bexrbetter

US Politics for Dummies Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq? A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction honey. Q: But the inspectors didn’t find any weapons of mass destruction. A: That’s because the Iraqis were hiding them. Q: And that’s why we invaded Iraq? A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections. Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn’t find any weapons of mass destruction, did we? A: That’s because the weapons are so well hidden. Don’t worry, we’ll find something, probably right before the 2004 election. Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction? A: To use them in a war, silly. Q: I’m confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn’t they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them? A: Well, obviously they didn’t want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves. Q: That doesn’t make sense Daddy. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons to fight us back with? A: It’s a different culture. It’s not supposed to make sense. Q: I don’t know about you, but I don’t think they had any of those weapons our government said they did. A: Well, you know, it doesn’t matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway. Q: And what was that? A: Even if Iraq didn’t have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country. Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country? A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people. Q: Kind of like what they do in China? A: Don’t go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer. Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American corporate gain, it’s a good country, even if that country tortures people? A: Right. Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured? A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured. Q: Isn’t that exactly what happens in China? A: I told you, China is different. Q: What’s the difference between China and Iraq? A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba’ath party, while China is Communist. Q: Didn’t you once tell me Communists were bad? A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad. Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad? A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured. Q: Like in Iraq? A: Exactly. Q: And like in China, too? A: I told you, China’s a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not. Q: How come Cuba isn’t a good economic competitor? A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being Communists and started being capitalists like us. Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn’t that help the Cubans become capitalists? A: Don’t be a smart-ass. Q: I didn’t think I was being one. A: Well, anyway, they also don’t have freedom of religion in Cuba. Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement? A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he’s not really a legitimate leader anyway. Q: What’s a military coup? A: That’s when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States. Q: Didn’t the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup? A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend. Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate? A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate. Q: Didn’t you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader? A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan. Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan? A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th. Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th? A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men? Fifteen of them Saudi Arabians? hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans. Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that? A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban. Q: Aren’t the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people’s heads and hands? A: Yes, that’s exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people’s heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too. Q: Didn’t the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001? A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs. Q: Fighting drugs? A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies. Q: How did they do such a good job? A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off. Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people’s heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people’s heads and hands off for other reasons? A: Yes. It’s OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people’s hands for growing flowers, but it’s cruel if they cut off people’s hands for stealing bread. Q: Don’t they also cut off people’s hands and heads in Saudi Arabia? A: That’s different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply. Q: Don’t Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too? A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering. Q: What’s the difference? A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman’s body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman’s body except for her eyes and fingers. Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name. A: Now, don’t go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends. Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia. A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan. Q: Who trained them? A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden. Q: Was he from Afghanistan? A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man. Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once. A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s. Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about? A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now. Q: So the Soviets ? I mean, the Russians ? are now our friends? A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we’re mad at them now. We’re also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn’t help us invade Iraq either. Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too? A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast. Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn’t do what we want them to do? A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade. Q: But wasn’t Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s? A: Well, yeah. For a while. Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then? A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily. Q: Why did that make him our friend? A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy. Q: Isn’t that when he gassed the Kurds? A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend. Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend? A: Most of the time, yes. Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy? A: Sometimes that’s true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better. Q: Why? A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America’s side, anyone who opposes war is a godless un-American Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq? Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right? A: Yes. Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq? A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do. Q: So basically, what you’re saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head? A. Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night. Q: Good night, Daddy.

Yeah, nah ....... but you stay in denial while enjoying all that Governments and Corporations can offer, more than most. http://www.scotthendry.com/saving%20democracy.htm

Having Government put in charge based on what will least offend the majority rather than what the majority want is not democracy. It may be a safer system than some others leaning towards Socialism, but who cares when the "safer choice" Government gets into power and finds they can't get their major policies through the Senate anyway. Try explaining our Preference system to a Foreigner one day ... three or four times. ... and what a joke 3 year terms are, first year spent telling the public what a mess the previous Party left, one year of running the country while fighting the Opposition like high school children and the 3rd year trying to get themselves re-elected - usually with a Leadership challenge. What a system.

Sure, basically the same as your local sporting club but obviously it's the Communist Party of China (CPC). Every Village has a branch, every City has multiple branches depending on divisions and size of course. You are free to be a member of the CPC or not. If not you can't vote. Note that there are clear and defined faction Parties within the CPC as well. Each year, each local branch has elections choosing from 5 Candidates. There are 4 rounds of votes, the person with the lowest count is eliminated each time and the vote restarts til the last 2 and a majority winner. The throughout the year, local issues are discussed and voted upon, the local Head Official takes those results to the City meeting for discussions and votes on the same and larger issues. And so it goes on, the City Heads then go to District discussions and vote, District go to Provincial and of course, all finally to the Annual National Congress to vote on matters and law changes. Totals about 3000 Officials from about 40 Provinces and Minority groups and other entities. Congress runs for 2 weeks and is televised live on TV the entire time - and quite popular with the public. China is democratically guided from the bottom up, how else do you know what is going on with 1.3 billion people and keep them happy.

Sadly in Oz one person has one vote and must vote - while some think that's fair, think of all those who vote because they vote thinking they will get more dole or the single woman who will get more money for her 6th child or for lower rego on V8's, etc. - yes, a previous 15 years living in Logan has tainted me. Sadly the votes are not distributed fairly for the improvement of the country and Governments get into power often on ridiculous mandates. Adopting the American vote where it's a choice to vote or not, or the Chinese system which is truly democratic, would see improvements.

Australian IS NOT A DEMOCRACY and your statement is contradictory you hammer and sickle wielding Socialist Commo you. I guess you carry a picture of Carl Marx in your wallet. One of the catch 22's is the system gets better and you guys get more power to complain about the system that gives you more power to complain about it. Not what I said, but now that you've said it, yes, that's not the worst thing that can be in place for a system and moderately has a place for our system. It's not without reason that a person with considerable and successful business, accounting and accountability experience would and should have more say in how a country is run than Steve who left school at 15 and lays bathroom tiles. The Simpsons episode of "Homer's Car" is an excellent analogy of this - and indicative of what would happen if the Green's got into power

You flood the forum with this but what's your point exactly? Does it ever go past your mind for a fleeting moment that some people, even rich Corporate Bosses, give money genuinely because that's the Party they want to win, or sometimes to make sure the other Party doesn't, purely from caring about the best interests for their country? And please note that I have just put a load of clothes into the washing machine and sitting here giving praise to the Lord O Corporation that I don't have to go down to the river with a washing board like Great, Great Grandma did 100 years ago ... ................. but what have the Romans ever done for us!

A recent survey said that 18 out of every 20 people are terrible at math and the other 3 had only reasonable comprehension.

This can be an emotive topic, I think these weeks will see a lot of frustration from members close to Maj so I for one will drop all emotive topics for the time being.

Yup, sums it up, exactly my point thank you. I'm far from a Abbott supporter btw, but I am anti- ignorance. Supporting spending a billion on green tech without fully supported facts and no challenge to the plan is bollshot at it's most ignorant finest. There has not been unsupported spending in the history of not just Australia, but the whole World based on and for the popular vote. Abbott stopped the wild spending in order to actually investigate and get some balance into it all and got crucified for it. Many Australians could give less a toss about anything to do with policies and actual knowledge of how a country actually works and hence we got popular clowns like Hawke for 3 terms whereas Keating was far smarter but hated more than even Abbott. The Australian economy is going down badly at present, well below estimates and of real concern and policies such as marriage equality are NOT front line issues in this economic climate, Corps/large Companies supposedly underpaying tax are just some of many examples of how the Greens need a reality check and how they grovel for dirty grubby votes by way of social guilt tactics. "Oh you're against marriage equality then you must hate gays you bigot". "Oh you don't think Companies should pay more tax, then you're a grub against the common working man who pays his taxes". "Oh you don't believe in climate change (as presented) then you don't care about our beautiful earth you ignorant denier" blag blah ...... I keep asking Jacqui Lambie "Who's going to pay for it" on Facebook to met with a bunch of ignorant dumb idealists who jump in in defense who also find in very short time that they are no match for economic facts - heard the ALP skite about all green tech by 2050 recently, no because from the moment they announced it, the real economic facts were thrust in their faces including from their own members. If they can't budget it even close with all their economic experience, money and talent, as the Libs knew they couldn't either, then the Greens certainly haven't got a hope. Turnbull is a nice guy, well the Libs unchanged policies must be much better now then - FGS. No he wasn't, he understood what science is, most Australians don't understand what science is, that's the problem. We have another thread about climate change, no need for it here, but I do have a bit of news to post there .... it's real science too but the "Climate Hysterics" aren't going to like it, but that's science for you.

I could not disagree more. Abbott pulled money out of unproven programs as well as installing, at miniscule cost, an opposing study to give balance. In any sense of the meaning of the word, that is science. The moment that you pre-determine an outcome, that's when science stops and that is the major failing of the pro argument that has it's own thread. Abbott's biggest fault that he was courageous to run the country without first consulting all the morons on Facebook, meanwhile Turnbull is now hugely popular albeit runs exactly the same Government without any policy change, that's how stupid the Australian public are.

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Some people you just hope are suicide bombers.

So, you haven't ever been on Facebook then ....

Myself and others have clearly posted in favour of Christian moral, and others along the line of men ("and woman", to quote Eric Idle) would have eventually gotten to similar values without the Church anyway. It's all the rest of the irrelevant, and clearly outdated, not to mention specific to the region, carried over nonsense from the Bible that's carried on about that annoys logical, sane people, and scott me boggered why anyone would devote their every waking moment to it, that is bizzare and patently insane by any medical standard. I won't mention the 10% tax. Why, there's plenty of control over it in Australia, the only trouble comes about when obsessed believers try to push unrealistic, illogical, often non-scientific, and niave views based in their beliefs.

Love 'em, my kids grew up with lizards, frogs and snakes as pets. Our bearded dragon lived freely roaming our loungeroom every night for 10 years or so, would sit on your lap dead still enjoying the heat until he spotted one of the kids with his mealy worms and would go crazy. One time one of our snakes got out of his enclosure, turned up 3 months later coming out of the hall closet, he was hungry.

The word is misused very badly besides used as a weapon for ignorants who can't form a sentence, one of the modern "Power Words", probably only second to "Terrorists". It's biggest misuse is when it is, incorrectly, aimed at xenophobic comments.

My Swedish mate Klaus came to live in China about 7 years ago and we had the discussion where upon he was nothing but praise for the incoming Mulims and the glory of multiculturalism it bought with it to Sweden. His Left'ish sprouting gave me a surprise even, I thought he was about middle road, pretty easy going either way. Roll forward to last year, late 2014, when he moved back home and early this year came back and lived with us for a couple of weeks while finalising the last details of his house sale .... I could not repeat the words here but in summary "Stockholm is absolutely !*#^'ed."

Saw an Oshkosh once with a broken Kenworth on it's back - you don't realise how big they are til you see that perspective.

I love true Democracy, I love China, the Democracy here is awesome, Australia's Socialism not so much, if fact Australia is rather down the bottom of the list when it comes to Democracy. Oh wait, I forgot, you can vote for 1 of 2 Parties every 3 years, well that's Democracy if I ever saw it. Rather ironic though coming from someone personally bound by a set of ancient rules Governed by a tiered, autocratic system. Your friend was in prison for breaking the law no doubt, let me guess, preaching/missionary work? or maybe spouting his mouth off in one form or another? I bet I don't end up in Prison when I go there, I will merely respect their culture and laws, when in Rome .... You remind me of these people, true Racists, like yourself, imagine having the incredible privilege of being able to transverse a closed country, but only offered constant condescension while being ignorant and totally oblivious to the culture. What peeves me is the damage they have likely done to future people requesting similar travels.

This will confuse everybody, what a head spin ....

Mark Twain ..... “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

Starfish, wouldn't bother.

Worth the watch, explains a number of things about Paris ...

I did not say "containment", I said segregation, as in everybody simply being in their countries minding their own business as was previously. If America started minding it's own business and stopped being Israel's lacky, well that would be a good start. I have no problems with Moslems, the problems arise from false and forced integration of different cultures that blatantly doesn't work in some cases. The integration of Italians and Greeks has been fantastic for Australian culture, other cultures that isolate themselves and demand special treatment, not so much.