...if, God forbid, a bomb really did go off on the last day of the convention and wiped out all of the upper tier Republican leadership? Serious question. Beyond the physical death and damage, and the political consequences of the bomb itself, would it have any real consequences for the political landscape?
Is it possible that not only do we have a two party system that guarantees only people nominated by a chosen few will lead the country, but that the parties themselves have become such ideological monoliths that we would quickly have politicians basically spouting the same ideas in the exact same way without any noticable difference? I'm thinking that that would be what happens.
If this is so, then really does the vote really matter beyond validation of thing one or thing two? I'm thinking not.
This leads me to wonder if we can get around political parties. I don't see how it's possible. In one sense, political parties are, after all, just people getting together to help a certain person win an election. People have a constitutional right to peacefully assemble. So, I don't see that it would be constitutionally possible to 'ban' parties even if we wanted to.
But let's say that we limited the amount of money each candidate could run on to, oh, a million bucks for local elections, five million for state, and ten million for national. Further, let's stipulate that anyone who raises these amounts for election can put themselves on the ballot and run political ads with that money where they can say what they will to get elected.
I realize this runs into constitutional issue of money as free speech, and free speech in general. Can papers write about candidates? Magazines? Web sites? But just for the sake of fun and yucks, let's say that that issue has been decided and things stand now basically as I have described them. One million for local, five for state, ten for national. Additionaly, let's stipulate that while television and radio ads are right out, any *other* form of persuasion is o.k. What would be the effect? Would all of this help break up the two party system so that if candidates were blown up, it would actually matter?
Feel free to answer any or all of the questions I have raised. Note, however, that no one is allowed to poke at the Storm Saxon through the bars or rattle his cage and call him names. He will will poop in his hand and fling it at you if you do.
[ August 30, 2004, 01:46 AM: Message edited by: Storm Saxon ]
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
I don't think the parties would change that much. But MAYBE they would...
I wish it didn't matter who got elected President. I read someone saying a little while ago that they wished that states had most of the governing rights over their states and that the federal gov't took care of... well, I don't remember... but it was a lot less.
Back to your original question, though, there are some pretty cool "smaller" politicians. I like Georgia's Zell Miller. And he's a democrat! (Although I'm not sure Dems want to claim him after his Bush support.)
If we got rid of the BIG guys, maybe the little guys would do things differently.
But what about the secret organizations that control everything anyway, on both sides??? Are they still around???
-Katarain
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
Bush is a pretty easily replaced -- I mean, I'm not sure what the Republican party would do without his brains or inspiring leadership, but something tells me he's not the one formulating party strategy, writing tax policy, conducting subtle and talented diplomacy with other countries.
This would probably also hold true for most of the Democratic party. When you don't write your own speeches and most of your policies are made by adhering to party mandates, there's not much individuality to lose from one politician to the next.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
"...if, God forbid, a bomb really did go off on the last day of the convention and wiped out all of the upper tier Republican leadership? Serious question. Beyond the physical death and damage, and the political consequences of the bomb itself, would it have any real consequences for the political landscape?"
It's worth noting that in order for Tom Clancy to come up with a way to get his "government of integrity" into office for his later books, he had to stage a disaster that wiped out most of the executive and legislative branches of government. And even then, the surviving fictional senators were troublesome sticks in the mud on the road to real progress.
*wry laugh*
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Quotes from recently seen bumper sticker:
"Trim the hedge"
It's the passion and reactivity of the people around me that is so interesting . . . rather like those sign-holders that would not be able to tell you WHY it matters if you vote for their choice, but continue to wave signs and holler at motorists passing by . . .
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I think we should have like 10 political parties that each have a theme color, like in Mexico. Sure, we'd get nothing done, but wouldn't it be cool to have color-coded parties?
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
Especially if I got to choose the colors:
Pink, mauve, puce, plum, orange, ocre, crimson, veridian, aubergine, and desert sunset.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)