SkyDekker 1,121 #51 June 4, 2020 I think we can add unidentified federal troops to the list of signs of a Banana Republic. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 197 #52 June 4, 2020 Canada becoming a 'banana republic' over restrictive energy policies: Grafton Oops...looks like Canukistan has a problem as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #53 June 4, 2020 24 minutes ago, airdvr said: Canada becoming a 'banana republic' over restrictive energy policies: Grafton Oops...looks like Canukistan has a problem as well. How ignorant. If anything it would be a banana constitutional monarchy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,121 #54 June 4, 2020 1 hour ago, airdvr said: Canada becoming a 'banana republic' over restrictive energy policies: Grafton Oops...looks like Canukistan has a problem as well. Our energy policies do indeed put a strain on outside investment. Not sure how you think that is the same as having unidentified federal troops patrolling your streets..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,340 #55 June 5, 2020 2 hours ago, airdvr said: Canada becoming a 'banana republic' over restrictive energy policies: Grafton Oops...looks like Canukistan has a problem as well. Did you actually read it? One money manager complaining about taxes, oil prices and regulation. Who has a bunch of money invested in energy and is worried about losing. it. '“Today we are in danger of becoming unfortunately a little bit like a banana republic on the energy side.” Sankappanavar, who says her firm has raised and deployed $1 billion (US$760 million) in the Alberta oilpatch, blamed carbon taxes, falling oil prices and increased regulatory scrutiny under new federal government rules for contributing to what she calls an “awful” malaise in the sector.' Comparing that to a 'Justice' department that refuses to prosecute people the President likes while, at the very same time, opens investigations into people he doesn't like that are completely unfounded. A President who repeatedly lies about anything and everything. Who is trying to take actions he clearly cannot do legally. Who is blatantly disregarding the Constitution he swore to uphold. Yeah.EXACTLY the same thing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 910 #56 June 5, 2020 3 hours ago, airdvr said: Canada becoming a 'banana republic' over restrictive energy policies: Grafton Oops...looks like Canukistan has a problem as well. "blamed carbon taxes, falling oil prices and increased regulatory scrutiny" Carbon taxes relate to the signed Paris accords supported by about 71% of Canadians. Effectively its about 22 cents per US gallon. Regulatory scrutiny relate to industry pollution and environmental laws supported by a much higher percentage on Canadians. Oil prices are substantially beyond government and industry control. On the TI corruption index the US has dropped 5 points since trump took office and the US ranks 8 points below Canada, Which is 12th in the world tied with several other countries. The corruption index is probably the best banana ranker. The US, at 23rd ranks one point above Bhutan and two points above Chile.Wondering what causes changes in the TI corruption rankings? Think trump! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #57 June 5, 2020 15 hours ago, sfzombie13 said: this is so much bullshit and has been debunked by anyone who actually reads for hundreds of years. i for one would much rather the VOTERS in large states selecting a president rather than the APPOINTED OFFICIALS anywhere electing one. at least the PEOPLE decide, not the ASS-KISSERS OF A POLITICAL PARTY. name one other reason for the electorate, other than the bullshit you put down about states deciding elections, as that is patently false. Pure democracy is tyranny. That's why the compromise of a representative republic. I shouldn't have to explain any of this. No system is perfect, but some are less imperfect than others. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,254 #58 June 5, 2020 16 minutes ago, markharju said: Pure democracy is tyranny. That's why the compromise of a representative republic. I shouldn't have to explain any of this. Lol. You can't make such a daft, misleading point as that and have the gall to be condescending at the same time. You don't have pure democracy if you allow the people to elect the president, but at least you have some of it. You also don't have any more or less tyranny. Sure it's a nice button pushing buzzword phrase, but in context it makes absolutely no sense. The limits on tyranny are the limits placed (or not, as the case may be) on the power of the president once they are in power. If you get someone who then wants to grab significantly more power than they should be allowed is anyone going to say "Well gee, this is worrying... but at least he was elected by a minority so that's ok!" Quote No system is perfect, but some are less imperfect than others. And getting rid of the EC, a system rooted in both slavery and elitism, would make yours less imperfect. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 143 #59 June 5, 2020 https://globalnews.ca/news/7016101/george-floyd-protests-hong-kong-iran-china/ And there you go! Trump winning biggly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,381 #60 June 5, 2020 6 hours ago, jakee said: Lol. You can't make such a daft, misleading point as that and have the gall to be condescending at the same time. You don't have pure democracy if you allow the people to elect the president, but at least you have some of it. You also don't have any more or less tyranny. Sure it's a nice button pushing buzzword phrase, but in context it makes absolutely no sense. The limits on tyranny are the limits placed (or not, as the case may be) on the power of the president once they are in power. If you get someone who then wants to grab significantly more power than they should be allowed is anyone going to say "Well gee, this is worrying... but at least he was elected by a minority so that's ok!" And getting rid of the EC, a system rooted in both slavery and elitism, would make yours less imperfect. Highly recommended listening for anyone interested in the origins of the EC: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817757461/the-case-for-abolishing-the-electoral-college In 2016 I read a couple books on the constitution by Yale law professor Akhil Amar and watched a bunch of his lectures, and even I was surprised by some of the things Wegman brought up. I intend to read his book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250221971 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 910 #61 June 5, 2020 7 hours ago, jakee said: Lol. You can't make such a daft, misleading point as that and have the gall to be condescending at the same time. ... And getting rid of the EC, a system rooted in both slavery and elitism, would make yours less imperfect. 1 hour ago, ryoder said: Highly recommended listening for anyone interested in the origins of the EC: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817757461/the-case-for-abolishing-the-electoral-college In 2016 I read a couple books on the constitution by Yale law professor Akhil Amar and watched a bunch of his lectures, and even I was surprised by some of the things Wegman brought up. I intend to read his book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250221971 The EC serves no useful purpose. Why would a state have a say in the life and direction of the nation state. When individual voters should have that role? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,381 #62 June 5, 2020 5 minutes ago, Phil1111 said: The EC serves no useful purpose. Why would a state have a say in the life and direction of the nation state. When individual voters should have that role? A point Wegman makes in that interview is that a state govt does not even have a legal obligation to let the voters choose the electors! i.e. state officials could just appoint the electors themselves. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sfzombie13 307 #63 June 5, 2020 1 hour ago, ryoder said: Highly recommended listening for anyone interested in the origins of the EC: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817757461/the-case-for-abolishing-the-electoral-college In 2016 I read a couple books on the constitution by Yale law professor Akhil Amar and watched a bunch of his lectures, and even I was surprised by some of the things Wegman brought up. I intend to read his book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250221971 i would be ok with the ec if they mandated that it followed the popular vote rather than all or nothing. 60% of the people vote for one candidate then 60% of the ec vote goes that way, rounded of course. i have never yet heard of anyone who has a valid reason to keep it the way it is. i will listen tot he recording sometime maybe, if there is a transcript that would be fantastic, as i can't listen to crap at work. and to markharju: you don't have to explain anything to me, especially the ec and it's failing at anything but oppressing people. i have read your comments in the past and determined that you are not only not worth listening to, it is better to just ignore anything you write. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sfzombie13 307 #64 June 5, 2020 1 minute ago, ryoder said: A point Wegman makes in that interview is that a state govt does not even have a legal obligation to let the voters choose the electors! i.e. state officials could just appoint the electors themselves. most of the electorals in states that i have read about are appointed as a reward for party involvement or donations. i have not studied all of them however and i understand that some are held accountable by their states. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,381 #65 June 5, 2020 1 minute ago, sfzombie13 said: i would be ok with the ec if they mandated that it followed the popular vote rather than all or nothing. 60% of the people vote for one candidate then 60% of the ec vote goes that way, rounded of course. i have never yet heard of anyone who has a valid reason to keep it the way it is. i will listen tot he recording sometime maybe, if there is a transcript that would be fantastic, as i can't listen to crap at work. There are 2 states that have deviated from the asinine winner-take-all practice: https://www.270towin.com/content/split-electoral-votes-maine-and-nebraska Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,381 #66 June 5, 2020 1 minute ago, sfzombie13 said: most of the electorals in states that i have read about are appointed as a reward for party involvement or donations. i have not studied all of them however and i understand that some are held accountable by their states. Yes, many states make it a crime to be a faithless elector: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faithless_elector And there is a case right now with SCOTUS over a Colorado elector who announced his intention to vote for a different candidate, (in violation of CO law), and was replaced before he could do so. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #67 June 5, 2020 16 hours ago, SkyDekker said: Our energy policies do indeed put a strain on outside investment. Not sure how you think that is the same as having unidentified federal troops patrolling your streets..... Is that the only defining point of a BR? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,121 #68 June 5, 2020 12 minutes ago, turtlespeed said: Is that the only defining point of a BR? Nope. But I have rarely, if ever, seen energy policy by a democratically elected government as a determining point of a Banana Republic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,120 #69 June 5, 2020 The original US was much more like the EU than it has devolved into. Just an EU where pretty much everyone with land (i.e. could vote) had descended from English. We are far more interdependent than the states were then, both on an individual and a collective level. As a way to get the more doubtful states into the Union it was brilliant. Maybe its relevance has passed. Wendy P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #70 June 5, 2020 (edited) 9 minutes ago, wmw999 said: The original US was much more like the EU than it has devolved into. Just an EU where pretty much everyone with land (i.e. could vote) had descended from English. We are far more interdependent than the states were then, both on an individual and a collective level. As a way to get the more doubtful states into the Union it was brilliant. Maybe its relevance has passed. Wendy P. That's interesting. I haven't looked at it that way before. I suppose it would have had to be in some sense. I thought there was a lot more partisanship between the states, though. Or at least less cooperation than there is now, or as there is in the EU. (Assuming that the states are equal to the EU countries.) Edited June 5, 2020 by turtlespeed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,047 #71 June 5, 2020 2 hours ago, wmw999 said: Maybe its relevance has passed. Hi Wendy, No 'maybe' in my mind. It is antiquated as the flintlock rifle; of no use in our modern world. Jerry Baumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #72 June 5, 2020 (edited) 20 minutes ago, JerryBaumchen said: Hi Wendy, No 'maybe' in my mind. It is antiquated as the flintlock rifle; of no use in our modern world. Jerry Baumchen By your logic, most things old have little or no use in our modern world. I disagree with that though. Take art for example. Edited June 5, 2020 by turtlespeed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,121 #73 June 5, 2020 20 minutes ago, turtlespeed said: By your logic, most things old have little or no use in our modern world. I disagree with that though. Take art for example. Art has a very modern use. Investment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #74 June 5, 2020 1 minute ago, SkyDekker said: Art has a very modern use. Investment. Somehow, though, the flintlock doesn't have that same use? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,121 #75 June 5, 2020 2 minutes ago, turtlespeed said: Somehow, though, the flintlock doesn't have that same use? I have heard of art auctions. Haven't heard of too many flintlock auctions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
