49d
@divegeester saidSorry for the delay. I'm dealing with a person in the household who is slipping into dementia (not me, BTW), so I'm not logging on to RHP twenty times a day any more.
@moonbus?
The Swiss political spectrum encompasses about two dozen parties, plus independent members of parliament.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Switzerland
No one party consistently supports all the issues which matter to me. Ideologically, I tend to be anti-authoritarian, although occasionally an authoritarian party (the SVP for example) supports some particular issue which matters to me.
One of the things I like about Swiss politics is that there are ballot packets in the mail about every 6 months on specific issues; it's not at all like the USA or the UK , where you have a national election and you vote for a candidate, and then you're stuck with that party for four or six or more years and the electorate has little or no say on specific issues until the next general election. Switzerland has functional direct democracy and micro-voting on specific issues. For example, the federal govt in Switzerland has no power to enact any tax without a plebiscite; if the govt wants a tax and the voters say 'nay', then the nays have it. Furthermore, tax revenues have to be spent for the purpose for which the tax was levied, and this is monitored and controlled. A school tax cannot be spent on military armaments, for example, or building a wall.
Direct democracy wouldn't work in the UK, however. Your population is too big. Switzerland has only about 8 mio residents, of which something like 25% are aliens (which is a large proportion, by European standards). I have vague memories of an Ealing Comedy (or in that style anyway) in which Britons are voting on absurd and trivial things every week and soon get tired of it.
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48d
@wildgrass saidyes, that's bad. No wars are good, great economy good.
Debt is cumulative. Deficits are the spending overages every year.
In 2015 obama deficit was ~442 billion dollars
In 2019 trump deficit was 984 billion dollars
In a booming economy, no wars, low inflation and great job growth, trump doubled federal deficit spending.
48d
@moonbus saidThat is certainly a strong possibility! The Voters will not have any to blame except themselves, of course I speak of the Trump Supporter. Perhaps that is the kind of Country they want?
Soon after Trump assumes office, and Republicans control both House and Senate, expect a constitutional amendment extending the limit on the number of terms a president can serve from two to indefinite.
-VR
48d
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@AverageJoe1 saidSaying something and actually doing it are not the same. Did you hear he will make 39 Billion because Trump won:??? Why do you think he backed Trump, he knew about the kick back he would get. He just got 39 Billion richer for Supporting Trump and giving out the Million dollar a day lottery..... Money Does Talk, make no mistake about it. How many more Billion will he make with Government Contracts he gets???
Wildgrass et al will make mtns out of molehills. It is apparently quite normal to have such increases in each administration.
Having said that, the great Musk may surprise hell out of us. He has never failed at anything, he says he can trim $2T. Let us see.
-VR
48d
@Very-Rusty saidTwo smart guys, what more do you want? And dont' confuse Sue and Mchill by suggesting that there are not safeguards and restrictions, safety nets about self enrichment, etc, you get my drift. Of course you did let Biden run with it, I have heard upward of $50M, but we hopefull learned our lesson.
Saying something and actually doing it are not the same. Did you hear he will make 39 Billion because Trump won:??? Why do you think he backed Trump, he knew about the kick back he would get. He just got 39 Billion richer for Supporting Trump and giving out the Million dollar a day lottery..... Money Does Talk, make no mistake about it. How many more Billion will he make with Government Contracts he gets???
-VR
48d
2 edits
@AverageJoe1 saidI personally didn't do a damned thing or let Biden do anything, I am Canadian, try and get that in your thick head. 😛 Also what happens in the U.S. has Epic effects here in Canada and the world for that matter.
Two smart guys, what more do you want? And dont' confuse Sue and Mchill by suggesting that there are not safeguards and restrictions, safety nets about self enrichment, etc, you get my drift. Of course you did let Biden run with it, I have heard upward of $50M, but we hopefull learned our lesson.
BTW: Suzianne and Mchill are both correct, Trumpy has no safe guards or rails what ever you wish to call them. He owns the Supreme Court and will add to that. Who is going to stop him. We all know Iran is out for him, may God watch over him!
-VR
48d
@Very-Rusty saidRusty, who thinks for some reasons that we should buffer his posts with 'where he is from' 😆 (are you gay, sounds like a gay comment), is all upset about people with money.....to me, people who are successful.
Saying something and actually doing it are not the same. Did you hear he will make 39 Billion because Trump won:??? Why do you think he backed Trump, he knew about the kick back he would get. He just got 39 Billion richer for Supporting Trump and giving out the Million dollar a day lottery..... Money Does Talk, make no mistake about it. How many more Billion will he make with Government Contracts he gets???
-VR
What about FDR, and what about the Kennedy family, there are many monied people in politics. But it is Trump and Elon who bring up your ire!!!!
I gotta goi look at a Zhanlanzi post, and consider his commnist background when I respond. I will try to weave the custom of women puttin basil leaves under their pillows when I write him.
Oh =, everybody, be careful to not offend Rusty, if you write about the upcoming wonderful Thanksgiving season. He will pop off that they celebrate thanksgiving in October. We just pizz him off, it appears. He literally thinks he is entitled to big-time respect.
48d
3 edits
@AverageJoe1 said@AJoe1,
Rusty, who thinks for some reasons that we should buffer his posts with 'where he is from' 😆 (are you gay, sounds like a gay comment), is all upset about people with money.....to me, people who are successful.
What about FDR, and what about the Kennedy family, there are many monied people in politics. But it is Trump and Elon who bring up your ire!!!!
I gotta ...[text shortened]... October. We just pizz him off, it appears. He literally thinks he is entitled to big-time respect.
You sound very homophobic to me. Perhaps you need some help with your problem.
You also have to learn how to debate you still don't have the hang of it yet.
As far as Respect goes, I am much more respected on this site than you do, even people that don't like me that much at least have some respect for me. Can you say the same, I think NOT!
-VR
48d
@Very-Rusty saidOK. So what is your response. About rich successful people.
@AJoe1,
You sound very homophobic to me. Perhaps you need some help with your problem.
-VR
48d
@AverageJoe1 saidI really don't like People who are successful to use that success to their advantage at the price of others. I am no poor or rich but do help everyone where I can, Trump and Elon Musk are out for themselves. Eventually you may understand that.
OK. So what is your response. About rich successful people.
-VR
48d
@AverageJoe1
So it bothers you not at all that Musk literally bought his way into our government thanks to that hundred million he put in to Trump's campaign. Chump change for Musk, he could have put 100 BILLION in and that would have still been less than half his fortune.
48d
@sonhouse saidYou could really go all over the place writing about , Number One, Legal activities resulting in success. Taking that premise to logical conclusions, I know, and many people know, many people like that., So are you sahing that we should regard them with disdain?, That is indeed what you are saying.
@AverageJoe1
So it bothers you not at all that Musk literally bought his way into our government thanks to that hundred million he put in to Trump's campaign. Chump change for Musk, he could have put 100 BILLION in and that would have still been less than half his fortune.
Or, please clarify?
PS: Let us not waste time about a campaign donation from Musk to Trump, simply because I can say the same about George Soros giving all those millions to the Kamala campaign. These type discussions go no where. Actually, I dont know what you mean by that 2-sentence post.
48d
@AverageJoe1
There is a bit of difference between giving out one or two mil and Musk giving out ONE HUNDRED FUUKING MILLION knowing full well that is what buys Trump.
Money TALKS to Trump.
Did it ever dawn on you why there was the flip over Miller light, or crypto currency or electric vehicles? MONEY coming Trump's way is why he flipped but you are too dense to have figured that one out.
48d
@sonhouse saidOoooohhh sonhouse...
@AverageJoe1
There is a bit of difference between giving out one or two mil and Musk giving out ONE HUNDRED FUUKING MILLION knowing full well that is what buys Trump.
Money TALKS to Trump.
Everyone knows that you will easily throw a different light on another post.....like..."The amount of the the money makes no difference, it is just that somebody paid a lot of money!!!!"
Take a walk in the garden with your lute. A melody will come to you.
47d
@AverageJoe1
You mean the melody I am composing, a dirge crying about how our democracy was killed by Trump?