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Post by manchesterman on Jan 23, 2021 11:46:06 GMT
Whilst 99% of us are glad he's gone from the political scene (and hopefully for good), you have to admit that his entire term was box office tv. The popcorn meme got a hell of a workout!
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Post by London Republic on Jan 23, 2021 12:59:26 GMT
Apart from somewhat misunderstanding both the Black Lives Matter Movement & Antifa (1), failing to understand how the continued evolution of Mass Media (2) would have led to Nationwide Political Parties anyway and ignoring the fact that the Russians did help Trump get elected; I otherwise agree with what Michael Lind is saying, especially when he is someone that I am politically sympathetic with. Regardless I would suggest the following solutions to each of the Five Crises he talks about: The Political Crisis & The Economic Crisis: Alongside the introduction of a New South African-Style Constitution (which among many things would kill off the possibility of political deadlock) and a somewhat more Centralised Federal System; it's clear that a New Political & Economic Consensus needs to be established in the United States, one that rejects Laissez Faire Capitalism, Small Minded Nationalism & any Tolerance of Bigotry whatsoever in favour of Dirigisme, Corporatism, High Government Spending (for the benefit of the General Population), Guaranteed Economic Rights, a complete rejection of Bigotry and Pan-American & Pan-Anglosphere Nationalism. Especially when the current American Political & Economic Consensus pleases no one other than maybe the Chinese (because it ultimately grants them the freedom to become the Leading Superpower on Planet Earth), even if such displeasure is expressed in different ways depending on the type. Thus; the introduction of such a New Political & Economic Consensus would aim to address many of the issues of the current American Political & Economic Consensus via:
- The Establishment of Global Standards on Taxation, Wages, Workers Rights and Product Standards (3); which would require the United States to unify with the rest of the Anglosphere and (eventually) with Latin America (Firstly with Mexico, then with Central America & the Hispanic Caribbean and then continuing the process from there...), simply because only a Hyperpower (rather than a mere Superpower) could successfully impose such Global Standards onto the rest of the World. Hence the need to promote Pan-American & Pan-Anglosphere Nationalism as a core part of both its National Identity and its Economic & Foreign Relations.
- An improvement in Living Standards (via Higher Wages) for those outside the 1% via the introduction of Guaranteed Economic Rights, Stronger Workers Rights and the Deregulation of Trade Unions.
- The building of additional Garden Suburban Neighbourhoods in the various Metropolitan Areas.
- A Minimum Level of Government Spending of 55-60% of America's GDP, which would allow for increased investment in Health & Social Care, Education, Housing & Local Communities, Transportation, Infrastructure, Law Enforcement, the Intelligence Community, Military, Other Public Services and Industry & Commerce. Which would also result in a much stronger role for Government in both the Economy & Civil Society.
- The establishment of a new Economic System based on Corporatism and Dirigisme. With Natural Monopolies (4) being under State Control and other sectors being under the control of Regulated Monopolies (that are required to pay their Taxes and offer decent P&C to their Employees as a condition of said Monopoly).
The Identity Crisis & The Social Crisis: Now of course one could try and impose a New Political & Economic Consensus onto a nation such as the United States, but to actually succeed the following measures need to be implemented:
- When it comes to dealing with disinformation, dishonesty and making sure that said Consensus is embraced by the vast majority of the United States; one should establish a National Media & Communications Corporation (under some sort of State Control), a Corporation that has a Monopoly over the Media & Communications (Broadband, Mobile Phone Service etc.) Sectors in the United States. With said Corporation's aim being to not only establishing a Nationwide FTTP Broadband Network (something that would improve the American Economy); but to also block out Disinformation, Bigotry, Religious Extremism & Dangerous Conspiracy Theories from being supported and promoted on Broadcast, Social and other forms of Media. All the while also enabling increased investment in Arts & Culture, promoting the New Political & Economic Consensus and also enabling increased investment in High Quality Content (in other words more HBO, less Reality TV).
- A complete reform & reorganisation of the Education System in the United States; with Private, Charter (aka Academy) & Religious Schools being either abolished or reorganised into (Secular) State Schools while Private and Religious Colleges & Universities are also either abolished or reorganised into (Secular) State College & Universities. In return however; the surviving (Secular) State Schools, Colleges & Universities shall receive Private Education levels of spending, staff & other resources (5) as well as a National Curriculum with Higher Education Standards (6). Likewise said Schools, Colleges & Universities shall also receive enough financial support to provide additional tutoring to their students, as well as offer an extensive Free Meals programme to said students. Finally said Schools, Colleges & Universities shall all be under the direct control of the (Federal) Department of Education.
- The establishment of a single National Police Department to replace the various Federal, Local & State Police Forces in the United States as well as unofficially take on the Domestic Security functions of the National Guard; with Said Department benefiting from Higher Spending on Law Enforcement as well as being required to recruit additional Police Officers (with the purpose of increasing the number of American Police Officers to around 3 million, to allow for any Far-Right Police Officers to be replaced and to increase Non-White representation within the National Police Department) and adopt better standards of Policing, which would include being less bias towards Leftists and Non-Whites while adopting a zero-tolerance policy towards the Far-Right, Islamists and the Religious Extremists. Likewise said National Police Department would be under the direct control of the (Federal) Department of Homeland Security.
Likewise; it's become clear that a new American National Identity needs to be established, one that clearly defines being an "American" on a purely cultural basis and aims to unify the various American Communities (and eventually other national peoples in the Americas & Anglosphere) into said National Identity. Something that would have to involve addressing the darker aspects of American History head-on (with the emphasis of addressing the effects of said history and learning lessons from it), emphasising the better aspects of said history and creating a new "National Myth" going forward. As for how to enable such a National Identity to be successfully established (as well as a new National Myth be successfully be created); well that is going to have to involve reviving the art of Nation Building, an art that has been pretty much lost across the political divide with even the Conservative Right abandoning any ideas on this front since the Thatcher/Reagan era. More specifically it would involve using the National Media & Communications Corporation to promote said new American National Identity (and to prevent those opposed to said National Identity from being given a platform to express such opposition), explaining & promoting said National Identity in Schools, Colleges & Universities (via the National Curriculum), implementing various Economic, Housing & Infrastructure Development Programmes across the entire country and investing in Physical Education and Sports in General (with the purpose of strengthening U.S. National Teams to better enable said teams to dominate their particular sport). The Demographic Crisis: Alongside the various solutions I have proposed that indirectly address this particular crisis (Higher Wages, More Suburban Housing etc.), I would also suggest that Paid Paternity Leave (for both parents and set at 100% of ones salary for 65 weeks) be implemented as well. However since I don't really have any cultural objections to Immigration (7), I don't see the need for additional Pro-Natalist policies to deal with the Demographic Crisis (despite agreeing with Michael Lind on this matter). (1) Not because he is a racist; but rather because he fails to understand that if more Non-Whites had Middle-Class Jobs and if Law Enforcement where less bias towards the Left & Non-Whites, no one would be talking about "Defunding the Police" whatsoever. Likewise blaming the Left for the rise of the Trumpist Cult shows a complete ignorance of American Political History. (2) From the rise of Broadcast Radio to the rise of Broadband Internet & Streaming. (3) Something that I explain in further detail in this thread on the subject (https://vote-2012.proboards.com/thread/14951/solve-problem-globalisation) (4) Such as ones in relation to Electricity, Gas, Water, Broadband, Transportation & Infrastructure. (5) For example; I am looking to raise spending per pupil levels (in State Schools) to the $50,000 a year ballpark. (6) Which would mean that for the first time; there shall be a Single National Historical Curriculum for all Schools, Colleges & Universities, something which would ultimately reduce the number of disputes over American History (as well as any Pro-Confederate & Pro-Bigotry Sympathy) among Future Generations. (7) Hence why I would support a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Package that includes the establishment of Freedom of Movement (and a Common Travel Area) between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Britain, Ireland, the Anglo Caribbean and the Hispanic Caribbean as well as a Points Based System to regulate Immigration between the United States and other nations that are not part of the "North Atlantic Common Travel Area". |
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J.G.Harston
Lib Dem
Leave-voting Brexit-supporting Liberal Democrat
Posts: 14,772 
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Post by J.G.Harston on Jan 23, 2021 16:44:27 GMT
In summary: Abolish the federation, convert into a single unitary state. So much of what you are arguing for is very explicitely *BANNED* by the very form that the American federation is structured. You're fighting against the very /form/ of the USA as an entity made up of multiple entities. "To solve the problems of the EU, abolish individual countries." While it is a position that can be argued for, you're asking people to eliminate their very existance. And that's before approaching the inefficiencies of scale that results from huge unitary states. cf. Star Wars, Asimov's Foundation, the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, China.... |
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Post by Pete Whitehead on Jan 23, 2021 22:48:11 GMT
Does anyone know if the 2020 Presidential election results have been collated by Congressional district and where I can find the figures?
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Post by Andrew_S on Jan 23, 2021 23:00:03 GMT
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Post by London Republic on Jan 24, 2021 14:45:07 GMT
In summary: Abolish the federation, convert into a single unitary state. So much of what you are arguing for is very explicitely *BANNED* by the very form that the American federation is structured. You seem to forget that what I was actually talking about was the establishment of a New Political & Economic Consensus, the introduction of a New South African-Style Constitution (1) and a somewhat more Centralised Federal System. In contrast I have said nothing about "Abolishing any Federation"; so if you are going to criticise my proposals, then the very least you could do is criticise what I have actually proposed. (1) Least we forget that South Africa was established as a Federal State and remains one to this day.
You're fighting against the very /form/ of the USA as an entity made up of multiple entities. The Oath of Allegiance, Pledge of Allegiance & Oath of Office all acknowledge the United States being a single sovereign nation that people should pledge allegiance to. So while the United States does consist of many States and Regions, at the end of the day its one nation above all else. "To solve the problems of the EU, abolish individual countries." A lot of the EU problems would actually be solved by both becoming a Sovereign Federal State (aka a European Federation) & replacing their current Laissez-Faire Capitalist Economic Model with a Corporatist/Dirigisme one instead. Which would also provide a proper seperation of powers between the Centre and the States (which the EU currently lacks) alongside allowing for a more democratic political structure compared to the current European Union (1).
(1) Since (should a European Federation be sucessfully formed) the Council of the European Union would likely be scrapped while the European Commission would be likely be replaced by a more conventional Executive Branch, one appointed by the President of the European Federation (who really should be elected by the European Parliament). Thus meaning that all European Laws must be approved by a democratically elected European Parliament.
While it is a position that can be argued for, you're asking people to eliminate their very existance. Nope; I am actually asking for a New Political & Economic Status Quo (involving needed Political & Economic reforms) that would actually improve peoples lives. And that's before approaching the inefficiencies of scale that results from huge unitary states. cf. Star Wars, Asimov's Foundation, the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, China.... One cannot really use Star Wars as a good example of " why huge unitary states don't work" considering how absurd some of its plot points are. Although if one wants to bring up examples of Science Fiction to back up ones argument, then I might as well bring up the example of Star Trek to back up my arguements. Likewise what all those examples do actually share is Bad Political Leadership, something that can cripple any state no matter if they are a "huge unitary state" or a smaller state as the examples of Uganda, Somalia and North Korea also show.
Regardless; while I do acknowledge that larger states do need to operate under some sort of Federal System (1), the seperation of powers should be done on a basis that accepts the facts on the ground. Hence why it would make sense (for example) for both Law Enforcement & Education to become a solely Federal Responsiblity in the United States, considering the fact that both the American Education System and Law Enforcement are no longer fit for purpose in this day & age.
(1) Especially an important aspect of leadership is knowing when to delegate tasks.
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Post by mrhell on Jan 24, 2021 15:32:10 GMT
I've now blocked someone for only the second time on this site. There's people who piss me off but at least they don't write tedious essays on what "must" be done. Start a sodding blog.
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Post by jollyroger93 on Jan 24, 2021 20:19:08 GMT
I've now blocked someone for only the second time on this site. There's people who piss me off but at least they don't write tedious essays on what "must" be done. Start a sodding blog. Preach it queen |
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Post by gwynthegriff on Jan 24, 2021 20:38:38 GMT
I've now blocked someone for only the second time on this site. There's people who piss me off but at least they don't write tedious essays on what "must" be done. Start a sodding blog [1]. [1] A blog is a discursive or informational format published on the World Wide Web, often taking an episodic or diary-like structure. JFTFY  |
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Post by London Republic on Jan 24, 2021 20:44:54 GMT
I've now blocked someone for only the second time on this site. There's people who piss me off but at least they don't write tedious essays on what "must" be done. Start a sodding blog. Firstly; I was responding to a post by J.G.Harston (1) and did so in a way that involved comprehensive & well-thought criticism (that is able to withstand any scrutiny) against the points said user made. Something that has been seriously lacking in political debates over the last 50 years (2), which in turn has played a big part in the sorry state of the Political Enviroment's of both Britain & America.
Secondly; It's quite telling that you have made a big fuss over how I "write tedious essays on what must be done", something that reads as not only an admission that Classical Liberals (3) such as yourself has no real ideas or solutions to deal with the problems of today (4), but also that Classical Liberalism (aka Centrism) is an idelogy that is simply unworkable in the modern era for various reasons. Hence why you have decided to lash out against myself on the basis that I keep reminding you of this painful & inconvenient truth.
Thirdly; the main reason why I joined this forum is because I enjoy taking part in good political debates (something you cannot do with a blog), so any proposals & ideas I express on this forum are a mere sideline.
Finally; I would also point out that there are others on this forum (@boogieeck and carlton43 for example) who do actually post tedious essays (that don't stand up to scrutiny), I wonder what your thoughts are on said users...
(1) Who took the time and effort to read an earlier post I made about America's "Five Crises" (as defined by Michael Lind, somebody who I have a lot of time for) before writing said post, so fair play to said user.
(2) Simply because there are too many people across the political divide (most of all the Conservative Right & Far-Right) who would rather establish echo-chambers and safe spaces rather than attempt to justify and defend their political beliefs in the face of scrutiny.
(3) Otherwise known as Centrists.
(4) Otherwise you would have actually attempted to criticise my viewpoints on America's "Five Crises" (as defined by Michael Lind).
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Post by London Republic on Jan 24, 2021 20:52:29 GMT
Perhaps it's about time that certain types (i.e. those on the Conservative Right) stopped complaining about "Snowflakes", especially when they are all too keen on embracing such an idea themselves. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2021 21:24:54 GMT
I've now blocked someone for only the second time on this site. There's people who piss me off but at least they don't write tedious essays on what "must" be done. Start a sodding blog. amazed you've lasted this long ... |
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Post by jollyroger93 on Jan 24, 2021 21:38:01 GMT
Perhaps it's about time that certain types (i.e. those on the Conservative Right) stopped complaining about "Snowflakes", especially when they are all too keen on embracing such an idea themselves. šš |
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Post by London Republic on Jan 24, 2021 21:55:35 GMT
amazed you've lasted this long ... It's quite bizzare that comprehensive & well-thought criticism of certain ideologies (and other sacred cows) can be so triggering to certain users. Which says a lot about said users. |
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Post by London Republic on Jan 24, 2021 22:34:13 GMT
You know very well that I take a dim view on Hypocrisy, especially of a political kind. Hence why I criticised your support of mrhell blocking me on the basis that said user couldn't handle the fact I was criticising certain political ideas (that the user in question supported), despite the fact that said blocking represents the sort of Snowflakery many on the Right claim to oppose. |
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Post by mrhell on Jan 24, 2021 22:36:35 GMT
I've now blocked someone for only the second time on this site. There's people who piss me off but at least they don't write tedious essays on what "must" be done. Start a sodding blog. Firstly; I was responding to a post by J.G.Harston (1) and did so in a way that involved compresentive & well-thought criticism (that is able to withstand any scrutiny) against the points said user made.
Secondly; It's quite telling that you have made a big fuss over how I "write tedious essays on what must be done", something that reads as not only an admission that Classical Liberals (3) such as yourself has no real ideas or solutions to deal with the problems of today (4), but also that Classical Liberalism (aka Centralism) is an idelogy that is simply unworkable in the modern era for various reasons. Hence why you have decided to lash out against myself on the basis that I keep reminding you of this painful & inconvenient truth.
Paragraph one is a staggering level of egocentrism which is quite impressive among a group of politicians.
Paragraph two is just an admission that I don't want to read a dissertation from someone who seems continuously convinced they are right.
Other people do sometimes write long posts but not anything like to the same extent. By the way liberalism is not centralism.
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Jack
Reform Party
Posts: 8,690
Member is Online
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Post by Jack on Jan 24, 2021 23:20:10 GMT
You know very well that I take a dim view on Hypocrisy, especially of a political kind. Hence why I criticised your support of mrhell blocking me on the basis that said user couldn't handle the fact I was criticising certain political ideas (that the user in question supported), despite the fact that said blocking represents the sort of Snowflakery many on the Right claim to oppose. Nobody is blocking you for your ideological views. They're blocking you for the long-winded and tedious manner in which you express them. |
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Post by London Republic on Jan 24, 2021 23:21:20 GMT
Paragraph one is a staggering level of egocentrism which is quite impressive among a group of politicians. I was merely explaining why I write long posts on certain occasions. Because when I am either trying to criticise other viewpoints or trying to explain, defend & justify my viewpoints; I try to do so with the aim of establishing a strong case behind all those actions, not because of any ego related reasons.
Paragraph two is just an admission that I don't want to read a dissertation from someone who seems continuously convinced they are right. I am not stupid enough to believe that I am always right and I have indeed made numerous mistakes in my life. However I have formed the political views that I hold on the basis of evidence, facts, reason and learning the right lessons from history. So if you have a problem with my political viewpoints, then explain to me why I am wrong to hold said viewpoints. Other people do sometimes write long posts but not anything like to the same extent. Out of the 40 previous posts that I have wrote (and for the record I did actually check this), only 3-4 of them could be described as "long" posts. Which shows that I only write long posts on an occasional basis. By the way liberalism is not centralism. I was meant to write "Centrism" instead of "Centralism", so I apologise for that typo error (which I have now corrected). Finally I just wanted to state that while I disagree with many of the points you have made in your last 2 posts, I do respect the fact that you have been willing to respond to my criticism with your last one. |
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Post by London Republic on Jan 24, 2021 23:44:33 GMT
Nobody is blocking you for your ideological views. They're blocking you for the long-winded and tedious manner in which you express them. Let's be real; if I was posting detailed cases that defended & justfied the viewpoints said types supported, I highly doubt they would have blocked me in the first place (1). Hence why I suspect that the real reason why I have been blocked by said users is because they couldn't handle the criticism I was making against their viewpoints; especially considering that said criticism I was making was written with the aim of stating why said viewpoints where wrong (2), not just merely stating that they are wrong.
(1) Especially when one considers some of the posts made by users who have decided to block me.
(2) A suspicion that was formed by the fact virtually none of those who have blocked myself made a real effort to defend their viewpoints in response to my own criticism of them.
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Crimson King
Lib Dem
Be nice to each other and sing in tune
Posts: 9,844
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Post by Crimson King on Jan 25, 2021 9:20:35 GMT
Iām seriously considering blocking people who keep quoting him
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