Maine splits its electoral votes. Until something can be done about the political party system though, our votes won't count for much because we won't have any real choices on the general election ballot. The political parties, which are private entities, choose the candidates who will be on the ballot, and they aren't required to select them on the basis of primary votes.
Donald Trump scares me and what he says scares me even more! I was listening to one of his strategy for world politics and I couldn't believe my ears, so I promptly turned the channel. The world is armed with nuclear weapons and other weaponry, so a President can't be too whimsy or downright irresponsible internationally as Trump seems to be! It's no wonder that Trump is being banned at Britain!
Democracies result in the absolute rule of the majority over the minority. That's why our country was set up as a Constitutional Republic, not a Democracy. The founders despised true democracy. They understood it to be a failed and flawed construct, which is why they gave us a Constitutional Republic. Sadly their posterity is largely so ill educated and ill informed that many worship at the altar of democracy and not liberty. Those, within and without our own government, who wish to rule the world have been promoting democracy, not a constitutional republic. This is why there are so many Americans today who believe that we live in a democracy. At the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Franklin was queried as he left Independence Hall on the final day of deliberation. In the notes of Dr. James McHenry, one of Maryland’s delegates to the Convention, a lady asked Dr. Franklin “Well Doctor what have we got, a republic or a monarchy.” Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” “It had been observed that a pure democracy if it were practicable would be the most perfect government. Experience had proved that no position is more false than this. The ancient democracies in which the people themselves deliberated never possessed one good feature of government. Their very character was tyranny; their figure deformity.” -- Alexander Hamilton "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself." -- John Adams "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." -- Thomas Jefferson "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" -- Thomas Jefferson "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
I don't care who he is. I care about what he has to say. He made a lot of sense in the video Ken posted. You might want to listen to it again without the prejudice, without the outside opinions of others regarding his character, even if it came from your Prime Minister. Who ever said that all leaders of countries are always correct in their opinions? So please judge the message and not the messenger.
Most people only hear the cherry-picked bits and pieces that a biased media chooses to play over and over. Unless they already like someone, they don't generally go out of their way to hear it in context or in its entirety. That's only natural. I know that I am not going to waste my time listening to an entire Jeb Bush speech. But if Jeb Bush were leading, I might. Trump does say some stupid things but this is largely because, unlike every other candidate, he speaks from the hip, rather than using teleprompters, notes prepared by publicists, or from prepared speeches, often clarifying what he said later. He does know what he's talking about though, and the overall message is well researched. I am sure that, most often, when he says something that seem off the wall, it is intentional, intended to fuel media speculation that he's gone off the deep end now, only to find later that he was right. Media biases are thus exposed, and he gets a lot of free advertising.
I rather doubt that he's stirring the media pot on purpose. I don't see Trump as playing games. He knows he doesn't need to do it on purpose because he knows if he speaks his unrehearsed opinions and tells it like it is then the public will relate to his honesty, boost the polls, and the natural consequence will be an irked media…especially when he makes more sense than Hillary/Obama/Media combined. He knows the democrats are not being honest with the people and Trump is.
I can assure you that I am no supporter of David Cameron and never will be. I was merely pointing out what even a right-wing politician such as Cameron had to say about the likes of Condell. And yes, I did listen to what he said. A prize fool with the undoubted wisdom of a fool.
okay ….I just reread my quote you posted and the way I worded it sounds a little uppity. Please know, I'm not all that passionate about it so I hope you took it the way I intended it. I value your opinion whether we agree or not *handshake*.
Last Republican debate is starting soon, 8:30 pm EST on CNN in… ...Las Vegas at the Venetian Casino…huh? Vegas? A casino in sin city? Sure sounds presidential…not …oh well, political incorrectness seems to be working so far Wolfe Blitzer will be the moderator.
I'm still watching the debate (almost over), but one thing is crystal clear….Carly Fiorina understands foreign policy and effective solutions better than any other republican candidate. Fiorina is capable of making mincemeat out of Hillary better than anyone on the campaign. She wasn't given equal time in the debate but what time she had she used wisely. Bush and Trump fought like children. …looked really unprofessional. Bush did better this time than last debate but still is just too weak for a presidency. Rand Paul needs to go. Kasich needs to go. Carson needs to go. Bush needs to go. They just don't match up to Fiorina, Cruz, Rubio, Christie, and Trump. Trump lost points with me tonight because he lost a little control with Bush, fed his ego a few times which I'm tired of, and didn't move me much. He did confirm that he will stay with the Rep. party and will not go independent no matter what. Rubio and Cruz argued a lot between one another but between the two they ended up 50/50 in my opinion…no winner there between them unless I missed something. They were both strong throughout the debate. Winners in my opinion were Fiorina, Cruz, and Rubio….equally. The debate was good…lots of policy and solutions discussed.
Here's my opinion of tonight's debate. 1. Rand Paul did very well, but I still wouldn't vote for him. 2. Carly Fiorina did okay, but no better than she usually does so I don't see a big bump for her. 3. Jeb Bush was awake, but he's still a progressive dweeb and I wouldn't bother voting if he were my only choice. 4. Donald Trump did horribly. If Ted Cruz had done better, he might pick up some percentage points from Trump. 5. Ben Carson did even worse than Trump, giving me the impression that he might have erred and done surgery on himself recently. 6. Chris Christie seemed like he was about to punch someone, or cry. Maybe the public will see that as a positive response. 7. No one else really stands out. I have already forgotten anything that Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio might have said, and I like Ted Cruz. If anyone else was there, I didn't notice them. For this debate, I'd give it to: Rand Paul Carly Fiorina But I don't think either of them did well enough to make them contenders. Keep in mind that I listened to the debates on the radio rather than watching it on television. If you remember the Nixon-Kennedy debate, those who heard it on the radio thought Nixon had won, but those who watched it on television saw Kennedy as the clear winner.
Good assessment Ken and penned with a little humor. We can all use a smile at this point I also agree with everything except Rand Paul. I don't know…he's just ho hum I think because he sides with Hillary and Obama too much making him appear to be more of a "politics as usual" candidate than the others. I think Hillary would overpower him in a debate. Christie and Rand Paul went head to head about " would you shoot down a Russian plane that flies through a no-fly zone in Syrian airspace.". Christie boldly said a no-fly zone means a no-fly zone. Paul said it might start a WWIII and would be reckless to shoot down Russian planes then took an uncalled for and off-topic jab at him in Christie's past (Brooklyn bridge closing). Christie didn't take that bait, didn't back down, and had a good comeback, "I’ll tell you what reckless is; the reckless people are the folks in the White House right now. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are the reckless people, and if you think a no-fly zone is a reckless policy, you’re welcome to your opinion, but how’s it working so far?” It's a dilemma but Christie came across stronger and more fearless and that's what appeals to the voters of today. I see that after the debate, the media never even talked about Fiorina. The only problem she has, and it's a big one, is her sour-grapes personality. She even admitted in last night's debate that she always rises to the top while everyone calls her a "bitch".