Political discussion thread

Gamemako wrote: I'd also like to point out two things which micky so eloquently noted. First, guns do make it easier for people (especially women) to commit murder. Shakespeare makes an awesome point because of things noted previously. First, most murders in the United States are not committed by registered firearms. So you'd literally be bringing a knife to a gunfight. Second, a 55-kilo 155cm female can't defend herself with a knife from an assailant who weighs in at 90 kilo and 190cm. It doesn't work too well. http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk/output/page27.asp That said, the vast majority of non-crime-related (gangs, drug dealing, et cetera) homicides as well as rapes are committed by acquaintances or family of the victim. Some Brit will have to tell whether tasers are legal there, but there are so many pushes to ban all other kinds of nonlethal less-lethal weaponry, I'd be surprised to see them legal. Fear effects weapon policy. Oh, the other thing micky noted? Nobody here is going to be convinced of anything but the way they live now. I grew up with guns -- my father was a naval captain -- and I've lived around guns my entire life. In the 'States, I go target shooting every once in a while for fun. I don't fear them: I've yet to lose a friend to a gun, but I've seen several fall to alcohol and cars. But that's not going to lead me to seek prohibition and mandatory public transport. Not to be condescending (as it will inexorably sound), but I won't let fear dictate my beliefs. And so, I certainly won't support banning guns. Others grew up in an area where firearms were verboten, and would certainly not ever consider what it would mean to have them otherwise (an illogical fear of what could be from my viewpoint, and a logical conclusion from theirs). We're all products of our respective environments.

that we are....I grew up with them as well... i don't fear them either.. just hate them. My reasons are personal for that.  I'll never touch another weapon again... but that said...  guns are simply too ingrained in our culture to realistically talk of removing them.  There is simply no way to remove them, which I would be all for in a perfect world, but a little thing called reality creeps in.  We can't, not  without the country becoming even more of police state... call it a malignant police state.. rather than the benign one it has become. The 'right' to own as many guns as we can afford is ingrained in our heritage.   As I like to say on other more controversial political questions  ..  you can't legislate morality... and you can't legislate out  the propensity to violence that has been a defining characteristic of America since it was founded.  Sure taking the guns away would drop the murder rate... anyone is a fool if they think otherwise... but at what cost. The freedoms that are still left to us after nearly 8 years of fear mongering and subtle stripping away of our rights.   Americans love guns... idolize violence.. from games we play as kids.... to the movies we watch as we grow older.  It is just the way things are.. and will always be. Anyhow.. just rambling....

^ and she is gone... and hopefully her husband will run against Warner next year for the open Senate seat and be out as well. 

Interesting... lived down in N.C. before I moved back up here and that state is beginning to swing blue... same with Virginia.  Not surprising down in N.C since you can't go far without hearing.. not the soft southern drawl but a damn Long Island accent  

Well, I wouldn't say the Republican stranglehold on VA is really loosening.

I'm surprised Fairfax county had any Republicans to throw out.

Northern Virginia might as well be another state.  It is truly a deep blue enclave in an otherwise red state, but it is true that with it being the most populous county in the state it has enormous influence (and $$$).  However, Virginia has had two Democratic governors most recently (includes the current one), and just had Allen go down in defeat to Jim Webb last November.   It's interesting - Virginia may indeed tip over to the Dems in 2008.  Have a feeling that my state of Pennsylvania, which has been a battleground state as of late, will also go blue.  I think all it might take is one of Ohio or Florida to go Democratic and it's hard to see how the Democrats will lose next year.  But there's an eternity in political time until then...

N.B.  I lived in Fairfax county for three years.  Once you drove south of Springfield, you really felt like you were in the South.  The DC suburbs in which I lived weren't much different from other places I've lived and/or visited in the Northeast.

Well true...as long as Dems wins  who really cares right!?

Edited by JJLehto - November 07 2007 at 17:33

Slartibartfast wrote: "Republicans is fine if you're a multi-millionaire. Democrats is fair if all you own is what you wear. But, neither of them's reall right, 'cause neither of them care, 'bout that hot plate heaven, 'cause they ain't been there." Frank Zappa - Green Hotel, Broadway the Hardway

rileydog22 wrote: The two-party system is absolutely horrible.  80 or 90% of Americans don't think for themselves because of it, they just check the name with an R or D next to it because Mommy and Daddy did.

Kinda like religion

But seriously, the 2 party system is getting a bit old, ain't it?

And what's the deal with the French Prez over here kissing Bush's ass?  I thought the French were supposed to be our friendly rivals telling us how f*cked up we are.  Did they all go ahead and elect their own cowboy president?  They could have just asked us, we would have given them our cowboy!

Approval voting, Borda count, or vote-transfer systems would allow third-party candidates to at least have a fighting chance of securing a seat or two in the House or Senate.  The voting system currently in place, plurality with adjustments designed to make it worse, is one of the least efficient voting systems.  

JJLehto wrote: rileydog22 wrote: Approval voting, Borda count, or vote-transfer systems would allow third-party candidates to at least have a fighting chance of securing a seat or two in the House or Senate.  The voting system currently in place, plurality with adjustments designed to make it worse, is one of the least efficient voting systems.     Hey you're preaching to the choir man, I'm just saying...sadly I don't see a change ANYtime remotely soon. Also, I am a fan of abolishing the electoral college. Direct voting!

Slartibartfast wrote: I was born in Virginia and lived there seven years.  I say hooray if the Republican stranglehold is being loosened.  Being in Georgia ever since, it's sad to say the Republican stranglehold is strong here and shows no signs of letting up. At least my county, Dekalb, in the metro Atlanta is relatively free of it.

Aye, it's pretty awful, but even the democrats are trash. Cynthia McKinney? Zell Miller (a Republican posing as a Democrat)?

But I still can't believe anyone could win an election by calling Max Cleland unpatriotic. That really pissed me off.