Political philosophy

<<M-TV released a poll yesterday indicating that 25% of viewers between the ages of 18 and 25 could not name the Republican and Democratic candidates for the Presidency.>>

That doesn't really cause any harm, because a lot more than 25% of them don't vote, either. Those who are informated enough to want to vote do so, and those who clueless don't.

<<"almost certainly"? Not in my experience. I was (and still am) a Reform supporter from a very early age, whereas my parents were Liberal supporters (and still are, to my knowledge).>>

But did you really understand the issues then? You may have been precocious, but most children would either a) vote for whoever their parents told them to vote for or b) vote for the exact opposite.

<<So, in light of all this, why must a testing system be corruption-proof, if the system it would serve is not? >>

I would suggest that our governemnt, while certainly not entirely corruption-proof, is at least able to function if everyone involved in it is corrupt. It is set up in such a way that it is in politicians' best interests to serve the public and to point on the wrongdoings of their opponents, since these are the best ways to get elected.

Even if the current system is not perfect, that is still not an excuse to create a corrupt testing system!

"But did you really understand the issues then?"

Most undoubtedly. My positions on a few issues have changed, but I did have a basic understanding of them.

And no, I wasn't precocious. I was INFORMED.

"I would suggest that our governemnt"

Whose? Yours or mine?

Because there are significant differences between the situations that the American and Canadian governments are locked into... If you want me to go there, I just might, but beware... I'll hit on rampant First and Second Amendment violations, the two-party system, and a government that holds national sovreignty in the U.S., and financial abuse on a gargantuan scale (think HRDC) and a nonsensical judicial system in Canada.

(If you didn't figure out that I was in Canada, you should have paid attention to the capital-L Liberal party that I told you my parents supported) (... and according to your profile, you're in Ohio)

"while certainly not entirely corruption-proof"

Understatement of the CENTURY...

"is at least able to function if everyone involved in it is corrupt"

If this ever happened, I honestly believe that the government would immediately crumble (yours and mine). There's no way it could survive.

"Even if the current system is not perfect, that is still not an excuse to create a corrupt testing system!"

But because the current system is not perfect, there is no excuse in refusing to create a system unless it is incorruptible.

[BeardofPants]

Man! Old thread. Ah well. At least I used the search function.

Political Compass.

I'm a left-wing anarchist.

[afro-elf]

it seems that i'm a libertarian/anarch that is "JUST" left of center

[BeardofPants]

I'm a bit more extreme than you then. I'm the same, but further out. -7/-6

[emplynx]

CONSERVATIVE 4 LIFE! Really I am 4 life, this abortion stuff needs so stop. I am generally very republican, but I can vary occasionally.

[BeardofPants]

this abortion stuff needs so stop.

Remind me to hire some thugs to come along, rape you, impregnate you, and give you aids, m'kay?

How dare you presume to judge for all women the world over. I daresay you couldn't even begin to imagine what she's going through in the first place to make such a hard decision to get rid of her baby. You think having an abortion is a picnic or something? That the women wake up and think, "yes! abortion today! yay!"

Geez.

[Lizra]

Abortion should be allowed for rape, why don't young women use birth control so they don't have to kill their babies?

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Lizra
Abortion should be allowed for rape, why don't young women use birth control so they don't have to kill their babies?

Well, duh. Because even birthcontrol sometimes fails.

[Lizra]

Well Duh, not very often. No , That's not a good enough answer. It's a personal decision at this time, I would never kill a baby. Birth control is just too easy. It's a no-brainer really. I wish it was promoted more, it should be free too. The depra provera shot is a simple way to keep from ever having to kill your own baby, shudder!!

[afro-elf]

not very often

that's just a #. you could say they fail 1% of the time however depending on the population that could be a "HUGE" number

[Lizra]

I'd like to believe that the only abortions performed are because of failed birth control. Sadly, I know that's not true.

[azalea]

I am conservative on some issues and liberal on others. I tend to vote for independants or third party candidates, because both of our major parties are for sale to anyone who can afford them.

I am very anti-abortion. I think that if birth control fails, people should take responsibility and either become parents to that baby or put it up for adoption. There are so many people in this country who would love to adopt a baby. I think it's wrong to classify a baby as a "mistake" and kill it because it's "inconvenient" for them. I am all for population control, but it should be done through abstinence or consistant birth control.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by azalea
I am very anti-abortion. I think that if birth control fails, people should take responsibility and either become parents to that baby or put it up for adoption. There are so many people in this country who would love to adopt a baby. I think it's wrong to classify a baby as a "mistake" and kill it because it's "inconvenient" for them.

To each his own. However, I would not like to take somebodies right to choose away from them.

Birth control DOES fail. And as A-E said, it can have a huge impact, that 1% on the total of the worlds population.

And yes, that is but a small percentage of the reason why abortions are performed; but as I said earlier, it's a tough decision to make, and not one to be taken lightly. The sheer fact that the woman/girl is there getting it done in the first place is reason enough that she withstood the proceedures and the decision making. It's not an easy choice to make!

Adoption. For some it is the answer. For others it is not. My half brother was adopted out because my mother was under-age, and her parents wouldn't let him keep him. Guess what? His adoptive dad sexually abused him. Yeah... great solution.

[Wayfarer]

All authority should be questioned.

Who are these people to tell me I should question authority?

That test says I'm a moderate liberal. Or something.

Heck. I'm only a liberal in the pre-1960's sense of the word. The liberal culture of today makes me nauseous.

Anyway- Birth control? I read a statistic sheet on that once, I think condoms fail %% of the time (the hightest) and tubal ligation fails like .001% of the time.

In any case, THis is a big result of the 'meme' instant gratification, no risk school of thought (at least in america). These are the same sort of people who become outraged when a handful of volunteer soldiers die in a just war.

The idea that we should be able to do whatever we want, with no consequences, is pervasive. I.E. 'I was stupid, got drunk, and now I'm pregnant. Somebody bail me out!'

However, I would not like to take somebodies right to choose away from them.

To choose what? I assume, if a young woman is pregnant, that she's already made a number of choices- she chose to get screwed, or perhaps to get drunk, or whatever. But she's already made her choice, and I think she should be stuck with the consequences. We should not and cannot delete and invalidate human life based on what is convenient for us. Such thinking can and will lead to another hitler, or stalin, or mao. And this time, the majority will be on his (her?) side.

In my humble opinion, people should excercise a little judgement. If you're going to insist on sleeping around, be prepared to deal with the consequences. Better yet, do something to prevent them. Surgical sterilization or ovulation inhibitors come to mind.

The issue of rape is more difficult, but do we seriously want to consider destroying human life based on it's ancestry? We rightly condemn predjudice against a myriad of people- can we with good concience say that the offspring of a rape has less right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness than one resulting from purposful fertilization?

My biggest problem is that this self-senteredness leads to a complete disregard for others. You don't want a kid? Take an early-term infanticide. Or maybe a late term infanticide. Or have a doctor cut it up and remove it. Or stuff it into a plastic sack when it's born. Go ahead, shoot, drown, or suffocate your toddler.

My slippery slope argument not convincing you? I found a rather interesting (or disturbing) back Article by john leo, one of my favorite columnists. Appearently, certain Pro-Abortion lobbyists oppose(d) legislation saying, in effect, that a newborn baby was in fact a living human being wich as much right to protection as you or I.

As a last point, like azlea said, there are thousands of families looking to adopt children. Some of my best friends were put up for adoption because the mother didn't want them. What would you say to them?

[emplynx]

I think rape is a tough issue. But just because you didn't choose to have a human growing inside of you, doesn't mean you should have to choice to brutally distroy the living human inside of you. Isn't that worse than committing rape?

[Wayfarer]

I ask this again:

In a country that makes as much effort as America to avoid prejudice, is it conscienable to say that the offspring of a rape has less right to live than the offspring of any other union?

[emplynx]

I challange all of you all pro-choice people to look at this partial birth abortion picture.
http://www.tidalweb.com/life/photo.htm

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by emplynx
I challange all of you all pro-choice people to look at this partial birth abortion picture.

Emplynx, do you think that picture is suitable for the younger people of entmoot?

And that is obviously a foetus that is further along in the term. In NZ that is only allowed under extreme conditions, ie, endangerment to the mother. All terminations have to done at 3 months along, if at all possible, when it is no larger than a jellybean.

[Wayfarer]

Callous and hard-hearted as I am. That pic remind me of Gollum, speaking of whom...

'Many live that deserve death, and some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them?"

Does anyone really think that we should go around dealing out life and death?