The best arguments against direct democracy I can find:
1) too many decisions to be made as a whole
2) many issues too complex or mundane for average citizens
3) Voting procedures & security issues
4) War or national security issues are based on confidential info that cannot be made available...
It seems to me the points the Republicans are making about abortion and gay marriage are a departure from their general guiding doctrine and principle ideology of small government--that the government that governs least is one that governs best. Some may suggest this is only meant for economic...
These guys are like the opposite of every evil-mastermind-terrorists that you've seen in the movies.
"The sequence of Tuesday's blasts in Bangkok began when a stash of explosives apparently detonated by accident in the house occupied by the three Iranians, blowing off part of its roof."...
Hello RF.
I've missed you. Did you miss me? No, you probably didn't even notice my absence but that's okay, there's still a place for you in my heart.
Its been almost one whole year since we last met and wouldn't you know it, you're still as sexy as ever. You're glowing with interesting...
This thread is NOT as much about abortion, rights of the fetus, or morality. It isn't even about the mother. Forget the rights of the mother. In fact, forget the mother completely. Let's treat the mother as a guilty defendant/criminal (that not saying she will be in jail, only that the behavior...
The last few years has been horrible for our already dismal education system. Deep and wide cuts in K through 12, community colleges, adult schools, state colleges and universities nation wide.
Whether you like Obama or his SOU address is irrelevant to the fact that the points he raised...
I think many of us (not just the board, but larger population) tend to categorize political affiliation into succinct and neat little labels instead of realizing ideology as a spectrum. For a lot of people in the world (Fox channel personalities in particular and media in general) who like to...
Ben Franklin wrote that he who sacrifices security over freedom deserves neither. Perhaps it's too oversimplified for the complicated 21st century. Yet I can't help but admire the inherent truism.
How far can the need for 'security' in internet communications go without overstepping the...
Regardless of whether the entire idea behind the Koran-burning is far fetched or if it wrongly equivocates militant Islamic terrorists that attacked America on September 11 with Islam the religion of over a billion people in general shouldn't matter.
We are a country that proudly defends its...
We need not even mention what his neo-con demographic audience thinks of his shows. We need only to focus on the liberals. When liberals watch his shows or, more likely, see bits of it on youtube or on other non-FOX shows, they cringe and feel sharp pains. Glen Beck's job then is done.
Glen...
Certain politicians and the extreme right-wing are proposing to amend the 14th Amendment to make exceptions to deny birthright citizenships to the children of illegal immigrants. The apparent irony is that they promote this idea as something American and patriotic. This couldn't be further from...
I can't make it past level 3. I just ... don't have the hand dexterity I suppose.
Can YOU? Frubals for anyone who makes it past level 3. The tempo from the game does help you concentrate a bit, but not too much so if you think it'll help, turn on your sound...
I'm an advocate of gay rights and gay marriage. I'm in favor of the results of the recent ruling overturning the Prop 8 ban on gay marriage, but after analyzing the ruling, however, I must conclude that the ruling will be overturned at the Supreme Court level due to inconsistencies with the...
After TSA announced that these scans COULD NOT be saved or recorded and the stand-alone nature of the terminals, news reports that over 35,000 of the scans have been stored. Officials now admit the sharing capability is possible but that it's ordinarily turned off and these were only for...
A $100 million mosque to be built near the 9/11 Ground Zero site has the final approvals needed to begin construction.
I don't see this as any offense to the families of those who lost their lives on 9/11 attack.
I don't see this as a blow to America or a victory for terrorism.
I see...
Welcome to the help us help ourselves thread!
I know there are many lists like these out there and I have been through most of them, as you may have. The following are the ones that have stuck with me through the years and are the ones that I find invaluable.
My friends are always asking...
Seems cool. Two thoughts come to mind:
1) I see many tort litigations in this company's future
and
2) I hope this company will revolutionize personal travel without revolutionizing terrorist attacks, kidnappings, or bank robbery get-aways.
Videos
A federal judge issued an injunction blocking the two most controversial portions of Arizona's SB 1070 that requires police to check immigration status as well the portion that requires immigrants to carry immigration papers at all times. (Link to article & full court order pdf at bottom)
With...
It's the thought that counts -- those are the first words that comes to mind when I try to characterize the impact and influence of Facebook.
For every area that Facebook has supposedly 'revolutionized' or 'redefined', it comes with negative externalities that makes me wonder if its impacts...