Russell Brand

[Kosar_For_President]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YR4CseY9pk

[gftChris]

I saw this. Love his passion, agree with his concept that the two main parties (labour and conservative) are basically two evils and the freedom of choice is not much of a choice at all. But the guy is an idiot. He calls for revolution, but has absolutely no idea about what he wants to see in his revolution. Just something different. he's basically talking about communism, to a degree.

[gftChris]

And a follow up interview:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/11/05/huffruss-russell-brand-in-conversation-with-mehdi-hasan_n_4221633.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

[koalabazooka]

Check this out, it's classic!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADJhErmJuoQ

[Osiris]

I like to say that a table with two legs can not stand and that's why I hate our two party system. It's why there are so many independents, too. We need a third major party that can he break stalemates between the Dems and Repubs. I've seriously been thinking of registering with this party and voting for this guy for gov of MA.

 

http://www.falchuk2014.org/

[DieHardBrownsFan]

I like to say that a table with two legs can not stand and that's why I hate our two party system. It's why there are so many independents, too. We need a third major party that can he break stalemates between the Dems and Repubs. I've seriously been thinking of registering with this party and voting for this guy for gov of MA.

 

http://www.falchuk2014.org/

You sure?

 

 

 

Evan Falchuk Candidate for Governor of Massachusetts Party Independent Elections and appointments Next election November 4, 2014

Term limits N/A

Education Bachelor's Lehigh University J.D. University of Pennsylvania Law School Personal

Profession Attorney

Religion Jewish

[Westside Steve]

I tend to disagree, no surprise there Osiris, about the three party system and here's why... It seems to me that the situation would arise too easily in which say, the hard left and a moderate left wind up with 30 percent each which leaves the hard right with 40 percent and a win. That way you are almost guaranteed of living forever with 60 percent of the voters unhappy. I also think that politics is more a game of Thrones, or power rather than a true ideological pursuit. Maybe that's a cynical way to look at it and I'm sure it doesn't encompass everyone but still I'm hard pressed to believe that even a third party would be dedicated to my well being.

WSS

[Osiris]

 

You sure?

 

 

 

Evan Falchuk Candidate for Governor of Massachusetts Party Independent Elections and appointments Next election November 4, 2014

Term limits N/A

Education Bachelor's Lehigh University J.D. University of Pennsylvania Law School Personal

Profession Attorney

Religion Jewish

 

 

I'm not sure, but it has nothing to do with anything you are quoting here. I just don't know if he is for real about trying to make a viable third party or if it's just a gimmick to try and capitalize on the large number of independents in MA.

 

I tend to disagree, no surprise there Osiris, about the three party system and here's why... It seems to me that the situation would arise too easily in which say, the hard left and a moderate left wind up with 30 percent each which leaves the hard right with 40 percent and a win. That way you are almost guaranteed of living forever with 60 percent of the voters unhappy. I also think that politics is more a game of Thrones, or power rather than a true ideological pursuit. Maybe that's a cynical way to look at it and I'm sure it doesn't encompass everyone but still I'm hard pressed to believe that even a third party would be dedicated to my well being.

WSS

 

I don't know, maybe, maybe not, but what we do know is we have a highly-polarized congress that can't get anything done. A third party would allow stalemates to be broken. I'm pretty cynical about the politics of our nation too, and Game of Thrones is a good analogy. As long as we have some semblance of democracy, though, at least some of that power can only be derived by pleasing us (or at least appearing to please us).

[koalabazooka]

Lol, I just finished watching South Park's spoof of Game of Thrones!

[gftChris]

I tend to disagree, no surprise there Osiris, about the three party system and here's why... It seems to me that the situation would arise too easily in which say, the hard left and a moderate left wind up with 30 percent each which leaves the hard right with 40 percent and a win. That way you are almost guaranteed of living forever with 60 percent of the voters unhappy. I also think that politics is more a game of Thrones, or power rather than a true ideological pursuit. Maybe that's a cynical way to look at it and I'm sure it doesn't encompass everyone but still I'm hard pressed to believe that even a third party would be dedicated to my well being.

WSS

What we have in the UK, for reference, isn't a two-party system, it just seems like it sometimes. There is an election, and in a perfect world, the party with the absolute majority sets up the government. Technically, the queen invites who she likes to set up government, but in reality that's just a formality.

 

Outside of the main two are a bunch of other parties, though. We have the Liberal Democrats (I can picture cal's heart attack at just the name), as the clear third party, and a load of other little ones, some tend to gain traction at times because they're basically all about a single issue and it becomes a hot issue, like UKIP or the BNP on immigration.

 

So what happened in the most recent election, was that it finished with something like:

Con - 45%

Lab - 40%

LibDem - 12%

 

So because the two big guys aren't going to form a government together, the Lib Dems were basically kingmakers and could demand what they wanted, to a degree. Lib Dems and Tories formed a coalition, with Cameron (Tory leader) and Clegg (Lib Dem leader) as prime minister and deputy, respectively.

 

So, point being, if you have a multi-party system, it only makes sense to have the possibility to create coalitions that arise from the situation you describe, Steve.

[Westside Steve]

But of course that would seem to thwart the wishes of the people.

Of course I think most variations of democracy are shams designed to keep voters obsessing over my new show that they can't change anyway.

 

also that isn't much different than what we have here as you have the old one establishment Republican Party have a to make deals with the Tea Party. Just like the moderate Democrats wheeling and dealing with the Nancy Pelosi Jesse Jackson wing.

 

WSS

WSS

[gftChris]

So what's your suggestion then? Keep voting until you have a party with a 51% majority? Perhaps alternative vote? Because if you have a 40/30/30 split, then there's really no way to truly represent the public. OK, you can let each senator vote his/her own way on each issue, but you still need a ruling party to put forward the issues, and in any system where 60% of the house disagrees then nothing will get passed.

[Westside Steve]

Well my friend I may even be more cynical than that. I don't so much see us having a ruling party as much as a ruling class. I think a republic is set up specifically to make sure that the people really don't decide anything. Furthermore I think that's probably the best way to do it. People are basically morons. Keep in mind that a tiny fraction of the population waste time on political boards like we do and even we know a tiny tiny sliver of what goes on.

If there were an actual true democracy every citizen would get a vote on every single issue.

I get the feeling that if it weren't for the news we wouldn't know who the president was or what may or may not have been different had the media in charge of everything picked the other actor to play the part of leader. Kind of like The Truman Show...

(Jim Carrey not Harry S)

maybe it's all professional wrestling.

WSS

[gftChris]

Of course that's the way a republic is set up! People are, as you say, stupid, and would almost inevitably make every kneejerk decision possible. So we elect a government to make the difficult decisions for us, and we try to hold them accountable as much as possible, which really isn't very much.