This is how it works nowadays.

[billyskank]

First, you choose the biggest idiot you can find for you candidate. Then you have automatically 'won' the debates, because there is nothing your opponent can do:

1. If your opponent tries their best and hopelessly outclasses you, they'll be an elitist out of touch with the lives of ordinary Americans.

2. If your opponent pulls their punches, they'll be condescending and arrogant (because they're an elitist out of touch with the lives of ordinary Americans).

As a bonus feature, if you select a blithering idiot for your candidate, you'll go into the debate with the bar set low. If you can do anything more than grin and drool, you'll have exceeded expectations and will be declared to have 'won'.

[supernova]

1. By jove, I do believe you've got it!

:hi:

[billyskank]

2. And it will continue to work until the electorate gets serious

and starts treating elections like they'd treat an interview for a job applicant. Would you choose the candidate to hire based on how they look and whether they seem like the kind of person you'd like to have a beer with? Maybe some employers would; I'd wager too those are the businesses that don't do very well. Or would you ignore all that shit and hire the person who was best qualified for the job?

When people start treating elections the same way, only then will all this shit stop working for the GOP.

:hi:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. aaarrrrrgghhhh ...

[billyskank]

4. Does that mean I'm right?

;)

[BarenakedLady]

5. You betcha

;)

[billyskank]

6. They should select me!

I'd be awesome. :D

[billyskank]

19. Ah, I only just got ya.

See, bit slow over here. :dunce:

[ghostsofgiants]

7. American politics are depressing.

x(

[billyskank]

8. To be fair, so is my country's

although in different ways.

[ghostsofgiants]

9. True.

But I would assume the UK's political culture, much like Canada's, is on par with a very special episode of Blossom in depressingness compared to the Requiem For A Dream depresingness that is the United States' political culture.

[billyskank]

10. The level of discourse is better

We don't fight over cultural issues as much, and unsophistication isn't elevated to the level of virtue like it is in US elections. But while the level of *discourse* is better, the actual level of *debate* is very low. All parties have coalesced around the same set of beliefs, Chicago-school neo-liberal economics, and the only real disagreement is over which party should be in power to carry them out.

[ghostsofgiants]

11. Ugh, yeah, that's pretty bad.

From what little I know about politics over there, I do know that the Labour party has dove dick first into neoliberalism. I don't think it's QUITE that bad here, we've got a few parties that are definitely to the left (NDP and Bloc Quebecois, primarily) of the Chicago school, far more Keynsian and social democratic. Granted the two neoliberal parties, the Conervatives and Liberals are the ones always at the top of the heap. It'd be nice to have more left wing representation in the house though.

But through all of that, Canadian political culture ahs never made me stop and say "What the fuck is wrong with this country?!"

[billyskank]

12. I ask that of my country often.

Mostly because the British political elite seem to look to America for most of their ideas. There are a great many people here who think that the solution to all our problems is to become more like the Americans.

To which my only reply is, are you mad? :wtf:

[ghostsofgiants]

13. Yeah. Our prime minister is definitely that type.

Not sure the other leaders are quite so keen on the American way though.

[billyskank]

15. I don't think the American way is even good for the Americans.

I think it makes even less sense for us.

[Mutley]

14. Don't remind me.

:(

[billyskank]

16. Awwww.

How does it feel to be way too qualified to be the Veep?

:hug:

[Mutley]

17. Unfortunatley

I did inhale. :P

:hug:

[billyskank]

18. Yes.

And what's more, I liked it! :evilgrin:

:D

[Mutley]

20. Me too!

:blush:

or

:evilgrin:

Or, whatever is appropriate. :D

[billyskank]

21. This one is.

:smoke:

:*

[Mutley]

22. I knew you could help.

What were we talking about, now?


:P

[fizzgig]

23. i think they're counting on us to have low expectations

given what the last eight years have looked like :puke:

i've got a few choice words for those assholes, but none of them would be appropriate to post here

[billyskank]

24. Yes, Bush has redefined what people expect from a president.

:(


:hug:

[fizzgig]

26. i wouldn't drink a beer with that jagoff

i'd just puke it back up as soon as it went down

[Jamastiene]

25. Wow, you nailed it.

That's exactly how it has been going. :silly:

[billyskank]

27. Sadly.

I don't know how to counter it. If the electorate will indulge themselves in this way, I'm not sure you can do anything about it.

:hi:

[panhead1961]

28. Well now Im from Main street I dont knoe much about your fancy words ARGGGGGHHH

What the would Wall street be without the GREED?

[billyskank]

29. Greed is Not Good.

Funny, all those people calling themselves Christians. I thought greed was one of seven deadly sins?

May be that religion got something right at least. :shrug: