Your Ballot

[Ibanez]

Watched "The Campaign" last night. Damn that's a funny movie.

phpBB [video]

This is a good movie. I fully approve.

[Ivytalk]

Read an interesting piece about Duverger’s law in Reason today. Winner-take-all electoral structures favor a two-party system, while third parties need proportional representation to have any hope of success. Although about 40% of Americans claim to be independents, the vast majority lean Red or Blue on a regular basis. At this rate, Libertarians and Greens will be stuck at a collective 5% of the vote for a long time.

Solution for third-party voters? Move to Italy, Belgium, or Scandinavia.

I've been saying that for years here and been chastised for saying so.

Really? I don’t recall your ever mentioning Duverger’s Law.

[Bisonfanatical]

North Dakota,

The for the first time as an independent voter I voted straight Republican party only, there is such a sense of disgust inside me over that Kavanaugh conformation circus that I voted to punish that party.

As much as 1 vote can

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That is really sad since Kavanaugh was probably lying and Blasey Ford was probably telling the truth.

Holy shitballs,

Are you actually serious?

Get past your president Trump hate speach for a minute.

Are you actually serious?

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[SeattleGriz]

That is really sad since Kavanaugh was probably lying and Blasey Ford was probably telling the truth.

Holy shitballs,

Are you actually serious?

Get past your president Trump hate speach for a minute.

Are you actually serious?

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You see Blasey Ford's FBI buddy is now under investigation?

Total shocker to see those old FBI/DOJ Russian collusion lawyers show up on Ford's side.

[GannonFan]

Read an interesting piece about Duverger’s law in Reason today. Winner-take-all electoral structures favor a two-party system, while third parties need proportional representation to have any hope of success. Although about 40% of Americans claim to be independents, the vast majority lean Red or Blue on a regular basis. At this rate, Libertarians and Greens will be stuck at a collective 5% of the vote for a long time.

Solution for third-party voters? Move to Italy, Belgium, or Scandinavia.

Yup, if a sustainable, long term third party was possible we'd already have one, or at least evidence of one in the past 200+ years. Any third party movement inevitably gets sucked up by one of the existing two parties and we're back to a duopoly. No reason to think that history is going to be overturned anytime soon.

[CAA Flagship]

Read an interesting piece about Duverger’s law in Reason today. Winner-take-all electoral structures favor a two-party system, while third parties need proportional representation to have any hope of success. Although about 40% of Americans claim to be independents, the vast majority lean Red or Blue on a regular basis. At this rate, Libertarians and Greens will be stuck at a collective 5% of the vote for a long time.

Solution for third-party voters? Move to Italy, Belgium, or Scandinavia.

Yup, if a sustainable, long term third party was possible we'd already have one, or at least evidence of one in the past 200+ years. Any third party movement inevitably gets sucked up by one of the existing two parties and we're back to a duopoly. No reason to think that history is going to be overturned anytime soon.

If two parties were only separated by a few miles, there isn't much room for a third party. But today's parties are separated by 1000's of miles. Plenty of elbow room for a third party, but it has to start from local levels. Can't build the roof before the walls.

[Ibanez]

Yup, if a sustainable, long term third party was possible we'd already have one, or at least evidence of one in the past 200+ years. Any third party movement inevitably gets sucked up by one of the existing two parties and we're back to a duopoly. No reason to think that history is going to be overturned anytime soon.

If two parties were only separated by a few miles, there isn't much room for a third party. But today's parties are separated by 1000's of miles. Plenty of elbow room for a third party, but it has to start from local levels. Can't build the roof before the walls.

This...it also doesn't help that the Ds and Rs have rigged the system to squash any competition.

[Winterborn]

If two parties were only separated by a few miles, there isn't much room for a third party. But today's parties are separated by 1000's of miles. Plenty of elbow room for a third party, but it has to start from local levels. Can't build the roof before the walls.

This...it also doesn't help that the Ds and Rs have rigged the system to squash any competition.

One of the few things that both parties agree on.

[andy7171]

Watched "The Campaign" last night. Damn that's a funny movie.

phpBB [video]

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[89Hen]

But today's parties are separated by 1000's of miles. Plenty of elbow room for a third party, but it has to start from local levels. Can't build the roof before the walls.

How so? Both are more concerned about being elected and spend too much. Neither really implements wide sweeping social change even though they talk about it... more accurately, the OTHER side talks about how crazy it will be under the other side. It's VERY partisan, but there really isn't much separating the two.

[CAA Flagship]

But today's parties are separated by 1000's of miles. Plenty of elbow room for a third party, but it has to start from local levels. Can't build the roof before the walls.

How so? Both are more concerned about being elected and spend too much. Neither really implements wide sweeping social change even though they talk about it... more accurately, the OTHER side talks about how crazy it will be under the other side. It's VERY partisan, but there really isn't much separating the two.

They are both full of shit, but to say there isn't much separating the two is crazy. If Hillary won and had control of House and Senate, would we have the tax cuts and de-regulation? There is no way.

[89Hen]

How so? Both are more concerned about being elected and spend too much. Neither really implements wide sweeping social change even though they talk about it... more accurately, the OTHER side talks about how crazy it will be under the other side. It's VERY partisan, but there really isn't much separating the two.

They are both full of shit, but to say there isn't much separating the two is crazy. If Hillary won and had control of House and Senate, would we have the tax cuts and de-regulation? There is no way.

I have serious doubts I will see any kind of tax cut.

[CAA Flagship]

They are both full of shit, but to say there isn't much separating the two is crazy. If Hillary won and had control of House and Senate, would we have the tax cuts and de-regulation? There is no way.

I have serious doubts I will see any kind of tax cut.

You get it in your investments. Corporate buybacks trickle down to P/E ratio. Big run in market begins tomorrow.

[Ivytalk]

But today's parties are separated by 1000's of miles. Plenty of elbow room for a third party, but it has to start from local levels. Can't build the roof before the walls.

How so? Both are more concerned about being elected and spend too much. Neither really implements wide sweeping social change even though they talk about it... more accurately, the OTHER side talks about how crazy it will be under the other side. It's VERY partisan, but there really isn't much separating the two.

You sound just like klam.

[Chizzang]

I have serious doubts I will see any kind of tax cut.

You get it in your investments. Corporate buybacks trickle down to P/E ratio. Big run in market begins tomorrow.

Ah yes...
The legislative achievement that President Trump is most proud of... The tax bill
an enormous gift to wealthy corporate power - and nobody even bothers to debate that fact

And it has the secondary advantage as the Republican leadership was quick to point out
of creating a huge deficit - which can be used as a pretext for getting rid of social spending
We can't afford social programs - we're in the midst of the largest deficit margin since 1776

U.S. social spending is meager by world standards.... (fact)
We’re down at the bottom of the OECD with Greece and Turkey in social benefits spending

Let’s undermine Medicaid, which goes to the undeserving poor
let’s undermine Social Security, which working people just rely on for survival
all because we have to lavish gifts on corporations that are presently hoarding profits at record levels



and poor people vote for Trump in droves - it's absolutely fascinating

[Ivytalk]

You get it in your investments. Corporate buybacks trickle down to P/E ratio. Big run in market begins tomorrow.

Ah yes...
The legislative achievement that President Trump is most proud of... The tax bill
an enormous gift to wealthy corporate power - and nobody even bothers to debate that fact

And it has the secondary advantage as the Republican leadership was quick to point out
of creating a huge deficit - which can be used as a pretext for getting rid of social spending
We can't afford social programs - we're in the midst of the largest deficit margin since 1776

U.S. social spending is meager by world standards.... (fact)
We’re down at the bottom of the OECD with Greece and Turkey in social benefits spending

Let’s undermine Medicaid, which goes to the undeserving poor
let’s undermine Social Security, which working people just rely on for survival
all because we have to lavish gifts on corporations that are presently hoarding profits at record levels



and poor people vote for Trump in droves - it's absolutely fascinating

So just where do you propose to reduce spending, Swami, if you take Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare off the table?

[mainejeff]

Ah yes...
The legislative achievement that President Trump is most proud of... The tax bill
an enormous gift to wealthy corporate power - and nobody even bothers to debate that fact

And it has the secondary advantage as the Republican leadership was quick to point out
of creating a huge deficit - which can be used as a pretext for getting rid of social spending
We can't afford social programs - we're in the midst of the largest deficit margin since 1776

U.S. social spending is meager by world standards.... (fact)
We’re down at the bottom of the OECD with Greece and Turkey in social benefits spending

Let’s undermine Medicaid, which goes to the undeserving poor
let’s undermine Social Security, which working people just rely on for survival
all because we have to lavish gifts on corporations that are presently hoarding profits at record levels



and poor people vote for Trump in droves - it's absolutely fascinating

So just where do you propose to reduce spending, Swami, if you take Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare off the table?

Corporate tax cuts.