• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 15:47
CEST 21:47
KST 04:47
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Maestros of the Game: Week 1/Play-in Preview12[ASL20] Ro24 Preview Pt2: Take-Off7[ASL20] Ro24 Preview Pt1: Runway132v2 & SC: Evo Complete: Weekend Double Feature4Team Liquid Map Contest #21 - Presented by Monster Energy13
Community News
LiuLi Cup - September 2025 Tournaments2Weekly Cups (August 25-31): Clem's Last Straw?39Weekly Cups (Aug 18-24): herO dethrones MaxPax6Maestros of The Game—$20k event w/ live finals in Paris53Weekly Cups (Aug 11-17): MaxPax triples again!15
StarCraft 2
General
Production Quality - Maestros of the Game Vs RSL 2 Geoff 'iNcontroL' Robinson has passed away #1: Maru - Greatest Players of All Time Heaven's Balance Suggestions (roast me) Maestros of the Game: Week 1/Play-in Preview
Tourneys
RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series Chzzk MurlocKing SC1 vs SC2 Cup Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond) Maestros of The Game—$20k event w/ live finals in Paris LiuLi Cup - September 2025 Tournaments
Strategy
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation # 489 Bannable Offense Mutation # 488 What Goes Around Mutation # 487 Think Fast Mutation # 486 Watch the Skies
Brood War
General
ASL20 General Discussion BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion Victoria gamers Pros React To: herO's Baffling Game
Tourneys
[IPSL] ISPL Season 1 Winter Qualis and Info! [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Is there English video for group selection for ASL Small VOD Thread 2.0
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Muta micro map competition Fighting Spirit mining rates [G] Mineral Boosting
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread General RTS Discussion Thread Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread The Games Industry And ATVI Canadian Politics Mega-thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
The Happy Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Anime Discussion Thread Movie Discussion! [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread
Sports
MLB/Baseball 2023 2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread High temperatures on bridge(s)
TL Community
The Automated Ban List TeamLiquid Team Shirt On Sale
Blogs
Collective Intelligence: Tea…
TrAiDoS
A very expensive lesson on ma…
Garnet
hello world
radishsoup
Lemme tell you a thing o…
JoinTheRain
RTS Design in Hypercoven
a11
Evil Gacha Games and the…
ffswowsucks
INDEPENDIENTE LA CTM
XenOsky
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1145 users

US Politics Mega-thread - Page 1424

Forum Index > Closed
Post a Reply
Prev 1 1422 1423 1424 1425 1426 10093 Next
Read the rules in the OP before posting, please.

In order to ensure that this thread continues to meet TL standards and follows the proper guidelines, we will be enforcing the rules in the OP more strictly. Be sure to give them a re-read to refresh your memory! The vast majority of you are contributing in a healthy way, keep it up!

NOTE: When providing a source, explain why you feel it is relevant and what purpose it adds to the discussion if it's not obvious.
Also take note that unsubstantiated tweets/posts meant only to rekindle old arguments can result in a mod action.
Danglars
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States12133 Posts
November 12 2014 02:21 GMT
#28461
On November 12 2014 09:19 Nyxisto wrote:
@Danglars

The simple point why nobody outside America gets this is because the tyrannical horror scenario you're painting isn't happening in reality. Neither government mandated healthcare nor net neutrality or gun control have turned every social democratic Western country into an oppressive dictatorship. Making the internet a fair playing field that is not dominated by companies like Comcast has nothing to do with "tyrannical overreach" in the style of Russia or whatever.
Dare I say that the recent 2014 election was a reflection on American's realization that Obamacare was an unwelcome intrusion of government into their lives? I mean, if you refuse to acknowledge the argument that the method matters, then I really have no more to say on net neutrality.

The rest of this is straw manning at its best. The tactics have always been just a little bit more here and there for the last sixty or so years. The end is despotism, the end is the concentration of power in unaccountable bodies by ceding even more control to John Smith Bureaucrat (and hence my challenge to even try naming the five members "deliberating" at the FCC, and who appointed them). Yet get a leftist on the phone and he will argue in bad faith that every step doesn't involve that giant leap, therefore the step doesn't matter, and its proponents may be assumed to have the best of intentions and only feel shock at the style of the opposition. Simply stating goals like "fair playing field" is well and good for talking heads on television, but what matters is who decides what fair is and what means does he/she have at his/her disposal to ... you know ... make evil Comcast pay. Just as you preach, the first step is the demonization of the current players as "dominating" or all the rest of the evil corporation claptrap ... so people feel a lot better about punitive measures ... and think a lot less about the changes to existing regulation and implementation.
Great armies come from happy zealots, and happy zealots come from California!
TL+ Member
JonnyBNoHo
Profile Joined July 2011
United States6277 Posts
November 12 2014 02:28 GMT
#28462
On November 12 2014 10:07 IgnE wrote:
The core question is whether there is or is not a core common infrastructure that is governed as a commons and therefore available to anyone who wishes to participate in free access to information, speech, and expression, outside of a market-based, proprietary framework. Commons are a resource for decentralized innovation, that maximizes experimentation, value, and freedom.

Carving up this digitals commons structure and licensing or privileging a small group of firms to "compete" over offering access to this commons destroys the integrity of the public good by turning access into a privilege rather than a right. You may end up reducing the extortionate payments being collected by Comcast slightly by forcing them to lease out parts of the network they currently dominate, but it's still an environment ripe for collusion on that front, as any oligopoly is. Just look at the history of telephone companies in the US. And why settle for a 10% reduced price when access and participation should be a right? Getting rid of network neutrality opens the door towards suppressing free technology and speech. Market-based solutions are fundamentally unequipped to handle the safeguarding of this commons.

As for saying that Comcast supports net neutrality, jonny, give me a break. It's nothing more than a convenient position they've flipped back and forth on to bolster public relations. The only thing they really said was that they were complying with what the FCC requires them to do (except they don't, and only until it stops forcing them to).

So, a few things come to mind.

Generally commons can be great, but commons can also be places that get shit on. So I'm not really persuaded by the 'it's a commons, therefore awesome' line of argument. I'm also a bit skeptical of the public utility argument. Not all public utilities are run well (Detroit's water utility is a mess) and they're generally reserved for pretty boring stuff like water utilities. I'm not sure the internet is boring enough for the government to handle. What counted as quality access in the 90's is shit today, so some degree of adaptability is necessary. Once top-tier government agencies (ex. Forestry Service) tend to fall to mediocrity over time, which is fine if it's boring, but could be a problem if a lot of innovation is necessary.

If we look to quasi-government utilities, like Amtrak or the Post Office, there are some real resource allocation issues there. Rural areas that Amtrak covers tend to get subsidized to the detriment of urban areas (which could hold true for internet access as well) and the Post Office has repeatedly been hamstrung by political interference.

Also... the NSA. I'm imagining that government run internet would be more cooperative, and I don't want to end up with China internet.

That said, there are some parts of the system that do seem utility-like. So something like a general analogy between pipes that carry water and pipes that carry internet access is pretty tempting to go with.

For now, I'll just have to drink more coffee and think about it
Danglars
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States12133 Posts
November 12 2014 02:29 GMT
#28463
On November 12 2014 10:31 IgnE wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 12 2014 08:50 Danglars wrote:
On November 11 2014 14:27 IgnE wrote:
On November 11 2014 13:50 Danglars wrote:
On November 11 2014 11:27 Nyxisto wrote:
The government is not getting more regulative power over the internet. How is a law that tells every isp to treat all the information the same and not,for example, charge companies or end users for specific services, empowering the government? The government isn't even getting involved besides making a law.
This isn't a law. I mean for fuck's sakes are you even aware of what's going on? It's Obama pressuring or directing an agency of the US government to reclassify the net in order to regulate it like a public utility. It is not our legislative body crafting a new law that declares all traffic the same. Pretending otherwise is either ignorant or deceptive.


It is a public utility. It's a natural monopoly (network effects, obviously) that is for the public good. Even you Danglars believe in free speech and the power of self-education. Why would you want to restrict access to the internet to those who can pay for it the most? Don't you understand that Comcast is a rent-collector that need not exist? What's hard about these concepts? It's like you hear "federal agency" and start flipping out regardless of the raison d'etre. You make fun of liberals for parroting talking points all the time and here you are embracing this conservative media crafted narrative about the "free market" of the internet and shouts for "less government." It's inane and a transparent attempt by those who stand to gain to reframe the narrative in a completely incoherent fashion.
Only the socialist mind prompts an opposition to amped-up agency regulation as wanting to restrict access to the internet. Consider the lawful ways to pass legislation affecting internet service providers that leave intact the people's representatives making decisions affecting them. I say it is you attempting to reframe the narrative, as if every universally good thing can be done in Congress, presidential executive order, federal agency or 4th branch, or the courts (I'm sure there's a sufficiently liberal lawyer that would love to bring a case of access to internet violating an individuals equal protection rights or somesuch). I apologize in advance, but not every perceived wrong deserves to resurrect laws made back in 1934 just because then we have a pretext of legal framework. Crawl back off your activist high horse, you who want to bring this to free speech and access to education.


Stop using the word "activist." It doesn't mean anything. Aren't you the activist here?

I don't want to resurrect a law made back in 1934. I want the government to take over and provide internet access to its citizens for free or at least very cheaply, like a public utility would.

Perhaps if we had a functional democratic system we could pass more laws. As it is people are opting out of a corrupt, illegitimate system of oppression because even voting signals compliance and consent. Petitioning existing authorities to implement changes that are frameable within existing terms of discourse only legitimates existing institutions and structures. How to pass laws overhauling the internet when the only discourse is boiled down to: "are you happy with Comcast or would you rather be able to switch to Tsacmoc which also offers substantially similar internet access?"
So I guess resurrecting laws made eighty years ago is ok ... so long as you wish you didn't have to.

Maybe your entire conflict is with the existing democratic system. You want to retreat behind "functional," but come on now ... the party out of power always feels like not enough of their agenda is getting accomplished. I see your fancy rhetoric (and that's why I will continue to use activist) ... this thing is not "functional," current system is "corrupt," nay, even "illegitimate." We've exhausted the democratic legislative methods because I don't like the results. Now we're left with unraveling the rule of law and all we have left is rebelling against passing laws by votes of representatives and resorting to powerful panels that happen to think like us. I'm not buying it. Go campaign on issues and win some elections, and whatever's the next big player after Obamacare will get passed. Until then, work to change existing laws or state openly your contempt for constitutional democratic methods to enact reforms. You aren't the first demagogue to change ideological opposition into a righteous war against corrupt, dysfunctional, illegitimate system of oppression.
Great armies come from happy zealots, and happy zealots come from California!
TL+ Member
JonnyBNoHo
Profile Joined July 2011
United States6277 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-11-12 02:58:02
November 12 2014 02:37 GMT
#28464
On November 12 2014 11:14 GreenHorizons wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 12 2014 10:35 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
On November 12 2014 09:19 GreenHorizons wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:58 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:37 GreenHorizons wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:32 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:20 GreenHorizons wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:01 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
On November 12 2014 07:50 GreenHorizons wrote:
On November 12 2014 07:36 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
[quote]
EITC, Social Secuity, Medicare, Medicaid, the VA, federal courts...

Conservatives are not anarchists any more than liberals are communists.



I forgot how hard conservatives fought to make Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid a reality... Just wow.

I wasn't around in the 1930's, so I don't really remember what they did. Relevance to 2014?


The thirties were where when conservatives were still arguing minimum wages were unconstitutional. But you probably don't remember that either or understand why that would matter today?

The thirties were also when liberals were arguing that business cartels were great. FDR wanted businesses to form cartels so they could raise prices. Must mean they want to keep doing so today...


Which would get more support from the base now? Abolishing minimum wage from conservatives, or business cartels from liberals?

Both have fringe support.


Who's the comparable 'fringe' member from liberals that supports business cartels like Senator Lamar Alexander (TN-R) does abolishing the minimum wage?

+ Show Spoiler +
"There are some conservatives who do not believe in the concept of the minimum wage," Sanders said to the witness, James Sherk, a labor policy analyst at the think tank.

"Let me jump in," Alexander then said. "I do not believe in it."

The policy debate had been lively, with interruptions all around, and Sanders grew excited at Alexander's interjection.

"So we have a ranking member," Sanders responded. "Alright! There we go!"

Sanders turned to Alexander.

"So you do not believe in the concept of the minimum wage?"

"That's correct," Alexander responded.

"You would abolish the minimum wage?"

"Correct."



Source

Though it also involves a lot of other liberal stuff, one of the core ideas behind 'Fair Trade Coffee' is to take the place of the coffee cartel that fell apart in the late 80's. The main goal is to support coffee prices to help coffee producers.

We also still have a 'Raisin Reserve' left over from the New Deal era and it's not too uncommon for the general ideas behind cartels (reducing competition to make trade 'fair') to be popular with 'liberals'.


The coffee 'cartel' good lord.... I thought you were talking about cartels that were intentionally harming or taking advantage of people who can't protect themselves... Not cartels designed to help less fortunate people...(whether they do it perfectly or not)

You made it seem as if liberals support Cartel agreements like we saw in the tech industry recently (implemented to artificially drive wages down). Not all cartels are the same.

All cartels are the same in that they are anti-competitive forces designed to benefit a minority group at the expense of the broader public (consumers and excluded suppliers). For liberals that's often OK if the minority group is one of their favored groups, and not if the beneficiary isn't one.

Make no mistake here either, the benefit is to someone else's expense be it in coffee or tech. Yes, the 'intent' of 'Fair Trade Coffee' is to do good, but if you ask the people behind the tech industry hiring collusion they'll say they were trying to do good too.

Edit: I should also point out that in the clip you linked to on the min wage, Sen. Alexander also voiced preference for wage subsidies over min wages. So there's a context you didn't include.
GreenHorizons
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
United States23274 Posts
November 12 2014 02:50 GMT
#28465
On November 12 2014 11:37 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 12 2014 11:14 GreenHorizons wrote:
On November 12 2014 10:35 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
On November 12 2014 09:19 GreenHorizons wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:58 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:37 GreenHorizons wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:32 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:20 GreenHorizons wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:01 JonnyBNoHo wrote:
On November 12 2014 07:50 GreenHorizons wrote:
[quote]


I forgot how hard conservatives fought to make Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid a reality... Just wow.

I wasn't around in the 1930's, so I don't really remember what they did. Relevance to 2014?


The thirties were where when conservatives were still arguing minimum wages were unconstitutional. But you probably don't remember that either or understand why that would matter today?

The thirties were also when liberals were arguing that business cartels were great. FDR wanted businesses to form cartels so they could raise prices. Must mean they want to keep doing so today...


Which would get more support from the base now? Abolishing minimum wage from conservatives, or business cartels from liberals?

Both have fringe support.


Who's the comparable 'fringe' member from liberals that supports business cartels like Senator Lamar Alexander (TN-R) does abolishing the minimum wage?

+ Show Spoiler +
"There are some conservatives who do not believe in the concept of the minimum wage," Sanders said to the witness, James Sherk, a labor policy analyst at the think tank.

"Let me jump in," Alexander then said. "I do not believe in it."

The policy debate had been lively, with interruptions all around, and Sanders grew excited at Alexander's interjection.

"So we have a ranking member," Sanders responded. "Alright! There we go!"

Sanders turned to Alexander.

"So you do not believe in the concept of the minimum wage?"

"That's correct," Alexander responded.

"You would abolish the minimum wage?"

"Correct."



Source

Though it also involves a lot of other liberal stuff, one of the core ideas behind 'Fair Trade Coffee' is to take the place of the coffee cartel that fell apart in the late 80's. The main goal is to support coffee prices to help coffee producers.

We also still have a 'Raisin Reserve' left over from the New Deal era and it's not too uncommon for the general ideas behind cartels (reducing competition to make trade 'fair') to be popular with 'liberals'.


The coffee 'cartel' good lord.... I thought you were talking about cartels that were intentionally harming or taking advantage of people who can't protect themselves... Not cartels designed to help less fortunate people...(whether they do it perfectly or not)

You made it seem as if liberals support Cartel agreements like we saw in the tech industry recently (implemented to artificially drive wages down). Not all cartels are the same.

All cartels are the same in that they are anti-competitive forces designed to benefit a minority group at the expense of the broader public (consumers and excluded suppliers). For liberals that's often OK if the minority group is one of their favored groups, and not if the beneficiary isn't one.

Make no mistake here either, the benefit is to someone else's expense be it in coffee or tech. Yes, the 'intent' of 'Fair Trade Coffee' is to do good, but if you ask the people behind the tech industry hiring collusion they'll say they were trying to do good too.


No they wouldn't/didn't.

Yeah cartels are like just about everything else, they can be used for good intentions/outcomes or bad intentions/outcomes.

With this logic we could say Conservatives support violence. Because you know war is violence and violence always harms people.
"People like to look at history and think 'If that was me back then, I would have...' We're living through history, and the truth is, whatever you are doing now is probably what you would have done then" "Scratch a Liberal..."
IgnE
Profile Joined November 2010
United States7681 Posts
November 12 2014 02:54 GMT
#28466
On November 12 2014 11:29 Danglars wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 12 2014 10:31 IgnE wrote:
On November 12 2014 08:50 Danglars wrote:
On November 11 2014 14:27 IgnE wrote:
On November 11 2014 13:50 Danglars wrote:
On November 11 2014 11:27 Nyxisto wrote:
The government is not getting more regulative power over the internet. How is a law that tells every isp to treat all the information the same and not,for example, charge companies or end users for specific services, empowering the government? The government isn't even getting involved besides making a law.
This isn't a law. I mean for fuck's sakes are you even aware of what's going on? It's Obama pressuring or directing an agency of the US government to reclassify the net in order to regulate it like a public utility. It is not our legislative body crafting a new law that declares all traffic the same. Pretending otherwise is either ignorant or deceptive.


It is a public utility. It's a natural monopoly (network effects, obviously) that is for the public good. Even you Danglars believe in free speech and the power of self-education. Why would you want to restrict access to the internet to those who can pay for it the most? Don't you understand that Comcast is a rent-collector that need not exist? What's hard about these concepts? It's like you hear "federal agency" and start flipping out regardless of the raison d'etre. You make fun of liberals for parroting talking points all the time and here you are embracing this conservative media crafted narrative about the "free market" of the internet and shouts for "less government." It's inane and a transparent attempt by those who stand to gain to reframe the narrative in a completely incoherent fashion.
Only the socialist mind prompts an opposition to amped-up agency regulation as wanting to restrict access to the internet. Consider the lawful ways to pass legislation affecting internet service providers that leave intact the people's representatives making decisions affecting them. I say it is you attempting to reframe the narrative, as if every universally good thing can be done in Congress, presidential executive order, federal agency or 4th branch, or the courts (I'm sure there's a sufficiently liberal lawyer that would love to bring a case of access to internet violating an individuals equal protection rights or somesuch). I apologize in advance, but not every perceived wrong deserves to resurrect laws made back in 1934 just because then we have a pretext of legal framework. Crawl back off your activist high horse, you who want to bring this to free speech and access to education.


Stop using the word "activist." It doesn't mean anything. Aren't you the activist here?

I don't want to resurrect a law made back in 1934. I want the government to take over and provide internet access to its citizens for free or at least very cheaply, like a public utility would.

Perhaps if we had a functional democratic system we could pass more laws. As it is people are opting out of a corrupt, illegitimate system of oppression because even voting signals compliance and consent. Petitioning existing authorities to implement changes that are frameable within existing terms of discourse only legitimates existing institutions and structures. How to pass laws overhauling the internet when the only discourse is boiled down to: "are you happy with Comcast or would you rather be able to switch to Tsacmoc which also offers substantially similar internet access?"
So I guess resurrecting laws made eighty years ago is ok ... so long as you wish you didn't have to.

Maybe your entire conflict is with the existing democratic system. You want to retreat behind "functional," but come on now ... the party out of power always feels like not enough of their agenda is getting accomplished. I see your fancy rhetoric (and that's why I will continue to use activist) ... this thing is not "functional," current system is "corrupt," nay, even "illegitimate." We've exhausted the democratic legislative methods because I don't like the results. Now we're left with unraveling the rule of law and all we have left is rebelling against passing laws by votes of representatives and resorting to powerful panels that happen to think like us. I'm not buying it. Go campaign on issues and win some elections, and whatever's the next big player after Obamacare will get passed. Until then, work to change existing laws or state openly your contempt for constitutional democratic methods to enact reforms. You aren't the first demagogue to change ideological opposition into a righteous war against corrupt, dysfunctional, illegitimate system of oppression.


Please. Ensuring that the internet doesn't end up a corporate fiefdom is taking action against tyranny. It's a free speech right, to be ensured by the federal government. The FCC is staffed by people born and bred in the the telecomms industry anyway. If it were totally up to them they would already have handed the keys over to Comcast.

Your final quip is confusing. This isn't about ideological opposition if I understand you correctly. You take issue with the way Obama is doing it, not with what he is doing. Because of course you are for free speech and education, you just hate the FCC.
The unrealistic sound of these propositions is indicative, not of their utopian character, but of the strength of the forces which prevent their realization.
Nyxisto
Profile Joined August 2010
Germany6287 Posts
November 12 2014 03:06 GMT
#28467
On November 12 2014 11:21 Danglars wrote:
Dare I say that the recent 2014 election was a reflection on American's realization that Obamacare was an unwelcome intrusion of government into their lives? I mean, if you refuse to acknowledge the argument that the method matters, then I really have no more to say on net neutrality.

Are you seriously arguing that the GOP won because of Obamacare? Did they even have the absolute majority of votes? The Republicans will always have an easier time during the midterm elections because of the plurality voting system and the lower voting turnout.
IgnE
Profile Joined November 2010
United States7681 Posts
November 12 2014 06:34 GMT
#28468
[QUOTE]On November 12 2014 11:21 Danglars wrote:
[QUOTE]On November 12 2014 09:19 Nyxisto wrote:
@Danglars

The simple point why nobody outside America gets this is because the tyrannical horror scenario you're painting isn't happening in reality. Neither government mandated healthcare nor net neutrality or gun control have turned every social democratic Western country into an oppressive dictatorship. Making the internet a fair playing field that is not dominated by companies like Comcast has nothing to do with "tyrannical overreach" in the style of Russia or whatever.[/QUOTE]Dare I say that the recent 2014 election was a reflection on American's realization that Obamacare was an unwelcome intrusion of government into their lives? I mean, if you refuse to acknowledge the argument that the method matters, then I really have no more to say on net neutrality.

It would be daring. When only a third of the electorate votes, the lowest turn out in 72 years, it's hard to to say the results were a reflection of anything except who is the angriest.

[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/12/opinion/the-worst-voter-turnout-in-72-years.html]http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/12/opinion/the-worst-voter-turnout-in-72-years.html[/url]

The unrealistic sound of these propositions is indicative, not of their utopian character, but of the strength of the forces which prevent their realization.
IgnE
Profile Joined November 2010
United States7681 Posts
November 12 2014 06:34 GMT
#28469
On November 12 2014 11:21 Danglars wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 12 2014 09:19 Nyxisto wrote:
@Danglars

The simple point why nobody outside America gets this is because the tyrannical horror scenario you're painting isn't happening in reality. Neither government mandated healthcare nor net neutrality or gun control have turned every social democratic Western country into an oppressive dictatorship. Making the internet a fair playing field that is not dominated by companies like Comcast has nothing to do with "tyrannical overreach" in the style of Russia or whatever.
Dare I say that the recent 2014 election was a reflection on American's realization that Obamacare was an unwelcome intrusion of government into their lives? I mean, if you refuse to acknowledge the argument that the method matters, then I really have no more to say on net neutrality.



It would be daring. When only a third of the electorate votes, the lowest turn out in 72 years, it's hard to to say the results were a reflection of anything except who is the angriest.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/12/opinion/the-worst-voter-turnout-in-72-years.html

The unrealistic sound of these propositions is indicative, not of their utopian character, but of the strength of the forces which prevent their realization.
Yurie
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
11871 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-11-12 06:39:35
November 12 2014 06:39 GMT
#28470
Easiest ways to increase turnout is pay people for it or fine them if they don't. You can do it without that but it is much harder.
Amnesty
Profile Joined April 2003
United States2054 Posts
November 12 2014 10:19 GMT
#28471
Quick question about EU and USA.

Is the political spectrum basically the same between the two.
Do democrats in EU say they are the left, and Republicans say they are the Right.
Or is it reversed?

I know they are just arbitrary and don't really mean anything, but i heard both so it gets confusing.
The sky just is, and goes on and on; and we play all our BW games beneath it.
Velr
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
Switzerland10751 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-11-12 11:04:18
November 12 2014 11:01 GMT
#28472
We don't have Democrats and Republicans.... Well, Party names are "null and void" anyway, but in General countries don't have just 2 big ass parties.

Switzerland has 5 ruling parties and a total of 11 in parliament, even an independant in the "small chamber".
Germany has 3 ruling parties and 5 in parliament.

I don't know if a "two Party" system like you have in the US does actually exist anywhere in europe... We got our extremists too, but they are not mixed with the moderates in the same Party (usually!).
lord_nibbler
Profile Joined March 2004
Germany591 Posts
November 12 2014 11:18 GMT
#28473
On November 12 2014 19:19 Amnesty wrote:
Quick question about EU and USA.

Is the political spectrum basically the same between the two.
Do democrats in EU say they are the left, and Republicans say they are the Right.
Or is it reversed?

I know they are just arbitrary and don't really mean anything, but i heard both so it gets confusing.

1. There are no 'Democrats' or 'Republicans' elsewhere in the world. These are the names of the two biggest parties in the US, every country has its own parties with different names of course.
2. Also, there is no real EU nation. Every country sends some representatives from their parties into the EU parliament. So even for example a 'conservative block' in the EU is made up of various conservative parties from a lot of different countries all with their own names and own definition of 'conservatism'.
3. Political spectrum are very different from country to country. What counts as 'far right' in one might be called 'mainstream' in another. Also, there is a huge divide between social and economical policies and their labeling as 'left' or 'right'. The whole frame of reference is different from country to country.
4. The 'Two Party System' is not the norm in Europe. (Even the English suddenly learned how to form coalitions! ) There are generally many more parties per country than just Rep/Dem.

So yes, you can find countries where 'liberal' means right wing or 'conservative' means actively fighting against climate change for example.
Yoav
Profile Joined March 2011
United States1874 Posts
November 12 2014 11:25 GMT
#28474
to add to the above:
UK has two main parties, with one idiosyncratic and one far-rightist.
France has two main parties, with one far-rightist.

In both countries, the center-right now does a lot of pandering to far-right voters to keep them on board and not defecting, but this does irritate the political center.

Also in answer to your question, the spectrum isn't really "the same." Right and left are pretty universal terms, but they are relative and take local issues into account. The center-right UK party is very supportive of the UK's socialized medicine, for instance, and legalizing guns would be out of the question. At the same time, the anti-immigrant rhetoric (mind you, anti-LEGAL immigrant) that you get in the UK would be unheard of in the US.

As a final note, the term "liberal" means all sorts of things depending on who you ask. In France, it generally refers to what we would call free-market capitalism. When Hollande said "I have not been converted to Liberalism", he meant he had no intention of deregulating the economy and that kind of thing. In the US, Liberal is an awkward term, since we usually use it to mean "Left," but occasionally say "Classical Liberal" to mean the kind of thing the French mean.
GreenHorizons
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
United States23274 Posts
November 12 2014 12:24 GMT
#28475
I think the length of the question and the nuance in the responses show why it's a 2 party system in America.

I had an image of Yoav and Nibbler going to a rural republican town hall in Kentucky or Montana and explaining the differences in the use/meaning of the word liberal.
"People like to look at history and think 'If that was me back then, I would have...' We're living through history, and the truth is, whatever you are doing now is probably what you would have done then" "Scratch a Liberal..."
Doublemint
Profile Joined July 2011
Austria8554 Posts
November 12 2014 15:17 GMT
#28476
On November 12 2014 20:25 Yoav wrote:
to add to the above:
UK has two main parties, with one idiosyncratic and one far-rightist.
France has two main parties, with one far-rightist.

In both countries, the center-right now does a lot of pandering to far-right voters to keep them on board and not defecting, but this does irritate the political center.

Also in answer to your question, the spectrum isn't really "the same." Right and left are pretty universal terms, but they are relative and take local issues into account. The center-right UK party is very supportive of the UK's socialized medicine, for instance, and legalizing guns would be out of the question. At the same time, the anti-immigrant rhetoric (mind you, anti-LEGAL immigrant) that you get in the UK would be unheard of in the US.

As a final note, the term "liberal" means all sorts of things depending on who you ask. In France, it generally refers to what we would call free-market capitalism. When Hollande said "I have not been converted to Liberalism", he meant he had no intention of deregulating the economy and that kind of thing. In the US, Liberal is an awkward term, since we usually use it to mean "Left," but occasionally say "Classical Liberal" to mean the kind of thing the French mean.


I agree with pretty much everything but the bold part. It's not just France, it's more like everywhere else but in the US the classic meaning of liberal stayed the same.
Nyxisto
Profile Joined August 2010
Germany6287 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-11-12 16:26:49
November 12 2014 15:30 GMT
#28477
On November 12 2014 19:19 Amnesty wrote:
Quick question about EU and USA.

Is the political spectrum basically the same between the two.
Do democrats in EU say they are the left, and Republicans say they are the Right.
Or is it reversed?

I know they are just arbitrary and don't really mean anything, but i heard both so it gets confusing.


The political spectrum is somewhat different in Europe. The right part of the spectrum is associated with nationalism, depending on the country either protectionism and socialism (like the FN) or free market stuff (Ukip or AfD). Also pretty much all of them are extremely anti-immigration to the point of racism, which probably distinguishes them from the American right.

Liberalism here basically is some mix of conservative and libertarian values, and American liberalism would probably be what's called "social democracy". Also obviously more radical left-wing/communist parties don't really seem to exist in the US.
oneofthem
Profile Blog Joined November 2005
Cayman Islands24199 Posts
November 12 2014 16:21 GMT
#28478
being pro market and antiiimmigration is just so dumb and bad
We have fed the heart on fantasies, the heart's grown brutal from the fare, more substance in our enmities than in our love
Nyxisto
Profile Joined August 2010
Germany6287 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-11-12 16:25:49
November 12 2014 16:25 GMT
#28479
yeah I don't get it either. I guess the tactic is just to try to appeal to the rich guys with the free market policies and the lower and lower middle classes with the anti-immigration policies. These parties are after all extremely populist, they just try to win over voters and it doesn't really matter whether what they say makes a lot of sense or not.
Velr
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
Switzerland10751 Posts
November 12 2014 16:32 GMT
#28480
On November 13 2014 01:21 oneofthem wrote:
being pro market and antiiimmigration is just so dumb and bad


Its like the deal the Republicans have with their religious and libertarian followers.

It makes no sense, but it gets you votes.
Prev 1 1422 1423 1424 1425 1426 10093 Next
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
[BSL 2025] Weekly
18:00
#13
LiquipediaDiscussion
Maestros of the Game
17:00
Group Stage - Group C
ComeBackTV 1043
CranKy Ducklings481
IndyStarCraft 287
BRAT_OK 111
CosmosSc2 87
Rex86
EnkiAlexander 68
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
IndyStarCraft 287
BRAT_OK 111
CosmosSc2 87
Rex 86
Temp0 60
MindelVK 43
StarCraft: Brood War
Dewaltoss 136
LaStScan 94
sSak 88
sas.Sziky 42
NaDa 14
IntoTheRainbow 9
Noble 8
Dota 2
The International48874
Gorgc10667
Dendi834
420jenkins251
Fuzer 214
Counter-Strike
Fnx 1006
Stewie2K464
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor187
Other Games
Grubby3188
FrodaN1988
fl0m1796
Mlord504
ToD372
KnowMe340
JimRising 254
Hui .168
QueenE59
Organizations
StarCraft 2
angryscii 20
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 17 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• printf 75
• musti20045 40
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• sooper7s
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• FirePhoenix5
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
Dota 2
• Noizen32
Other Games
• imaqtpie857
• Shiphtur220
• tFFMrPink 16
Upcoming Events
OSC
2h 14m
RSL Revival
14h 14m
Cure vs Bunny
Creator vs Zoun
Maestros of the Game
21h 14m
Maru vs Lambo
herO vs ShoWTimE
BSL Team Wars
23h 14m
Team Hawk vs Team Sziky
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1d 14h
Monday Night Weeklies
1d 20h
The PondCast
4 days
Online Event
5 days
BSL Team Wars
5 days
Team Bonyth vs Team Dewalt
BSL Team Wars
5 days
[ Show More ]
Maestros of the Game
6 days
Cosmonarchy
6 days
Bonyth vs Dewalt
[BSL 2025] Weekly
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2025-09-02
SEL Season 2 Championship
HCC Europe

Ongoing

Copa Latinoamericana 4
BSL 20 Team Wars
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 3
BSL 21 Qualifiers
ASL Season 20
CSL 2025 AUTUMN (S18)
LASL Season 20
RSL Revival: Season 2
Maestros of the Game
Chzzk MurlocKing SC1 vs SC2 Cup #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1

Upcoming

2025 Chongqing Offline CUP
BSL Polish World Championship 2025: Warsaw LAN
BSL Season 21
BSL 21 Team A
EC S1
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
MESA Nomadic Masters Fall
CS Asia Championships 2025
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.