, as it would put the decision in the hands of state legislatures.

 

[Foxton]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

While I don't agree with it as an idea, I don't see how this would funnel power to the executive, as it would put the decision in the hands of state legislatures.

It doesn't funnel power to the executive branch (of states) it funnels it into their legislative branches. In theory the original way of selecting them is fine but in practice states take advantage of senators being shills for their state. Wikipedia has a decent write up on some of the reasons why it was amended.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventeenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

I suspect it's only a talking point because the senate is not controlled by them.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

It doesn't funnel power to the executive branch (of states) it funnels it into their legislative branches. In theory the original way of selecting them is fine but in practice states take advantage of senators being shills for their state. Wikipedia has a decent write up on some of the reasons why it was amended.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventeenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

I suspect it's only a talking point because the senate is not controlled by them.

My thinking was about how legislature independence has been on the decline for some time. W set a record for the fewest vetos in 200 years. In modern times and without direct influence by the people, how do we know this isn't what it takes for the executive (or special interests) to take over complete control over his/her party's senators?

 

[brookyone]

Re: 2012 Elections Part I: All Politics is Yokel

Future President Michele Bachmann warns us about our impending doom. Especially the nations that we need to fear.

...and we're not listening to the Big Guy who is clearly attempting to send a message. Ah the Nut Job from Minnesota...nuttier with each passing minute.

http://www.twincities.com/ci_18781003?source=email