I'd vote for that, Ducimus :)

I think you missed the point STEED. This kind of blasting on parties - or as SUBMAN rightfully said, demonizing them - replaces cooperation and sensible governing.

My country's current Conservative government fell a few notches in my book when they booted an MP out of their party for voting against their budget out of concern for his own constituents.

My question is, since I've only been interested in politics for a few years, is this really something new?

That compass quiz is fun. I always land dead centre, which is good because I think of myself as a centrist.

I was not sure of the movie:oops:. I just recall at the end, making the White House after all the fighting and slight of hand, the character said "What do I do know?" Yes, always a long day at the office.;)

The movie he's thinking of was The Candidate. Redford is running for the senate, not the presidency, and it's against an incumbent who can't lose; so the run him just to have some opposition. When he does win, he doesn't want to be there.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068334/

I can't remember who said it, but it seems appropriate and accurate;

"Every country gets the government it deserves."

One can extrapulate from that the politicians and the political dialog.

That was me, refering to what I believe is a Chinese proverb.

Economic Left/Right: -0.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 0.97

Just imagine what the US could have had! :rotfl:

Aristoteles? Now I wanted to know for sure, and searched for it. And I found it:

it sometimes is understood to be by Anonymous, sometimes by Joseph Marie de Maistre (1753-1821), who is quoted word-by-word:
"Jedes Volk (people) hat die Regierung, die es verdient." (every people has the government it deserves)

Whereas "Jedes Land (country) hat die Regierung die es verdient" (every nation has the government it deserves) is attributed to all and nobody, and thus, Anonymous.

Google did not give me a link connecting it to Aristoteles - only to Aristoteles commenting on issues on states and people in general. Since these "proverbs" are general statements by their contents anyway, the question of their authors probably cannot be completely answered anyway - it probably already has been put by thousands of persons in these or comparing words.

And probably in China as well (which would fit perfectly the self-understanding of their historic emperors and bureaucratic elite anyway). :)

Let's give credit where credit is due.

For 3500 years, every Jewish mother has told her children at some point in their lives: "you get what you deserve." :yep:

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/...22/3344/print/

Oh dear.

I personally think that is the problem -- they're NOT at each other's throats. We don't have enough physical confrontations in Congress.

I've mulled the issue over for awhile. Term limits aren't going to do a damn thing -- the entire system has to be altered. If you stood a good chance of getting your ass kicked when you stood up on the bench, politicans would have to have both moral and physical courage to hold their office.

Heh...Arnold Shwarzeneger would definatly be president if that were the case. :rotfl:

The term limits are there to keep someone from forming a dictatorship, not to increase the chances of getting a decent president. I think the problem boils down to the expense of running for office.

Only those who are rich enough can run for president. That's why we have people who may come from an American family but don't really seem like they would fit in at your local nieghborhood block party. How many of us are rich enough to run for president?

Clinton is. Bush is. Paris Hilton is.(Notice a pattern?)

It kind of makes me wonder if having enough money to run for president stunts your growth. If you don't have to actually work a 9-5 job to make ends meet, wouldn't you miss out on a lot of challenges along the way, which, if faced, actually inspire personal growth and 'common sense'? For example, I keep my mathmatical skills razor sharp balancing my checkbook every week, and making each dollar cover 2 dollars worth of bills. :hmm:

How can you truly relate to the common man when you don't have to walk in his shoes?

It just seems to me like the old upper class/lower class differences that have plauged governed people for all time.

What I'd loke to see are better goverenment programs to help pay for the common man to run for president. They would still need the background(political experience, etc..), but I think the gov should help pay for all the advertisements and what-not. Heck, running for president ought to be a paid job to begin with, just to make it available for anyone. Maybe then we might get some 'sane' people running for office. (Along with all the nutcases :p )

No, the term limit is there because after 144 years of presidents refusing to serve more than twice, a president (Franklin Roosevelt) got elected four times. The opposing party quickly passed the 22nd Amendment, limiting the president to two terms. It passed in 1947 and was ratified by the states in 1951. Of course the Republicans immediately got their own guy (Dwight Eisenhower) elected, and have been kicking themselves ever since.