America’s political system offers two stark choices at each election.
- Vote for Turd Sandwich. Turd Sandwich brings us hope for change. A vote for Turd Sandwich is a Vote for Tomorrow!
- Vote for Giant Douche. The benefits to America are too obvious to state.
In 2010 let’s break free of these two faux choices and find new solutions. The resolution to change is an essential first step. I have faith that after this first step we will find the rest of the path difficult clearly visible.
For more about these political issues see this video. Or read the transcript.
For more information from the FM site
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Oh my, FM, you DO have a sense of humor.
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FM reply: A new upgrade to WordPress’ HTML.
My (political) New Year’s Resolution is to get this article: “Keeping America’s Edge“, Jim Manzi, National Affairs, Winter 2010 — in front of as many politicians and citizens as possible. I thought you might appreciate it as well FM.
Sometimes it takes a Giant Douche to get rid of a Turd Sandwich.
“In 2010 let’s break free of these two faux choices and find new solutions. The resolution to change is an essential first step. I have faith that after this first step we will find the rest of the path difficult clearly visible.”
Perfect Maximus. Great Video;have emailed it to all my sane comrades.
One of my pet ideas: STOP VOTING ………as a way to reclaim power. The knee jerk assumption that the act of voting is in and of itself good is simply paralyzing. Fedeal Elections have surely been proven to be a sad nightmare (FINALLY!?).
Get involved in any local Party and replace the fools parroting the Natl Caucus Talking Points!
Great Resolutionary trip to South Park. Thx
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FM reply: I agree with you last point, about the value of getting involved in local political work. Not voting is just dumb. The folks running things should send you thank you notes. They will always get enough people to vote to continue the system.
I doubt this idea will ever take hold but I’d like to see a “None of the Above” choice on the ballot. In the event that a majority vote none of the above all candidates are permanently off the ballot and the way is clear for others to take a shot at it. Rinse, lather and repeat until Stale Breadcrust beats out Turd Sandwich and Giant Douche.
Perfect? Hardly. Good enough? Possibly.
“I doubt this idea will ever take hold but I’d like to see a “None of the Above” choice on the ballot.”
This one is long overdue and would prove a large broom to sweep away the detritus accumulated in our political life. Of course, being so practical and in the spirit of our Constitution, I see a snowball’s chance in hell of it being enacted. I’d love to proven wrong, however… Happy New Year to all.
Yesterday I asked: “What is your reflection on 2009 as a whole? Did America get anything right? Any potential there?”
And, this appears to be your answer today.
Ah well , at least you can feel comradeship with the Iranians , where protestors are giving their lives to replace one glass of widdle with another glass of widdle made in the same factory.
Re 2, the article demonstrates selective analysis, especially with regard to agriculture, the military and education.
Agriculture in the US is heavily subsidized to the point that corn syrup (fructose) has become a cheap ingredient in commercial food preparation and a primary source of obesity in Americans today. (We know we have crossed the border when we see all the fat Americans). Subsidies cause distortions in a market and should be eliminated.
The military budget for the US is larger than the rest of the world put together. You can continue to intimidate the rest of the world with a lower budget and use the money saved to reduce the budgetary deficit.
As to education, look to what Alberta has done. Education is a core problem for the US, a sector that has been in decline for over a hundred years. The key reason is that it is locally controlled and financed, providing a source of social discord. Yet the author calls for more decentralization. I have yet to see any substantial innovation in pre-college education in the US and whatever innovation has occurred has not been successfully diffused throughout the country either.
The real core problem in the US is the lack of competency in government, which results in an aversion for centralized administration. Countries like The Netherlands and France have developed competent Federal civil servants and competent systems, which enable them to ensure national standards and provide for innovation in education and other areas.
Good idea FM, I’d like to suggest that we also need to retrain the politicians to stop thinking that offering faux choices is their best chance to get elected.
I’ve mostly voted 3rd party for quite a while in support of the principle you stated above but have been astonished by the willingness of the vast majority of voters to make the fake choices in place of the real choices.
It does not help that one of the few things Republican and Democratic politicians agree on is that they are better off giving us fake choices. I’ve been repeatedly scolded by family and friends for refusing to vote for Republicans and Democrats on the grounds that I am “wasting” my vote.
The third party movement is growing in this country but still has an a very long distance to go before it can interject a more realistic note into our debates that will actually be considered rather than scornfully thrown aside by the “faux choice” set.
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FM reply: Working with our fellow citizens is IMO the only viable path forward. When candidates making vapid promises see their audiences reply with laughter, then we’ll be back on path. My favorite examples:
* promises of lavish spending with no mention of how the funds to be obtained,
* promises of perfect security, impossible to fulfill except in the strictist tyranny.
Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the Turkmen President, said ” China, through its wise and far sighted policy, has become one of the key guarantors of global security.” This could very well one of the good solution alternatives to Obama’s “America is prepared to lead” assurances. Unfortunately, neither Republicans, nor Democrats, nor any other party that I know of is willing of think of a world in which America is just one amongst the nations, and not neccessarily the greatest or most powerful, etc.
If America can simply take care of its own economy that would be a great contribution to the rest of the world. Can anyone point to any other leader in any other country responding favorably to Obama’s offer to lead the world? America is seen today in the rest of the world as a nearly bankrupt state, yet with immense military capabilities and geopolitical influence based on its past glory. The real challenge of the day is to carefully and safely disarm the Americans before they go stark raving mad and trigger happy, causing many more massive global conflicts and trouble for everyone. Besides, Americans can help everyone by voting against the repeated oil wars, dollar wars, etc waged in the name of democracy and other lofty ideals.
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FM reply: I agree with most of this. Excerpt for the opening about China becoming a “guarantor of world security.” I think that view is difficult to support. Re the quote — as always with Indian Investor, one must carefully check what he says. The background to this statement suggests that the Turkman President is just working his rice bowl. From “China president opens Turkmenistan gas pipeline“, Reuters, 14 December 2009 — Excerpt:
For another view of China’s progress towards regaining its natural role as a great power:
* Another big step for China on its road to becoming a great power, 22 July 2009
* China – the mysterious other pole of the world economy, 22 June 2009
Amen. If we could just drop the political hero worship…
Getting involved in local politics is a great exercise: you find out who really runs things, even in your own little town or county (i.e. real estate and r.e. related businesses). You encounter the unstoppable push of money into every possible nook and cranny. And as you climb the ladder, from city to county to state, the playing field is more and more tilted against you, so unless you have a lot of money yourself, you either have to quit or go find your own monied interest to sponsor you.
One of my favorite blogs, for any democrat who might be reading this, is Stop Me Before I Vote Again — a priceless and witty daily debunking of democratic rhetoric.
Oh, FM, how do you do this? You go from cutting essays on the hypocrisy of American political commentators to humor cribbed from South Park? Really? I have to say it kind of dilutes the message (although the broader point about the predominance of absolutely unsatisfactory candidates is well taken).
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FM reply: The standard of comparision is content vs the goals. The goal of this website is stated here: Re-envisioning the FM website, becoming soldiers in the war for American’s future. If references to popular entertainment gets the message across, then so be it.