[internetworkers] The Local Gov't Fair Competition Act.
Andrew C. Oliver
acoliver at buni.org
Wed Jul 18 13:17:43 EDT 2007
Childers.Paula at epamail.epa.gov wrote:
>
> In fact, I appreciate that you don't have the exact same viewpoint as
> the Standard INW Flaming Liberal. And although I don't necessarily agree
> with everything you say, I think you might be surprised to see how much
> I would agree with you on certain specific issues.
I'm not sure the majority of the people on here actually fit the
"Flaming Liberal" label. Certainly some do. I think the "red
state/blue state" "conservative/liberal" categorization is nearly
useless and inadequate. I always show up in the libertarian quadrant of
most political spectrum tests but since having kids....I show up
increasingly near the center. Even that misses the nuances of my actual
opinions. I think even the "Statistical" "majority" is more nuanced
than they're given credit for. Take any divisive issue like abortion
and you'll find that most people aren't served by either "side". Part
of the problem is that the "spoils system" and our particular form of
representative democracy nearly guarantees a two party system.
Traditionally this lead mostly to a left of center party and a right of
center party but both parties were pretty firmly grounded in the center.
A supposed majority (according to Time magazine) of Americans don't
trust the government to regulate abortion so far as to make it illegal
(indeed the extreme as found in Ireland
http://linuxintegrators.com/acoliver/blog/2007/05/10/x-0314.html) but
would like them to occur more rarely. Such a nuanced position, for
instance, isn't presently covered by either party.
I get the longing of some for a "third party" but our system doesn't
really allow for one. Parliaments allow for a healthy "green party"
which forms a coalition with various other parties to create a strong
majority. However, in our system if you voted for the losing candidate
-- you get nothing really. I think throwing out labels like "flaming
liberal" really isn't helpful and frankly a little childish (to use my
own label ironically). Granted I say that a little less cleverly than
MC did.
-Andy
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