The Government You Deserve?

[Mr Quatro]

The Vietnam war started in 1959 with advisors, but it can be agreed to have started in 1964 with over 200 casualties until 1975 with the fall of Saigon.

Todays politicians in the USA were either against the war in Vietnam and protesting against the draft, smoking pot or being drafted and wind up smoking pot and even worse in Vietnam.

Now they are in charge and the vote to legalize pot has already been approved for medical reasons in 15 states with recreational approval in Washington state, Oregon and Denver, Washington DC our nations capital and now as of Sunday that is, legal to grow and sell on the tribal lands of North America.

What does this have to do with society and the government you deserve?

Everything, everything is going to change ... no guarantee that it is for the better either.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Eichhornchen

In a democracy I'm sure we all are agreed that the Government of the day are our servants. But by "government" in this question, I mean the word as used in the sense of "regime". I guess I should've been more precise there...

Except in a representative government where the people empower their elected representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

We simply can't have a discussion about government without bringing in some dead guys. Dead guys always seem to know more than living guys.

Certainly, gentlemen, it ought to be the happiness and glory of a representative to live in the strictest union, the closest correspondence, and the most unreserved communication with his constituents.

Their wishes ought to have great weight with him; their opinion, high respect; their business, unremitted attention. It is his duty to sacrifice his repose, his pleasures, his satisfactions, to theirs; and above all, ever, and in all cases, to prefer their interest to his own.

But his unbiassed opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure; no, nor from the law and the constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he is deeply answerable.

Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.

Eddie Burke said that.

[Jeff-Groves]

A Goverment in power will do all it can to stay in power.
That's a fact jack!

Just research history and find which have changed in a peaceful way compaired to a violent change.

[Cybermat47]

Originally Posted by Jeff-Groves

A Goverment in power will do all it can to stay in power.
That's a fact jack!

Just research history and find which have changed in a peaceful way compaired to a violent change.

Yeah, governments in power will try to stay in power.

One thing that really annoys me about politicians these days is the fact that they get all this money for their election campaigns, then when they're in power, they have to cut budgets because they don't have enough money

Maybe if the Liberal Party (Australia's ruling party, and despite the name, the largest right-wing party in the country) spent less money on getting and staying in power, they wouldn't have cut the pay for ADF members

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Cybermat47

Yeah, governments in power will try to stay in power.

One thing that really annoys me about politicians these days is the fact that they get all this money for their election campaigns, then when they're in power, they have to cut budgets because they don't have enough money

Well, at least in the US, monies collected for campaigns can't be used for any other purpose than campaigns. So there is no connection between campaign monies and the budget to run a country/state.

[Eichhörnchen]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Eddie Burke said that.

Eddie Burke sounds like a Top Man: I expected to see the name "Abe Lincoln" after that wonderful quote. But who Eddie Burke? I searched for the name and got (a) a Canadian Ice Hockey player and (b) a hypnotherapist. Please forgive my ignorance, Platapus...

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Eichhornchen

Eddie Burke sounds like a Top Man: I expected to see the name "Abe Lincoln" after that wonderful quote. But who Eddie Burke? I searched for the name and got (a) a Canadian Ice Hockey player and (b) a hypnotherapist. Please forgive my ignorance, Platapus...

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

He is also, mistakenly, known for "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

If you want to read the entire speech where I got my quote go here

http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/found.../v1ch13s7.html

[Skybird]

The Bush dynasty mulls the enthroning of their third member in two generations.

Thank God we do not live in this diabolic system of feudalism anymore.

Or they get another Clinton, also not a scenario comedians would especially hate. Their daughter, btw, no longer rules out to start a career in - what have you guessed, politics.

Heritable feudalism, or the advantage of established brands easily recognised by the masses...

I wonder where the Kennedys are hiding since all these years?

The Bushs btw already prepare their latest sunny, George, 37, to send him into the race for governor's seat.

Karma means the inevitable causal link between cause and reaction. Of course a people, a civilization deserves the government that it has allowed to form up. True for Germany. For the US. For the Ukraine. ME countries. Russia. China. Even the Easter Islands before the civilization collapsed - a collapse which also was their self-made karma.

[Eichhörnchen]

Originally Posted by Platapus

He is also, mistakenly, known for "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

Also interesting. Thanks for that: he was indeed a Top Man.

[Skybird]

If you collect proverbs and quotes, this one fits:, by Mark Twain:

"If we would learn what the human race really is at bottom, we need only observe it at election time."

Much truth in that, and more complexity than is immediately apparent to the eye.

[Dan D]

Originally Posted by Skybird

"We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality." - (Ayn Rand)

With all respect, but this is waffle imo. I don't think that we share the same "reality", for one. Second, I have no idea what "reality" Ayn Rand is talking about. May be we agree, but I can't tell from just the Quote. Third, you need to define "reality" on a term we at least can all agree upon. Otherwhise we are talking Klingon or Greek or something.

In other words: I don't understand.

[Jeff-Groves]

It's OK Guys! We may be living in a simulation anyway!

http://aeon.co/magazine/science/can-...er-simulation/

So, IF We're in a simulation and We play Simulated War Games.
Do the People in those Simulated Games play Simulated Games themselves?
And what about the simulated simulated people?
Do they also create simulated people?

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Dan D

With all respect, but this is waffle imo. I don't think that we share the same "reality", for one. Second, I have no idea what "reality" Ayn Rand is talking about. May be we agree, but I can't tell from just the Quote. Third, you need to define "reality" on a term we at least can all agree upon. Otherwhise we are talking Klingon or Greek or something.

In other words: I don't understand.

I disagree the political system was a joke in Twains time if he where to see how it is today during campaign times he would feel what he said was true even more strongly than he did over one hundred years ago.

Edit: oh you are talking about the Rand quote its talking about political apathy.http://www.fluxneo.com/llbarnhart/apathy.htm

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Well, at least in the US, monies collected for campaigns can't be used for any other purpose than campaigns. So there is no connection between campaign monies and the budget to run a country/state.

Directly true but those giant contributions from big companies that are people too buy influence so there is a link.

[mapuc]

Here in Denmark many of our politicians is what we call "livelihood politician"

Markus