Political Discussion Thread (With Rules)

[Lord Liaden]

In the late 1960s the Canadian government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau popularized the concept of Canadian society being a "mosaic," with many different ethno-cultural groups together making up the Canadian whole. In principle that diversity is assumed to make the whole stronger. There's explicit assurance that immigrants don't have to give up what they were before in order to become Canadian.

 

Of course the reality since then hasn't been so simple, and in some areas there's been strong pushback to the idea; but for most Canadians the mosaic model has become as much a feature of our identity as the "melting pot" is for Americans.

[BoloOfEarth]

So, with the legalization of marijuana in many states, is "melting pot" taking on a new meaning? 

[Old Man]

You know, I support legalization of marijuana... but now that it's effectively legal here, so many people are using it, and it's stink. It literally reeks. And it also bothers me when people are using it while driving.

[Michael Hopcroft]

I'm ambivalent on the topic of marijuana. I agree with you on the smell -- it reeks. I never used it, but in college I was around people who did. They didn't misbehave the way college students do when they overindulge in alcohol, but it was disconcerting to hear incredibly interesting things coming out of people's mouths that I knew they would not remember saying. It was a sad feeling.

 

That said, banning the stuff has clearly not worked. The enforcement is used selectively against poor people and minorities (like most of the War on Drugs) while the upper classes are left alone. America has the highest proportion of prisoners-to-population of any industrial power, mainly because of drugs. This cannot go on.

[Joe Walsh]

Banning doesn't work, but the war on tobacco shows that there are more choices available. Strictly confine where it can be used, make it socially unacceptable to be a user of it, keep the price high but not high enough to invite bootlegging, etc., and that will keep it under reasonable control. 

[Iuz the Evil]

Banning doesn't work, but the war on tobacco shows that there are more choices available. Strictly confine where it can be used, make it socially unacceptable to be a user of it, keep the price high but not high enough to invite bootlegging, etc., and that will keep it under reasonable control.

This is an eminently reasonable approach. Taxes can be used as a measure of price control (as with tobacco), and used to fund other important projects. Prohibition hasn't worked, and it's past time to try another strategy.

[Old Man]

This is an eminently reasonable approach. Taxes can be used as a measure of price control (as with tobacco), and used to fund other important projects. Prohibition hasn't worked, and it's past time to try another strategy.

 

Agreed.  Taxation has limits, though.  Tobacco taxes here are high enough that there's a black market.

[Lawnmower Boy]

. . And it's Le Pen and Macron through to the Final Two. Macron is now expected to win, and the parliamentary elections will be a complete mess, so good luck with that whole "governing" thing. Angela Merkel for President of the World!

[Iuz the Evil]

. . And it's Le Pen and Macron through to the Final Two. Macron is now expected to win, and the parliamentary elections will be a complete mess, so good luck with that whole "governing" thing. Angela Merkel for President of the World!

I prefer Merkel to the other available options at this point. Works for me.

[Lord Liaden]

There's serious doubt Angela Merkel's party will form the government in the next German election; so she may be free to take up the presidency of the world.

[Tom]

. . And it's Le Pen and Macron through to the Final Two. Macron is now expected to win, and the parliamentary elections will be a complete mess, so good luck with that whole "governing" thing. Angela Merkel for President of the World!

 

Given 'conventional wisdom's' track record recently, I wouldn't count Le Pen out until after the results are finalized.

 

Assuming we don't have bigger problems to worry about before then.

[Hugh Neilson]

Given 'conventional wisdom's' track record recently, I wouldn't count Le Pen out until after the results are finalized.

Generally, no surprises are anticipated.

[Pattern Ghost]

Generally, no surprises are anticipated.

 

That's how they work, otherwise they wouldn't be surprises.

[Hugh Neilson]

Generally, no surprises are anticipated.

 

 

That's how they work, otherwise they wouldn't be surprises.

The comment was made on a news broadcast on election night many years ago, in all seriousness.

[Michael Hopcroft]

There's serious doubt Angela Merkel's party will form the government in the next German election; so she may be free to take up the presidency of the world.

And the UK has just called a "snap election" which may increase the power of right-wing parties in that country as well.

 

Things do not look good for reason. It appears to be in full retreat on a global scale. And given what the goals of these parties are, it seems that the world is in the process of committing suicide. I wouldn't enjoy dying in a nuclear war, but I am less upset about that prospect than about the prospect of my nieces and nephew dying in a nuclear war. If I were a parent I'd be even more frantic right now.

[Lawnmower Boy]

Besides having six for redundancy. (No congratulations needed. My sister and sister in law did most of the work) I've carefully stashed one niece away in 100 Mile House, so I'm good.

[Lord Liaden]

And the UK has just called a "snap election" which may increase the power of right-wing parties in that country as well.

 

Things do not look good for reason. It appears to be in full retreat on a global scale. And given what the goals of these parties are, it seems that the world is in the process of committing suicide. I wouldn't enjoy dying in a nuclear war, but I am less upset about that prospect than about the prospect of my nieces and nephew dying in a nuclear war. If I were a parent I'd be even more frantic right now.

 

If we do have a nuclear war, the radiation will be damped down by the rising sea levels.

 

But in all seriousness, in my lifetime I've lived under the shadow of imminent nuclear annihilation, or environmental devastation from unrestrained industrial pollution. We're still here. Those things didn't happen, and may never happen. Circumstances changed. People changed. "Reason" has retreated and resurged with the times, and will continue to.

 

I'm not saying the situation isn't potentially very dangerous, and that we all shouldn't do everything we can to make it better. But we've been here before in one way or another, and have muddled through. We keep managing to step back from the brink. There's no guarantee that we will again, but also no guarantee we won't. Once each of us has done all we can, fretting over what we can't do serves no purpose.

 

To quote the sage Will Rogers, "Worry is like paying interest on a debt you may never owe."

[Christopher R Taylor]

Doesn't Macron vs LePen sound like a silver age comic book battle to you?  MACRON, Lord of the Macronites, vs LePen, who is sharper than any sword!

[Sociotard]

All 100 senators were invited to a briefing at the White House regarding North Korea. I had no idea the White House could accommodate that. I just hope cool heads prevail here.

[Old Man]

Yeah, what do you guys think this week, government shutdown or war with the Norks? 

[Ranxerox]

Can't we do both?  I'm pretty sure that government shutdowns don't include the military.

[csyphrett]

Yeah, what do you guys think this week, government shutdown or war with the Norks? 

Why not both?

CES

[csyphrett]

Okay great minds think alike.

CES

[Pariah]

*cough* Land war in Asia *cough*

[Old Man]

Why not both?

CES

The thought had occurred to me. I just didn't want to say it out loud.