Politics

[DrP]

^It's still against Federal law.

[Zunawe]

I know, I just don't think it's going to end up being as big of a deal as people are making it.

[FSM-Reapr]

Someone said drugs so here I am

I think USA's voting system sucks. It should be that all votes would count in the total amount, no state chose this president.

[Ruto]

There were more than 100 million voters in the last election, couldn't really blame them if they want to simplify things a bit.

Obama still won the popular vote though.

[FSM-Reapr]

I don't see how it would simplify things.

[Mashi]

FSM, the purpose of the electoral college is exactly for the states to elect the President though.  I prefer the electoral college systems and my reasons are as follows:
[5:55:47 PM] Daniel: I think it's better that way, for the most part.
[5:55:58 PM] Daniel: When popular vote is nearly always 50-50
[5:56:23 PM] Daniel: It's probably better to let the states decide, since no matter who's elected, 50% of the US will be mad.
And the reason that the states' opinions matter is because of federalism and state governments and stuff.

[FSM-Reapr]

But the thing is, it would encourage people to vote meaning it could affect the results. Also if it's a close race like this one, the votes that didn't count should have because they effect in the final results.

[Cobraroll]

Indeed. If 30% of the voters in every state voted for the same third party, that party still wouldn't get any electoral votes*. How silly is that?

*except from those two states which split the electoral vote. I forgot which, I should have better things to do than studying the electoral policy practised in four percent of a country half a world away.

[Mashi]

Implicit political efficacy isn't generally the primary reason for low voter turnout (only among younger voters, who generally aren't as effected by politics as others.  Though, this has changed somewhat with Obama's rallying them up); most voters don't vote either because they're lazy or due to scheduling conflicts.

Maine and Nebraska are the two states that base their electoral votes on proportional representation (I'm impressed that you were aware that we even had two states like that, so A+!).  The example is an ideal argument, but chances are that it would never occur in that way.  And even if it did, the minor party in question would receive federal funding for the following election and have an even stronger chance of winning most likely with the extra money.  Not to mention that if a minor party could win 30% of the popular vote for a national election, it would have much easier time making local reform in district and state governments by earning positions there.  National reform is often inevitable by both major parties once enough states have adopted a few views of particular minor parties or interest groups.

[BonusPwnage]

I feel like a lot of time would be saved if we just got rid of the Electoral College! I mean seriously, it had a purpose back then, but now it's a little outdated. If Congress would just be a little less afraid to make changes...

[Ruto]

My sis watched C-Span because there was nothing else to do at work and she said these guys spend the whole time arguing about renaming post offices. Then they have crazy vacation times in the middle of politically important issues...they're just lazy.

[BonusPwnage]

It's sad, but that is the truth a lot of the time. Plus, in the last four years Congress barely did anything since most of them were republicans and rejected everything Obama tried to put out.

[spitllama]

I have a question. I've been exploring it for a while now and can't seem to come to a conclusion. This is not USA specific either:

Since birth I have been an avid supporter of our troops and their sacrifices in other nations. They go above and beyond the call of any individual and place themselves in harms way. They give so much in protecting our security and freedom.

But that's just it. How is war, outside of that which directly protects our borders, protecting our security and freedom? I've only recently realized (~6 months ago) how silly it sounds to talk about how soldiers in Iraq are protecting American freedoms. They're fighting to establish an unwelcome democracy there, and the resistance is Iraqis who don't want foreigners invading in the first place.

I don't want to make this specific to the Iraqi war though. Pick any war a nation has engaged themselves in which was like a "monster to destroy." If the government endorses the killing of thousands of civilians (however inadvertent), I feel like I simply can't support the troops that were sent to do something like that!

To this I've heard people say "support the troops that have to do the work but don't support the government for sending them there in the first place." That seems silly though. Would I excuse a Nazi from killing Jews at camps simply because he was following orders?


I don't know. I've been wanting to talk with someone about this but I know I'd be choked out if I said anything of the sort at this college. A forum is enough anonymity for me

[BlackDragonSlayer]

Would I excuse a Nazi from killing Jews at camps simply because he was following orders?

That's... a bit... different...

I don't want to respond to the rest of your post, lest I spark another widespread debate. Like I've done before. O_O

[SuperFireKirby]

War is almost always pointless. Vietnam, we killed a bunch of people, gave a bunch of people cancer and did nothing. WWI(aka one of the most pointless wars in history) happened because of a shitload of stupid alliances and one guy getting shot.

I can't actually answer most of your questions, except troops who have volunteered are 100% responsible for their actions. They chose to join up, they get the responsibility that comes with that decision, no matter whose orders or what they are fighting for, it is ultimately their choice. The reason we fight, for preventative causes. Because of what "may" happen if we don't intervene. We basically go in there, make a wreck of a country so no authority there can have the power to threaten us. Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan. Turned into full-scale warzones so they'll be too busy trying to rebuild their country that they can't even think about screwing with us.