Continuing Stargate

[Jeffala]

He was what, 15 in 2003? What's the year in-universe now? 2015? He's in his mid-20s? I bet he was running or at least in a resistence cell.

[s09119]

He was what, 15 in 2003? What's the year in-universe now? 2015? He's in his mid-20s? I bet he was running or at least in a resistence cell.

Probably. I can't see someone with Jack O'Neill's brain just sitting around during the occupation.

[Crazy Tom]

He was what, 15 in 2003? What's the year in-universe now? 2015? He's in his mid-20s? I bet he was running or at least in a resistence cell.

It doesn't even have to be a big plot line, just a one time thing, where they accidentally bump into him at the ISGC or something. Imagine the shock value...

[thekillman]

interesting: they bump into someone who looks a lot like him. they're not sure if he's him. the guy does act like him. but there's injury, from an explosion, or so, and they're not entirely sure, the guy changed. the team wonders if he's him, and that's just some minor plot point.

[Jeffala]

I bet he's dead. Died destroying a Der'kal facility of some sort. Got trapped by a patrol and couldn't reach safe distance.

[s09119]

As an update, I have a research paper on global democratization due Thursday, so this next episode may not be out until the end of the week. I'll work on it when I can, but my paper has to come first.

[Jeffala]

Any space in the paper for discussing how the American Republic model places too much power in the hands of the Executive and is thus not the best option for developing democracies (explaining why many use the British Parliamentary system instead)?

[s09119]

Any space in the paper for discussing how the American Republic model places too much power in the hands of the Executive and is thus not the best option for developing democracies (explaining why many use the British Parliamentary system instead)?

The Presidential system also puts more power in the hands of the voter, however, as we directly (electoral college notwithstanding) choose our executive. I much prefer that to a Parliamentary system which lets the ruling party control the legislature and executive at their whim.

That said, I do like the Proportional Representation system more than the US/UK Single-member District system.

[Aewon]

However, people can only choose between two candidates. Personally, I don't vote because I've made an oath not to vote until I can vote for someone with the strength to control the bureaucrats, but still, I prefer having a few more choices. Besides, contrary to popular belief, it's not really the voters who are the power in a democracy (a president-candidate can lie/not keep his promises and four years later the masses will have forgotten that), but the bureaucrats.

[s09119]

However, people can only choose between two candidates. Personally, I don't vote because I've made an oath not to vote until I can vote for someone with the strength to control the bureaucrats, but still, I prefer having a few more choices. Besides, contrary to popular belief, it's not really the voters who are the power in a democracy (a president-candidate can lie/not keep his promises and four years later the masses will have forgotten that), but the bureaucrats.

Whether or not the presidential candidate lies, the people are still the ones who choose the person sitting in the executive office. Bureaucrats (I hate trying to spell that word) are a problem in just about every country regardless of the system anyway, and as for not voting, it's like my dad always used to remind me: if you don't vote in the election, you don't have the right to complain later.

[Aragon101]

Whether or not the presidential candidate lies, the people are still the ones who choose the person sitting in the executive office. Bureaucrats (I hate trying to spell that word) are a problem in just about every country regardless of the system anyway, and as for not voting, it's like my dad always used to remind me: if you don't vote in the election, you don't have the right to complain later.

Just to be annoying, that's not logically true.

If you didn't vote, then you had no part in electing the person up there, if you had no part in putting them up there, then logically speaking you can complain.

If you DID vote to put that person up there, then it IS your fault and you have no right to complain

(Yes i'm paraphrasing George Carlin but the man was a genius!)

[Jeffala]

I think that for most people, that phrase, (if you didn't vote...) is missing two words at the end: "to me". You don't have the right to complain to me. "I don't want to hear your bellyaching if you didn't vote for or against so-and-so. You had a chance to have your voice heard and didn't take it so shut up when you're around me."



PS: I have trouble with bureaucracy, too--especially when I stop to think about it.

[AVFan]

Just to be annoying, that's not logically true.

If you didn't vote, then you had no part in electing the person up there, if you had no part in putting them up there, then logically speaking you can complain.

If you DID vote to put that person up there, then it IS your fault and you have no right to complain

(Yes i'm paraphrasing George Carlin but the man was a genius!)

I don't think that's completely correct either, IMO. If you voted against the candidate you dislike, and they still got into office, then you can complain all you want. However, if you voted FOR the candidate and they get into office, then you have no right to complain about them whatsoever.

And I don't see the logic in the first statement. You can't complain if you didn't even TRY to get your candidate into office. I agree with Jeffala's post on this- when you're by yourself an no one can hear you, complain all you want lol.

[s09119]

I don't think that's completely correct either, IMO. If you voted against the candidate you dislike, and they still got into office, then you can complain all you want. However, if you voted FOR the candidate and they get into office, then you have no right to complain about them whatsoever.

And I don't see the logic in the first statement. You can't complain if you didn't even TRY to get your candidate into office. I agree with Jeffala's post on this- when you're by yourself an no one can hear you, complain all you want lol.

That's really the point of it. If you didn't go out and vote, you made no effort to change how things are happening, and therefore you complaining about how things are is something that comes across as hollow. In the end, I think how many people in the West don't bother to vote is appalling, especially when you look at the developing world. Countries just seeing democratization now have people risk their lives to have their say, and I think those of us used to having the right need to reevaluate why they seem so much more committed to democracy than we seem to be.

[Steelbox]

and I think those of us used to having the right need to reevaluate why they seem so much more committed to democracy than we seem to be.

Mainly because in most of this places voting is mandatory, not unlike USA as far as i know, where if you don't want to you don't need to.