Politics

I've been reading a really excellent article in Yes! magazine about ways to relax the stranglehold corporations have on our economy, our politics and our lives. Being in business my whole life, I fully recognize the need for corporate charters, but I feel they have become far too influential in the legislative process that's designed to regulate them and assure proper checks and balances. My biggest concern is that when profit is the single motivating drive for corporate existence, all the other reasons for loving a capitalist economy are jeopardized. Job security, stability, compensation, environmental concerns, efficiency, quality, long-term goals, emotional and pe…

When dealing with a cold-hearted non-disabled adult human being of society, I am determined: 1. To stoop down to his/her level 2. *Not* to be the bigger/better person I also feel like cancelling his/her cold-heartedness with my hot-heartedness I believe in fairness -- and hate with a passion -- N E cold-hearted non-disabled adult human who knowingly/willingly perpetrates unfairness. A cold-heart gains pleasure, humor, and happiness from misusing his/her power. A hot-heart [like me] wishes for such injustices -- perpetrated by cold-hearts -- to disappear and wishes for the angels to descend from heaven and punish these cold-hearts by causing these cold…

Some minor discussion of healthcare in other topics has forced me to do some reading on the subject. Since it wasn't the the origional subject in those threads, I thought I had better opportunity to discuss it at length if I created a new topic. So let's see if I can break down what the critics of the US's healthcare system say. Some people say that America spends more money on healthcare for a lower quality. While it's true we spend more money, I will have to beg to differ on the lower quality. It seems that most of the areas that are chosen to judge quality are chosen on results that they wish to recieve rather than taking into account the reasons for those numbers …

O say can you see, the U. S. Oligarchy? The U. S. is on sale. Buy it while it’s hot. O say can you see, by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed we now proudly renounce. democracy http://blog.ted.com/2008/09/17/the_real_differ/ Plato theorized that democracies, as they matured, evolvedinto oligarchies or plutocracies. We are witnessing exactly that. When the new political election funding laws came intoeffect, the U. S. democratic system became an oligarchy or plutocracy. Billionairesare now buying political candidates and are in fact buying the leadership ofthe nation. They…

The president will deliver the final annual state of the union address of his first term (and potentially ever if he is not reelected) in about 30 minutes. Watch live online the enhanced stream with charts, graphs, and citations: http://www.whitehouse.gov/state-of-the-union-2012 Discuss below. What will be the future of the US? Is the vision laid out by the president right or wrong in your view, and why?

Sad, but true. Join the party? Sorry... I value my integrity and reason too much for that.

Does this Sort of thing indicate our political/economic system is corrupt/broken beyond repair?

Okay, this isn't big on the grand scale of International politics, but my home State Queensland had an election last weekend. For roughly the last 20 years we have had government from the Labor Party, who are from out "left" with all the union affilliations and green tendencies that this implies. We have 89 seats in the State House (The Upper House was abolished by the ALP back in 1922) of which, until Saturday the ALP held 51. 51 out of 89 being a reasonable and comfortable majority. As of Sunday morning, they hold 7 after losing a stunning 44 seats, the largest loss ever in any Australian election. The incoming conservative government holds 78 out of 89 sea…

I was reading an article at Huff Post on the Arizona Birth Control Act (here) prompted by Moontanman's excellent thread. This bill (now on its way to Senate for a vote) allows to Employers to withhold contraception on religious grounds (not only if the organisation is a religious foundation - but any body can opt out) - and women who seek reimbursement for contraception will be able to be interrogated on the reasons they, in consultation with their doctor, decided contraception was necessary; they will also be required to prove it was for medical reasons. I was shocked that this would be seriously considered - but I suppose after the vitriolic rants of Rush Limbaugh on …

All this in the news lately about the Middle East has me wondering what Israel is to the United States. A liability or an asset, or some of both? I ask that you consider both categories before answering.

Take a look at the gigantic population of China. It is so large that authorities have had to implement one-child regulations where couples can only have at most one child. Now look at the population of, say, Singapore(my country!). The government here has implemnted incentives such as Baby Bonus, where a parents get paid off-days and paid maternity leave in an effort to encourage population growth to drive the economy. As populations go up and up, a startling thought comes to mind - the spread of diesease, overcrowding, and all of the bad things that come with it. Just take a look at the first graph on this page : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overpopulation (yes I kno…

What are the best books in political science and history that you have come across? I'll start. I've found several great suggestions (like "War is a Racket") at A Nerd's Guide to Reading, but I'm almost finished reading through their list. Any other suggestions?

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/11/14/michael-moores-hypocrite-house/ Yap he is saying he is for the people but look it all fake.

The Government of any given country is there to establish law, but lets face it, a lot of the people in the government are not very bright, so if we were to replace the government by a board of scientists that decided laws in a totally un-bias way, do you think that that would be better and improve our quality of life?

So what if people were beholden to this Economic idea like a religion. So they went around the world and pushed this idea upon everyone through either force or guile. The cases where they have implemented this things havent went well for these people, but they believe it is a good idea just because the values and things they care about have gone up, but not because the theory is actually sound. Economic theory doesnt appear to be under the same scrutiny as the rest of science, perhaps that is because it is so hard examine. You cant experiment with a real economy. People quite often dont always behave ideally. But the manner, and way in which people are beholde…

I would like you to express your opinion on the following: Free Cannabis sativa recreational use legalization; Medical marijuana use authorization; Pros and cons of Cannabis sativa for our health; Pros and cons of its use to society. Please leave only comments and responses that are legitimate, justified and serious. We want a serious discussion and we will despise any incentive to its illegal use. Make use of intelligent argumentation.

The U.S. government recently signed the Asia-Pacific region Free Trade Agreement, in my opinion, is due to the fact that by 2020 they will be the largest number of elderly in the world. Which means there is a large market for consumer products which is one of the main reasons why corporations wanted the agreement signed. It is not just here in the U.S. that the baby boomers is created a hugh amount of stress due to aging on a much smaller younger age work force that supports them, China, India, Japan, Finland, Italy and Germany also will have the largest elderly population by 2020. It is Africa that will have the largest population that are under age 65 and most like…

Will or does the SOPA act portend the end of the internet as we know it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ3nNYV7cXY

Why? Look at this jawless child...please be warned, videos are very graphic. http://i.imgur.com/pwpg7.jpg (WARNING: NOT FOR THE FAINTHEARTED, VERY DISTURBING IMAGE. DO NOT CLICK IF YOU'RE UNDER 18) http://www.youtube.c...pcontrinter%3D1 U.N. or U.S. or Russia should invade Syria to remove its corrupt government or something, am I wrong? Apparently, Syrian government is OK with this. Apparently, government soldiers / officials are OK with this. Apparently, world is OK with this. Apparently, governments across the globe are OK with this. Disgusting....can't believe what I found or discovered. I seriously feel bad for this guy. Assad or whatev…

Winston Churchill had the following things to say about democracy..... "Democracy is the worst kind of government, except for all those that have been tried before." "The best argument against democracy is a 5 minute coversation with the average voter." I was watching a documentary called "The Code" by Marcus du Sautoy. In it he filled a large jar with jelly beans and got 200 odd people to guess how many jelly beans there were. Even though no individual was close to the actual number, when he averaged all the guesses, the result was almost spot on. That got me to wondering...........can anyone envisage a way to make democratic governments only ever legislate …

Economics Professors are scared that their students will ask a very simple question. What are quality and convenience? It may sound simple but these two things dominate our lives, but economists don't know anything more about it than you do. Why are they scared? Asking these questions shows the fundamental problems with indifference curve theory, which is the foundation of modern economics. This information has been covered up for more than a decade, but I'm asking you to show this to every economics student that you know. --- moderator: link removed. If you choose to participate as a proper member we'll reinstate it ---

The World’s situation is far from being perfect and it doesn’t seem to have perspective to repair itself(?). So there are growing in strength on one side e.g. - idealistic utopian visions, like Zeitgeist movement/Venus project expecting that the system will itself transform into resource-based, or - rage movements on the other side, like occupy movements or Anonymous which doesn’t seem to have realistic alternatives to what they are against. Let us think here about reasonable constructive possibilities which are both achievable in this moment and giving hope for the real improvement for our future. The general feeling is that the main problem is that the power co…

From: http://www.ilovephilosophy.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=178178 and http://kunstler.com/blog/2012/02/the-john-brown-moment.html Give Us Back Good Old FASCISM... In the 70s or 80s that which is happening in Greece would be considered, under all points of views, a Right Wing Fascist Type Coup, a Pinochet style change in government, it would be considered a pure Fascist like take of power on behalf of the Powers That Be (which are mostly the Capitalist, Free Market Ideology, Globalism Bible, Punish Workers and Anyone who is not a Superstar Winner like "Germany" and such) that want to impose a complete doctrine, an Economical Doctrine that is…

Barack Obama has perhaps accomplished more than any other President in just over three years of service. By deliberate design, Barack Obama daily makes America weaker abroad, less Free (more Authoritarian) at home, economically more feeble, and more bitterly divided than ever. Really, I think Barack Obama represents the greatest military campaign since Alexander the Great! He has done to America, in 3 years, what the Soviets were unable to do in 50. He has done in 3 years, what the Arab world has been unable to do in millennium. He is bringing all the Arab states together, under one banner, for a single purpose.→ The destruction of Israel. He's been like a …