The Current Events Thread

[Dire]

It must be working. I don't hear stories about European politicians being stupid. They might be mean, have bad policies... but it feels like only in the United States of America can an idiot be president.
Perhaps it's because there are less uneducated people in Europe? (I'm thinking this in relation to how Romney reckons he'll cut school funding.)

[Syobon]

How does an uneducated person's vote actually matter if they don't know what the person they're voting for is supporting? What's the difference between allowing people to submit a blank ballot and just making voting voluntary? It's like, "I don't like either candidates, why is the government wasting my time by forcing me to come here and turn in a blank?"

If you had to come anyway most people won't vote blank so they don't feel like it was a complete waste of time. In the same vein, people will keep an eye on the political news more. Also, there's mandatory political education in schools so people know at least the basics of what each party stands for. And honestly, beyond that Belgian politics are so complicated you'd have to be a political scientist to actually understand what's going on any more.

[Madican]

It must be working. I don't hear stories about European politicians being stupid. They might be mean, have bad policies... but it feels like only in the United States of America can an idiot be president.
Perhaps it's because there are less uneducated people in Europe? (I'm thinking this in relation to how Romney reckons he'll cut school funding.)

You can be smart and still be an idiot at times. Obama is not stupid, neither is Romney, neither was Bush, neither was Clinton. People rag on Bush all the time while forgetting he has a Masters.

[Syobon]

You can be educated and still a moron. I've heard about American doctors who support creationism. Getting a masters is more about working hard than being smart as well, although a modicum of intelligence is necessary.

[Tetrunes]

I am unsure of how Gore would have taken 9/11 if he won, which if not for the Electoral college, he would have...

[Madican]

Electoral college is a whole crock of bullshit. What's the point of voting when they can overturn it?

[Exeres]

I am unsure of how Gore would have taken 9/11 if he won, which if not for Florida, he would have...

[Tetrunes]

What if the two candidates actually tied because of the Electoral College?

because DC made it even..\

[Exeres]

I'm just reminding that Florida was the swing state, what with the recount and the fact that the state had the electoral influence to basically decide who became President.

[Tetrunes]

Yeah, from what I heard it went a little like :

Hey, we haven't counted all these asininely labeled ballots!
I don't care, just put them in my brother's basket!

[Exeres]

It was a little more complicated than that. Even if it weren't for the terribly designed ballot cards, the margin of victory ended up being about 600 votes, which obviously warrants a closer look to make absolutely sure they were counted correctly. The media blew it way out of proportion, which wasn't helped by threatened lawsuits from both sides. Basically it was a terrible election and we all want a re-do.

[Tetrunes]

I would still doubt Al Gore could do what Bush did during 9/11, rallying us together like that.

[Exeres]

That's one of those things that gets filed under "Things We'll Never Know for Sure."

[Lambeth]

I am unsure of how Gore would have taken 9/11 if he won, which if not for the Electoral college, he would have...

I think he would have handled it way better. The attacks might still have happened but Gore should as hell wouldn't invade fucking iraq

It must be working. I don't hear stories about European politicians being stupid. They might be mean, have bad policies... but it feels like only in the United States of America can an idiot be president.
Perhaps it's because there are less uneducated people in Europe? (I'm thinking this in relation to how Romney reckons he'll cut school funding.)

Funny you say that, Belgium was without an official government for a while recently

[Madican]

Al Qaeda was behind the attacks. Taliban controlled Iraq and was supported by Al Qaeda. Say what you will about Afghanistan, but we were justified in the initial invasion. Last I checked, attacking civilians on foreign soil during peacetime is an act of war.