Text 3146, 181 rader
Skriven 2004-10-08 21:56:17 av John Hull (1:379/1.99)
     Kommentar till en text av Howie Coombe
Ärende: CHRIS_SOC: IF I WERE AMERICAN I WO
==========================================
08 Oct 04 16:18, Howie Coombe wrote to John Hull:

 >> HC> Because Americans cant, as a rule, and sometimes dont want to, 
 >> HC> as a

 >>  I have always answered civil questions about our political system 
 >> from      non-Americans in as thorough and honest a fashion as I can.


 HC>  I will give credit where it is due, you have always seemed to 
 HC> answer any questions that have been asked by me and other non 
 HC> Americans in as thorough and honest way as you can, regardless of 
 HC> if they were civil or not, your responses however do seem to be 
 HC> naturally biased in favour of conservative political thinking.

That's because conservative works better than liberal in general.  My personal
political feelings do not interfere with my ability to dissect history and
understand why things happen, and my analysis thereof.

 >> What I take exception to are those who preface their questions with 
 >> attacks  
 >> > on either our system,


 HC>  Which is perfect?.

Never said that.  Our internal politics have no bearing on your life in any
substantial way.

 >> or on those running for office.


 HC>  Which again are perfect?.

Certainly never said that.

 >> First,


 HC>  Yes?.

 >> your interest in the inner workings of our system is fine to the 
 >> extent      that you want to understand it better.


 HC>  I am glad you think that.

 >> Ultimately,


 HC>  Yes?.

 >> however,


 HC>  Yes?.

 >> your opinions on those inner workings are meaningless in that they 
 >> cannot    affect that system in any substantial way.



 HC>  I Disagree, they are meaningfull in that they can affect the 
 HC> people, or at least some of the people, who are affected by that 
 HC> system.

Your opinions are not going to cause somebody to change their mind in any
substantial way for two reasons:  First, Joe Average Citizen is not a
participant here, so will never hear your opinion; and second, the people in
this echo will have already formed an opinion that is likely to be unaffected
by anything you have to say, and will probably be ticked off that somebody who
doesn't even live here has the audacity to try to change their opinions.

But, let's assume that you do change a couple of minds to your way of thinking.
 How much effect do you think two votes is going to have on the overall outcome
of the election?

 >> If you have a question,


 HC>  Yes?,

 >> ask it.


 HC>  I Already have, Publicly, granted i asked it of a Non American, 
 HC> but i did ask it, publicly, in case you did not read it earlier 
 HC> here it is again, What are your thoughts on the minor candidates 
 HC> for The President of the United States of America?.

With the exception of Ralph Nader, the minor candidates are nothing but a
distraction.  NONE of them has a snowball's chance in hell of getting elected,
so why pay any attention to them.

The so-called third parties do have a valuable function, however.  They are
fertile ground for new ideas about how to deal with problems.  Those ideas get
picked up by the major parties and incorporated into their platforms.  But NO
3RD PARTY CANDIDATE WILL GET ENOUGH VOTES TO GET ELECTED.  At best, he will
play the spoiler by syphoning votes from one or the other of the majors.

Ralph Nader was a factor is several of the states last time around, taking
votes from Gore that kept him from winning in those states.

 >> If its a legit question,


 HC>  I believe all my questions are legit, even the attacking one's, 
 HC> Particularly as they have been asked by a Non American.

 >> and not an attack,

An outsider attacking our system does nothing but anger Americans.  I have
opinions about Australia's system, but I don't have to live there, so I keep
them to myself and not discuss them except in very general terms.  I expect the
same courtesy from foreigners discussing our system.

 HC>  Yes?,

 >> I'm sure somebody will endeavor to answer it.


 HC>  Without getting defenceive and xenophobic?, i am sorry to say 
 HC> that i have not always seen that to be the case.

 >> Keep in mind,


 HC>  Yes?.

 >> however,


 HC>  Yes?.

 >> that any answer you get will be in the context of our system,


 HC>  What do you mean by "our system"?, Why not in the context of "The 
 HC> Worlds political system"?, after all, from where i stand anyway, 
 HC> and according to my memory of this echo's rules, this is an 
 HC> international political echo?.

There is no "world political system."  In actuality, even though this echo is
open to anyone who wants to participate, when it was started it was about
American politics, and had no foreign posters.  In any case, there have never
been more than three or four non-U.S. posters in here at any one time.  Back in
the days when we had two or three hundred messages a day, you'd be lucky to see
one or two from foreigners.

 >> and our terminology,


 HC>  Again why "our Terminology"?, why not The Worlds terminology?, 
 HC> particularly in regards the reality i have stated above?.

Same reason as above.  When 99% of those participating are here in the US, we
aren't going to be using terminology that is not U.S.

 >> which may or may not be something you understand.


 HC>  I Pride myself on being the most Empathetic and Understanding 
 HC> person i know.

 >> You may need to ask for clarification on some points in that 
 >> context.


 HC>  Possible but i think unlikly.

If you understand the terminology well enough to not need clarification, then
you likely also understand the system well enough not to require tutoring in
how it works.

John 

America:  First, Last, and Always!
Go to www.madgorilla.us for all your Domain Name Services at the lowest rates.

--- Msged/386 TE 05
 * Origin: We are the Watchmen of our own Liberty! (1:379/1.99)