OT: Elections/Politics thread, part 4

[RobVarak]

I thought the factcheckers would keel over last debate. This one could kill them.

I've counted at least 5 times total that one or the other has repeated something from the Presidential debate that was demonstrably false. Damn the facts, straight ahead!!

[Macca00]

What, you mean you don't find Elizabeth May hot?

Best wishes,

Doug

Ohmigod her face is bad for the environment! (For the Yanks she's the leader of the 'Green' (lol) Party) She also needs to find a good dentist.....or maybe her poor dentition is going to be a starting point for her to propose a nationalized dental coverage. Enjoying the Canadian debate.


Rob,
That she sounds Canadian makes her even hotter, eh.

[dougb]

Do they hold the Canadian election a little earlier like with Thanksgiving?

If you can believe it, 37 days from when parliament was dissolved is the length of the election campaign. To be sure there were a few weeks in there when the government was handing out pre-election goodies. But a good analogy between our election and the American election campaign would be the 100 metres dash versus the marathon. And we've got 5 leaders debating one night in French and the next night in English.

Best wishes,

Doug

[Feanor]

So you can't be leader of a Canadian political party unless you're bilingual, or do they just do on-the-fly translation like tat he UN?

[Macca00]

So you can't be leader of a Canadian political party unless you're bilingual, or do they just do on-the-fly translation like tat he UN?

U have to speak French. Ooo,ooo they're talking about healthcare - can't wait to hear this bullsh!t....

[FatPitcher]

Do they hold the Canadian election a little earlier like with Thanksgiving?

If you can believe it, 37 days from when parliament was dissolved is the length of the election campaign. To be sure there were a few weeks in there when the government was handing out pre-election goodies. But a good analogy between our election and the American election campaign would be the 100 metres dash versus the marathon. And we've got 5 leaders debating one night in French and the next night in English.

Best wishes,

Doug

That sounds fantastic. Politics seems to have turned into a year-round sport here: non-stop campaigning, trashing the other side, begging for donations, making mountains out of molehills...

It's time for a constitutional monarchy, where the ruler has President-like authority, stays until power until reaching retirement age, and can only be removed by a 75% majority in Parliament, whose members are elected every 4 years.

[dougb]

So you can't be leader of a Canadian political party unless you're bilingual, or do they just do on-the-fly translation like tat he UN?

I can't remember the last Prime Minister of Canada who didn't at least have some ability to speak both English and French. Preston Manning of the Western Based Reform Party was probably the last leader whose French was very poor and that was one of the reasons they never had a chance of winning an election and forming a government. Most governments have to have some elected members of parliament from Quebec given the number of ridings (our districts) there.

Best wishes,

Doug

[Rodster]

Politics seems to have turned into a year-round sport here: non-stop campaigning, trashing the other side, begging for donations, making mountains out of molehills...

It's more like Reality TV/Entertainment

[FatPitcher]

Politics seems to have turned into a year-round sport here: non-stop campaigning, trashing the other side, begging for donations, making mountains out of molehills...

It's more like Reality TV/Entertainment

Reality TV doesn't have the rabid fan base or cheerleading squads they have in politics, does it? I don't watch it, myself.

[FatPitcher]

I thought the factcheckers would keel over last debate. This one could kill them.

I've counted at least 5 times total that one or the other has repeated something from the Presidential debate that was demonstrably false. Damn the facts, straight ahead!!

The candidates each need to have coaches offstage who can throw red challenge flags. The moderator and assistants huddle in the review booth and render a decision. If your challenge is upheld, you are not charged one of your 3 "call a lifeline" uses.

[dougb]

Do they hold the Canadian election a little earlier like with Thanksgiving?

If you can believe it, 37 days from when parliament was dissolved is the length of the election campaign. To be sure there were a few weeks in there when the government was handing out pre-election goodies. But a good analogy between our election and the American election campaign would be the 100 metres dash versus the marathon. And we've got 5 leaders debating one night in French and the next night in English.

Best wishes,

Doug

That sounds fantastic. Politics seems to have turned into a year-round sport here: non-stop campaigning, trashing the other side, begging for donations, making mountains out of molehills...

It's time for a constitutional monarchy, where the ruler has President-like authority, stays until power until reaching retirement age, and can only be removed by a 75% majority in Parliament, whose members are elected every 4 years.

A couple of things I really like about the American system of government and elections though. I'm willing to bet that the system of primaries gets a lot more ordinary citizens involved in politics - I generally think that is a good thing. The tradeoff is that you end up with seemingly endless campaigns. I think that the 2 year election cycle for the House of Representatives is problematic - practically guarantees that there is a pretty much non-stop need for fundraising and campaigning.

Another thing I like about the American system, when it's functioning properly, is that the branches act as checks and balances on one another. When a party in Canada gets elected with a majority they pretty much have cart blanche to pass whatever legislation they would like to. Our exective branch and legislative branches are merged to a great extent. Although one good effect of this is that the Prime Minister is forced to face the opposition more or less continuously while he/she is in office.

Best wishes,

Doug

[FatPitcher]

If you can believe it, 37 days from when parliament was dissolved is the length of the election campaign. To be sure there were a few weeks in there when the government was handing out pre-election goodies. But a good analogy between our election and the American election campaign would be the 100 metres dash versus the marathon. And we've got 5 leaders debating one night in French and the next night in English.

Best wishes,

Doug

That sounds fantastic. Politics seems to have turned into a year-round sport here: non-stop campaigning, trashing the other side, begging for donations, making mountains out of molehills...

It's time for a constitutional monarchy, where the ruler has President-like authority, stays until power until reaching retirement age, and can only be removed by a 75% majority in Parliament, whose members are elected every 4 years.

A couple of things I really like about the American system of government and elections though. I'm willing to bet that the system of primaries gets a lot more ordinary citizens involved in politics - I generally think that is a good thing. The tradeoff is that you end up with seemingly endless campaigns. I think that the 2 year election cycle for the House of Representatives is problematic - practically guarantees that there is a pretty much non-stop need for fundraising and campaigning.

Another thing I like about the American system, when it's functioning properly, is that the branches act as checks and balances on one another. When a party in Canada gets elected with a majority they pretty much have cart blanche to pass whatever legislation they would like to. Our exective branch and legislative branches are merged to a great extent. Although one good effect of this is that the Prime Minister is forced to face the opposition more or less continuously while he/she is in office.

Best wishes,

Doug

They are more accountable, but that and the constant electioneering lead to earmarks and other shady methods of getting votes and campaign contributions. It diverts the representative's attention from governing to being popular.

[Rodster]

Politics seems to have turned into a year-round sport here: non-stop campaigning, trashing the other side, begging for donations, making mountains out of molehills...

It's more like Reality TV/Entertainment

Reality TV doesn't have the rabid fan base or cheerleading squads they have in politics, does it? I don't watch it, myself.

I was being sarcastic. I don't know as I personally hate Reality TV. Politics and the News Business has morphed into entertainment more than actual news.

Little wonder why you now find morons reporting the weather during a Hurricane..."Reality TV".

It's the same reason the News business is just full of sound bites because of it's entertainment value. Sadly we've become a nation of idiots and the media is all too willing to cater to it.

[FatPitcher]

It's more like Reality TV/Entertainment

Reality TV doesn't have the rabid fan base or cheerleading squads they have in politics, does it? I don't watch it, myself.

I was being sarcastic. I don't know as I personally hate Reality TV. Politics and the News Business has morphed into entertainment more than actual news.

Little wonder why you now find morons reporting the weather during a Hurricane..."Reality TV".

It's the same reason the News business is just full of sound bites because of it's entertainment value. Sadly we've become a nation of idiots and the media is all too willing to cater to it.

I think it's a lack of intellectual curiosity more than outright idiocy. A failure of the education system, I think (the K-12, 9 months a year, 8 hours a day, lots of boring subjects and little choice among them aspect of it, not public vs. private school).

[dougb]

[They are more accountable, but that and the constant electioneering lead to earmarks and other shady methods of getting votes and campaign contributions. It diverts the representative's attention from governing to being popular.

The representatives are far more powerful as individuals than members of parliament (with the exception of those MP's who serve in cabinet). Because of this we get quite a different pattern of lobbying - much more effort is spent on the PM, Cabinet, and bureaucrats and very little with ordinary MP's.

Best wishes,

Doug

[Rodster]

It's idiocy to me. Our educational system is more keen on teaching our kids how to put a condom on a cucumber and why Timmy has two daddy's. They should be focusing on the ABC's instead of all the PC crap and turning the schools into a giant social conditioning program within the schools.

[Teal]

It's idiocy to me. Our educational system is more keen on teaching our kids how to put a condom on a cucumber and why Timmy has two daddy's. They should be focusing on the ABC's instead of all the PC crap and turning the schools into a giant social conditioning program within the schools.

No damn doubt. The school system should only focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic-and anything else should be left to parents. There is simply no place for social engineering and social conditioning in the school systems-religious, liberal, conservative, or otherwise.

Problem is, most of the time spent in school these days, in alot of places, is way more social conditioning, and far too little spent on the 'three R's'.

[Teal]

I miss Ronald Reagan. Listening to this debate, and remembering back to McCain-Obama round 1, I wish someone would, rather than doing all this 'who's more bipartisan', who reaches across the isle' bullshit, would simply believe in conservatism, and talk about the simple superiority of conservative government vs. liberal government. I don't care who shakes the most hands across the isle. It needs to come down to that fundamental choice, rather than all the bullshit tossed back and forth by politicians who will say whatever they think will get them elected, despite the obvious fact checking to the contrary.

It's a fundamental choice, and a simple one, and it's been muddied by all this pandering baloney.

If you don't agree with this, I really don't care. If I don't change your mind, I don't care.

[Teal]

That being said, I think Palin did beautifully. And I must apologize to Gwen Ifill for pushing that particular talking point-very good job. Still think there is a conflict of interest there, but Ifill didn't do anything unfairly. No 'gotcha' questions.

[Jackdog]

Palin did very well. She made a good impression. She is much better when she's just Sara. She put Biden on the defensive a few times. Biden is a good man. I liked him better when he was running aginst Obama. Now he looks like a flip flopper. That's the risk you take when you accept to be a running mate with someone you campigned against for almost two years. That's gotta be tough. Biden did fine. Overall this debate did nothing to change my mind.

I saw it as a draw.

[JRod]

It's idiocy to me. Our educational system is more keen on teaching our kids how to put a condom on a cucumber and why Timmy has two daddy's. They should be focusing on the ABC's instead of all the PC crap and turning the schools into a giant social conditioning program within the schools.

Huh? The reason why they don't do this is because schools across the country simply have no money to teach it. Most schools aren't push social agendas. This is just what some on a certain wing would like you to believe.

If anything, schools are too focused on having kids score well on a test that results in schools and districts receiving money.

[macsomjrr]

That being said, I think Palin did beautifully. And I must apologize to Gwen Ifill for pushing that particular talking point-very good job. Still think there is a conflict of interest there, but Ifill didn't do anything unfairly. No 'gotcha' questions.

Are you kidding me? Palin is trying to be the VICE PRESIDENT. Not a Pizza Delivery Girl. No gotcha questions? Why don't we just award the VP to whomever can run the fastest 40 and dispense with any difficult questions.

She'll be facing difficult questions everyday of her life is (God forbid) she manages to make it into the WH. What is so wrong with drilling both of them and finding out where they stand?

That mentality just infuriates me and we shouldn't stand for it.

[Teal]

That being said, I think Palin did beautifully. And I must apologize to Gwen Ifill for pushing that particular talking point-very good job. Still think there is a conflict of interest there, but Ifill didn't do anything unfairly. No 'gotcha' questions.

Are you kidding me? Palin is trying to be the VICE PRESIDENT. Not a Pizza Delivery Girl. No gotcha questions? Why don't we just award the VP to whomever can run the fastest 40 and dispense with any difficult questions.

She'll be facing difficult questions everyday of her life is (God forbid) she manages to make it into the WH. What is so wrong with drilling both of them and finding out where they stand?

That mentality just infuriates me and we shouldn't stand for it.

She asked RELEVANT questions ABOUT the office, rather than stupid questions like 'what news periodicals do you read'. That's far from a difficult question...it's a f***in stupid question, that is better suited for the estrogen committee on 'The View' than for someone who likes to think of herself as a serious 'journalist'.

There's no point in asking 'pop quiz' questions designed to 'catch' someone in some 'AHA!' moment. That's what those things were designed to do, and they did it well, if there has to be a compliment given to it.

Tonight, I saw a lady who wasn't at all what many in the media, and many in here, frankly, were touting, and, in my opinion, hoping for-that she was 'f***in incompetent' or whatever. Please.

If I had a critique of anything per Palin about the interviews on TV, I'd tell the McCain camp to never, ever again allow her handlers to box her in like they obviously did, overloading her with Washington style talking points and 'tact'. She needs to be herself, she was tonight, and she was wonderful.

You don't agree with that? Fine.

[GTHobbes]

Wow...I'm just checking in almost an hour and a half after the debate ended, and there's almost no comments here. I'm really surprised.

I thought Palin came across a lot better than what she did in the few pre-debate interviews she gave. She didn't really come across as an idiot at all. However, I did think she looked completely out of her league. I don't see how anyone could come away from the debate tonight unimpressed with Biden's intelligence. The guy's sharp, and if I was president, I'd be awfully glad to have him to turn to for his opinion and advice, whether I ended up agreeing with him or not.

My mind could still change based upon how the last of the Obama-McCain debates go...but I'm a lot closer to voting Obama/Biden now than I was 2 weeks ago.

[bkrich83]

Didn't watch the debate, was working but will catch it on DVR.

Once again, just as I did last election, I find myself asking "These are the best 4 people our country can come up with to run for the top 2 offices in the country?"

Not sure where I am going with this as I am disillusioned as it is, but this may be the first time in my life I do not vote republican. Imo, we need a change, and frankly I am tired of the religious right shoving their beliefs and values down our throats at all turns in the name of patriotism.

Religious extremism no matter what the religion is very dangerous imo, and it's obvious our economy, foreign policy, energy policies and policies when dealing with big business need an overhaul. I am not sure Obama and Biden are the answer but it may be time to give someone else a shot.