[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Take a lesson from Mexico.

Mexico's federal elections were a swamp. Totally untrustworthy. Then they implemented their current system. Every Mexican citizen legally eligible to vote MUST vote, or have a good reason why not. In federal elections when they go to the polls, they have a government-issued voter registration card that they must present, along with positive ID. The voter card is uniquely coded to the bearer and only the bearer. When he or she votes in a federal election the information on the card goes into the national system in real time, guaranteeing that the person to whom that card is registered has voted--once, and cannot vote again. It has turned Mexico's federal elections, once so riddled with corruption that no one trusted the results, into one of the most trusted around.

That IS a thought provoking post. A BIG problem with most Americans is that they believe that the US is the BEST at everything. That was, maybe true right after WW2, but other countries in the world have made big leaps forward - leading to statistics like in neo-natal deaths we are terrible- like around 30th. Most Americans are patriotic, which is good - but, better to be patriotic AND REALISTIC as to where your nation stands today. and the picture is NOT good ! We are overly dependent on China and that is just for the greed of our 1 % and to the detriment of the other 99 %.

For those that believe that the US is # 1 at everything, they have no need to look to Australia or Mexico to see the BEAUTY of compulsory voting. They really don't want to KNOW when ANYTHING is better in another country. They prefer the blindness of ignorance to the light of knowledge.

[jimjamuser]

Males only win in greater % today because of tradition and Washington being slow to change. Has not everyone heard the statement that a woman has to be TWICE as good at whatever job to get hired versus a man? That IS TRUTH, not conjecture. Again for inspiration, we can go to other countries for answers........Australia, New Zealand and many European countries have already had WOMEN leaders. And AGAIN the US is the BACKWARD outlier.

At the current US rate of REGRESSION, we will soon look like the "Handmaiden's Tale"!!!!!! And China will be eating our lunch.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

....and in your perfectly equal society, why should anyone bother to work harder, have better ideas than anyone else.
No reward = no effort.
Sounds very much like communism.

True leaders work for idealistic principles, NOT MERELY for money and POWER. That is where many people are wrong. And too many people try to win a discussion by bringing up the 1950s RED scare buggaboo about a communist behind every bush. Warren Buffet does NOT need ANY more money - he works for the pleasure of solving problems and meeting and influencing people!

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

Agreed that the Supreme Court has problems. It needs term LIMITS of about 7 years. Also, the APPOINTMENT system by the party in power has proven to be corruptible. Maybe it would be better to vote for the Justices? i would say that the Supreme Court is the worst designed part of the US governmental system.

Many of us believe that the US democracy is in a bad place right now. No one throughout US History has said that the US should have an IMPERIALISTIC President. My 3 or 5 person president would just about guarantee against a imperialistic President. I don't like the idea of a ONE person President. It can too EASILY be turned into a King or Dictator. Today in the world for SOME unknown-to-me reason the trend is AWAY from Democracies and TOWARD Dictatorships. I am just trying to fight the good fight by suggesting a method to prevent Dictatorships - and since they are INCREASING then maybe we in the US should NOT just go with the SAME OLD, SAME OLD and HOPE everything works out OK.........because it may NOT. If someone has a better suggestion, then I WELCOME that.

There are two problems with the SCOTUS. First is life terms. And second they are answerable to no one (practically except themselves.)

Voting for them I think is not a good solution. I would prefer them to be chosen at random from justices that have a proven track record. But, I am not sure what that track record would be.

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by cegallup

It's hard to be civil and polite towards a faction you perceive to be trying to destroy our country.That's the reason we have (had?) the 1st Amendment.

It is way past time to curtail the 1st. Hate speech and intentionally spreading provable lies and nonsense that can and do result in. people dying should be punishable.

[brockli]

Originally Posted by cafesalsa1@yahoo.com

We need to protect the republic which protects the minority as opposed to democracy which can become mob rule

The republic is for everyone. We all live here.

[mtdjed]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

Don't let anyone over 65 run for, or remain in high office.
Nothing new ever comes from old people.
Too immersed in the past.

That would suggest that those same age folks should not be able to vote.

[Caymus]

Originally Posted by MartinSE

It is way past time to curtail the 1st. Hate speech and intentionally spreading provable lies and nonsense that can and do result in. people dying should be punishable.

You mean "hate" speech as you and your cohorts see it?

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Caymus

You mean "hate" speech as you and your cohorts see it?

I don't think that was what was meant at all.

Media can be held liable for publishing intentional untruths that cause harm (defamation), only it rarely happens. Media just hide behind the First Amendment and nothing is done. But media can be held criminally liable as well. In cases where intentional spreading of false information, "FCC rules specifically say that the "public harm must begin immediately, and cause direct and actual damage to property or to the health or safety of the general public, or diversion of law enforcement or other public health and safety authorities from their duties."

Maybe its time we not only hold media accountable for provably damaging hate speech, but one another as well.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by MartinSE

There are two problems with the SCOTUS. First is life terms. And second they are answerable to no one (practically except themselves.)

Voting for them I think is not a good solution. I would prefer them to be chosen at random from justices that have a proven track record. But, I am not sure what that track record would be.

They should be chosen when they are determined they have the best legal minds in this country and swear to faithfully follow the constitution.'

Unfortunately it has become way to politicized.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

Agreed - 50% of Congress should be required to be women. And have 2 out of 5 of my ideal PRESIDENT group be women. Then on alternate terms.......have 3 out of 5 be women. We would have fewer unnecessary WARS.

Define "women"...

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

The tax code should equalize wealth more. Even billionaire investor Warren Buffet agrees with me. There should be NO mega, MEGA wealthy people like Soros, Gates, Musk, and Bezos in America. They can go to Saudi Arabia or Russia with the other Dictators. It is actually NOT their fault personally, just the tax system and brackets that stupidly support such non-productive wealth. People like that are NO longer working for MONEY anyway, they are motivated by their leadership skills in most cases and POWER in some cases. It is the same principle as term limits for politicians - the wealthy need REASONABLE limits.

And with the right tax brackets the EXCESS money that these people can't use personally - it could help the average US citizen get their small share of the TOTAL US WEALTH. It is only RIGHT ! The average US citizen TODAY can NOT afford to own their own home - while Bezos has a BOAT with its own helicopter landing pad. That IS NOT right, it is ALL wrong.

And that will eventually lead the US into being controlled by powerful oligarchs and a Dictator ala Putin !

Gates, Bezos and Musk never produced anything?

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Dr.Butler

Well. If you want the truth, then here:
Stats of the States - Firearm Mortality

TL;DR
8 of 10 are "Conservative"

Your link lists "By State"...

The question was specific to "Which Cities"... There's a significant difference...

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

The majority will NEVER rule as long as states like Montana with minimal population get 2 Senators just like NY, California, or Florida. That is some Civil War legacy BS.

Um... The lesser populated states had 2 senators LONG before the Civil War...

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Actually, it is post - Revolutionary War BS. Emphasizing "State", as in the United STATES of America". Our federal government was originally formulated to have very little power: just what is listed in the Constitution per the Tenth Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

It is the advantage of a republic that the states have more or less equal footing with one another. The people are proportionally represented in the House of Representatives, but nothing passes without the consent of the Senate, where all the states are equal.

Exactly!

It seems that some of the posters on this thread slept thru their Civics classes in HS...