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JO says there isn't any more spirited debate on the forums.

Here's something that may start debate.


I'm reading a book right now. It is titled Hidden Empire and is by Orson Scott Card. Here are the first two paragraphs of the book:

"This is a dangerous planet. Only a politician would try to tell you otherwise. And I'm not talking about wars -we're America, and we win our wars. There are earthquakes, storms, volcanoes. Plagues can appear out of nowhere and slaughter millions of people. Blights can wipe out our crops. A meteor the six of a bus could hit the earth and send us back to the Stone Age. An extraordinary solar flare could destroy our electronics or heat our atmosphere so much our crops all die and we starve."

"And whom do we put in charge of helping us prepare to cope with such disasters? People whose only talent is for getting elected, and whose entire future consists of the run-up to the next election. It's not their fault - anybody who doesn't think and act that way won't win. It's the fundamental problem of democracy. No long range thinking. So we're just sitting-ducks, waiting for the next disaster."

Agree? Disagree? Debate?

Quote: Jalapenoman

JO says there isn't any more spirited debate on the forums.

Here's something that may start debate.


I'm reading a book right now. It is titled Hidden Empire and is by Orson Scott Card. Here are the first two paragraphs of the book:

This is a dangerous planet. (agree)

Only a politician would try to tell you otherwise. (disagree)

And I'm not talking about wars -we're America, and we win our wars. ("Mission Accomplished" - yeah, right)

There are earthquakes, storms, volcanoes. (agree, and global warming adds to effects of the last two)

Plagues can appear out of nowhere and slaughter millions of people. Blights can wipe out our crops. (agree, and politics hampers both relief and preparation for these events)

A meteor the six of a bus could hit the earth and send us back to the Stone Age. (agree, or an alien civilization could wipe us off the galactic map)

An extraordinary solar flare could destroy our electronics or heat our atmosphere so much our crops all die and we starve. (agree, though the first is considerably more likely to occur within our lifetimes)

"And whom do we put in charge of helping us prepare to cope with such disasters? People whose only talent is for getting elected, and whose entire future consists of the run-up to the next election. It's not their fault - anybody who doesn't think and act that way won't win. (agree to all of this)

It's the fundamental problem of democracy. No long range thinking. (disagree - the problem with democracy is that ten fools have more voting power than nine people with sense)

So we're just sitting-ducks, waiting for the next disaster. (agree... as long as that's your attitude)

The job of a politician is to get elected.

Anything else is a side-effect.

Everything they do, with the exception of extra-marital affairs and expenses scandals, is to achieve the aim of getting in to power and staying there.

Iain

Sorry JP, missed this one!

The last book I read was Thomas The Tank Engine to my youngest!

As for politicians, never voted, never will and agree with

Iain.B.

Sorry did vote once: for the

"LOONY RAVING ANTI-POLITICAL PARTY OF SOUTH SHROPSHIRE SERVING CROP CIRCLERS AND TAILLESS DOGS CALLED X-MAN!"

(SORRY BIT CRYPTICAL THERE BUT IF YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT A BEST BOTTLE OF CABERNET IS WINGING ITS WAY OVER TO TEXAS!)

BTW, we didn't win!

Reading New World Order wanna join?