Advice about politics

[Itrade]

Because the other thread I made seems to have been derailed by this topic of discussion, I have decided to create a topic for its discussion.

Ask questions about politics here and it is likely that you will get answers and advice. However, this answers and advice are unlikely to be any good, so use them at your own discretion.

I will start with some questions from the other topic:

Also, dummy, as for not being in office. WE CAN BE IN OFFICE IF WE WANTED TO! Anyone can run, it just takes ALOT OF HARD WORK, TIME, MONEY and dedication and alot of people just dont have it. So if someone chooses to not run they can still VOTE on who gets in. If someone does neither than they should stfu in my opinion Please dont throw any conspiracies my way about votiing because im not down with that shit.

YOU don't know that Social Security is being spent on Iraqi war because you haven't studied it! go look it up. Maybe you just learned something!

And it's not all right that it is spent on it.

And the POINT about the TAXES is... YOU HAVE to pay them or ELSE! which I was saying to bring up a point about being OWNED,...Sheesh oh man, where do these idiots come from that I have to repeat my self!

And you said it yourself that you have to have MONEY to become a Politician, how do you think the bush we have in office became a president? And why do you think that Hillary is running, there is still a glass ceiling on how much women make!

Further more the Flame War Forum is So why don't you grow up, and try not to be demeaning in a non flame wars thread! OR can you not handle yourself enough to not call names, when you disagree with somebody! Also, I will post anytime I want, Hence YOU DONT OWN ME, you are to me a meaningless small person, who is very immature!

[Beastly]

Nice job Itrade!


to michelle,

If you get a job that you don't pay your taxes on, then you most likely are not making a whole lot of money. You are also not obeying the law. As far as the illegal immigrants working, the people paying them are breaking the law. That wasn't the issue I was pointing out! however you are trying to make it one. George Bush represents America right now, and he is our leader, and we are all his pawns, kinda like the game risk!

And I don't have to explain anything to you because you are obviously a closed minded person who choses to believe that America is a rose filled garden with no pricks! I disagree!

[Norse]

I loathe 98% of politicians with a seething passion...

Makes me want to start bombing parliamentary buildings...

[Battle-Rage]

Although politics are a necessary evil, i have to agree with Norse - Politicians and people overly interested in politics are generally the worst kind.

At least in America, you can decide whether you want to vote - In Australia, its compulsury to vote, and the penalties are fines, and even jail time.

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

[Iliad]

Although politics are a necessary evil, i have to agree with Norse - Politicians and people overly interested in politics are generally the worst kind.

At least in America, you can decide whether you want to vote - In Australia, its compulsury to vote, and the penalties are fines, and even jail time.

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

I'm quite sure you have to vote in America

[Norse]

From What I gather though, it seems to me to be a pretty good system over in oz....

Well, Im going to be living out there in march

[Norse]

Although politics are a necessary evil, i have to agree with Norse - Politicians and people overly interested in politics are generally the worst kind.

At least in America, you can decide whether you want to vote - In Australia, its compulsury to vote, and the penalties are fines, and even jail time.

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

I'm quite sure you have to vote in America

no you don't

[Iliad]

Although politics are a necessary evil, i have to agree with Norse - Politicians and people overly interested in politics are generally the worst kind.

At least in America, you can decide whether you want to vote - In Australia, its compulsury to vote, and the penalties are fines, and even jail time.

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

I'm quite sure you have to vote in America

no you don't

Really? Didn't know that

[joecoolfrog]

Although politics are a necessary evil, i have to agree with Norse - Politicians and people overly interested in politics are generally the worst kind.

At least in America, you can decide whether you want to vote - In Australia, its compulsury to vote, and the penalties are fines, and even jail time.

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

You do
Nobody forces you to vote for anybody,you can simply leave the paper blank if you wish and will not be penalised. What the government is doing is forcing people to get off their lazy arses and having a say and that my friend is democracy. Over the years I have found that the people who whinge and complain about the government the most are the ones who never bother to vote in the first place !

[heavycola]

I loathe 98% of politicians with a seething passion...

Makes me want to start bombing parliamentary buildings...

who's the other 2%? Enoch Powell?

[Battle-Rage]

Although politics are a necessary evil, i have to agree with Norse - Politicians and people overly interested in politics are generally the worst kind.

At least in America, you can decide whether you want to vote - In Australia, its compulsury to vote, and the penalties are fines, and even jail time.

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

You do
Nobody forces you to vote for anybody,you can simply leave the paper blank if you wish and will not be penalised. What the government is doing is forcing people to get off their lazy arses and having a say and that my friend is democracy. Over the years I have found that the people who whinge and complain about the government the most are the ones who never bother to vote in the first place !

Alot of what you say is true Joe, but it isn't my definition of freedom being forced to vote, especially when there are 3 political systems in place and each can hold an election between 2-4 years - i've been penalised before when i was in a remote location and had no idea the election took place until after it occured.

I know many others feel the need to voice their opinions or participate, which is their democratic right here, but for those who dont? Why should they be "forced" to place paper into the box to satisfy those who do.

As for complaining about governments, i find little point in it - its like the weather, it changes all the time and the best you can do is adapt to the conditions.

[Michelle]

Although politics are a necessary evil, i have to agree with Norse - Politicians and people overly interested in politics are generally the worst kind.

At least in America, you can decide whether you want to vote - In Australia, its compulsury to vote, and the penalties are fines, and even jail time.

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

You do
Nobody forces you to vote for anybody,you can simply leave the paper blank if you wish and will not be penalised. What the government is doing is forcing people to get off their lazy arses and having a say and that my friend is democracy. Over the years I have found that the people who whinge and complain about the government the most are the ones who never bother to vote in the first place !

Alot of what you say is true Joe, but it isn't my definition of freedom being forced to vote, especially when there are 3 political systems in place and each can hold an election between 2-4 years - i've been penalised before when i was in a remote location and had no idea the election took place until after it occured.

I know many others feel the need to voice their opinions or participate, which is their democratic right here, but for those who dont? Why should they be "forced" to place paper into the box to satisfy those who do.

As for complaining about governments, i find little point in it - its like the weather, it changes all the time and the best you can do is adapt to the conditions.

How were you penalized? By who? Fellow voters? I can see someone penalizing you if you had strong opinions on a candidate yet you didn't do anything to support him/her.

No one should be forced, and no one is. Alot of people don't even care about politics or the world around them.

You wouldn't be satisfying anyone by placing a vote that you are unsure about anyway. Doing it just to do it is as useless as not doing it at all.

[Battle-Rage]

Although politics are a necessary evil, i have to agree with Norse - Politicians and people overly interested in politics are generally the worst kind.

At least in America, you can decide whether you want to vote - In Australia, its compulsury to vote, and the penalties are fines, and even jail time.

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

You do
Nobody forces you to vote for anybody,you can simply leave the paper blank if you wish and will not be penalised. What the government is doing is forcing people to get off their lazy arses and having a say and that my friend is democracy. Over the years I have found that the people who whinge and complain about the government the most are the ones who never bother to vote in the first place !

Alot of what you say is true Joe, but it isn't my definition of freedom being forced to vote, especially when there are 3 political systems in place and each can hold an election between 2-4 years - i've been penalised before when i was in a remote location and had no idea the election took place until after it occured.

I know many others feel the need to voice their opinions or participate, which is their democratic right here, but for those who dont? Why should they be "forced" to place paper into the box to satisfy those who do.

As for complaining about governments, i find little point in it - its like the weather, it changes all the time and the best you can do is adapt to the conditions.

How were you penalized? By who? Fellow voters? I can see someone penalizing you if you had strong opinions on a candidate yet you didn't do anything to support him/her.

No one should be forced, and no one is. Alot of people don't even care about politics or the world around them.

You wouldn't be satisfying anyone by placing a vote that you are unsure about anyway. Doing it just to do it is as useless as not doing it at all.

To clarify this for you michelle, read my original post. I was penalised with a $73 dollar fine.

Now i'm aware that $73 isn't a large amount, but the principle remains the same. And although i pleaded my case, I was reminded that ignorance of the timeline of elections was no excuse for failing to vote.

[Michelle]

I somehow missed that. Wow, that is pretty crazy.

[Titanic]

I dont think people being overly interested in politics is a bad thing. If anything its a good thing because then the poltical parties are under more pressure to become better, as more people actually understand the system and can press then and challenge them and put them under scrutiny and pressure.

Also, I think Australias system is really good, because it ensures that its a real democracy, and not one where only 60% of people actually vote, which means you can win a landslide when more then 50% of the public dont actually vote for you. For instance, in the UK 2005 elections, Labour got 35% of the vote, which is around 21% of the total electorate. Almost 80% of the public didnt even vote for them, yet they hold the majority seats in parliament.

[heavycola]

Labour got 35% of the vote, which is around 21% of the total electorate. Almost 80% of the public didnt even vote for them, yet they hold the majority seats in parliament.

Shame on the millions who couldn't be arsed to get themselves to a polling station. I agree with Titanic. Australia have the right idea (for once). Fine the lazy bastards. If you want to make a point, spoil your ballot. At least they get counted.
We are too blase about democracy in this country. We take it for granted. Say what you like about the US, at least the people are politicised.

[jay_a2j]

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

We don't live in a Democracy, we live in a Republic.


Scratch that, you are an Aussie....you may live in a democracy...lol idk.

[unriggable]

And somehow the politicians here would have us believe we live in a democracy

We don't live in a Democracy, we live in a Republic.


Scratch that, you are an Aussie....you may live in a democracy...lol idk.

Republic: a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.

[Norse]

I loathe 98% of politicians with a seething passion...

Makes me want to start bombing parliamentary buildings...

who's the other 2%? Enoch Powell?

Yes, among hitler, mussolini, general franco, vlad the impaler, genghis khan, Ivan the terrible, Dr Evil, Mumm-ra and David Cameron..

[Coleman]

Genghis Khan was awesome.

[mr. incrediball]

I loathe 98% of politicians with a seething passion...

Makes me want to start bombing parliamentary buildings...

who's the other 2%? Enoch Powell?

Yes, among hitler, mussolini, general franco, vlad the impaler, genghis khan, Ivan the terrible, Dr Evil, Mumm-ra and David Cameron..

none of the bolds are politicians

[Norse]

I loathe 98% of politicians with a seething passion...

Makes me want to start bombing parliamentary buildings...

who's the other 2%? Enoch Powell?

Yes, among hitler, mussolini, general franco, vlad the impaler, genghis khan, Ivan the terrible, Dr Evil, Mumm-ra and David Cameron..

none of the bolds are politicians

Dammit!

If old inspector incrediball wasn't about, I would have got away with it!!1!11!!!13!2!!!22!!!FORTYONE!!!2!

[Norse]

Shame on the millions who couldn't be arsed to get themselves to a polling station. I agree with Titanic. Australia have the right idea (for once). Fine the lazy bastards. If you want to make a point, spoil your ballot. At least they get counted.
We are too blase about democracy in this country. We take it for granted. Say what you like about the US, at least the people are politicised.

Who do you vote for? The greens or the monster raving-loony party?

[Aesop Jones]

All this talk of politics in other countries makes me wish we had serious challengers to the two-party system here in the states. Living near DC, you get to hear all the details of how The System works, and lemme tell you, it's bubble gum, duct tape and the grace of God.

For the Australian folks - is it true that your government banned swords, after the gun ban caused all the gang members to go all Duncan Macleod on our asses?

[The1exile]

Politics is only good for comedy.