International Politics Thread

[maturin 12]

Yeah, enough with the dumbass populism.

Term limits are fine and dandy, except when you get someone who is actually good at the job and then has to arbitrarily shuffle somewhere else with his or her policies half-implemented and promptly derailed by the successor. Career politicians will be career politicians and terms limits will just be another disruptive limit to be subverted and made part of gaming the system.

Holding public figures to angelic standards of morals creates a distracting atmosphere of scandal focused on the superlatives while ignoring systemic corruption. If you limit possibilities for graft in office, they will just set up golden parachutes after leaving office and become part of cozy, wealthy feedback loops with officeholders.

[Whiskey_Tango 10]

Another reason that won't work is because they can always be paid to do corrupt things beforehand or sign a contract stating that they will be paid for something after they have done it and retired. You can't really force them to not have incomes when they quit office. That isn't fair and would likely lead to bad things.

police are held to similiar standards as i have mentioned

[Baff1 0]

None of this can be controlled, it can all be circumvented - see UK's expenses scandal, happening right in front of everyone's noses.

If you really want to effectively stop corruption, then you need to follow the age-old "trick": Hang the bastards! Then follow this with a rule, stating

a) Anyone wishing to "do" politics must have at least 15years of work experience

b) You may not spend more than 2 terms in any political office (whether that's local councillor or Prime Minister or whatever)

There you go, this way you stop people from being 'politicians' as a 'profession'.

How do you administer it? I dunno, but it's a good starter for 10 :p

Chairman Mao used to do that.

His politicians came from nowehere and returned there after a year in office.

The pro's, very limited corruption. The con's, no experienced leadership.

I'm not into the idea of professional politicians myself. If you are seeking self advancement then you aren't putting the needs and the wishes of the country above your own.

I also like the Chinese method of making them apologise live in national TV at primetime, until they blub like little girls, and then taking them outside and shooting them.

The biggest problem with term limits as I see it that it encourages politicians to make short term solutions only.

That's democracy disease. Lets just borrow some more money, let the next government sort it out. The more we borrow the better we look, the worse the opposition look when they have to pay it back during their term.

Only they don't want to look bad either so they just borrow more. And so.

As long as they can borrow more for the next 4 year term, it pays them to just keep going.

Or refuse to build aircraft carriers or power stations or airports etc. Refuse to sack civil servants etc. Just put it off. We have to look good again in a couple of years time for the next election...

You can only go so long with the terms of office system, before you need a good oligarchy/monarchy/tyranny/despotism/dictatorship to fix all the deep seated problems that have, unaddressed, continually been left to fester by a culture of short term policy making.

I don't think there is a "perfect" or "Ideal" political system. You have to kind of play it by ear in my opinion. It's the system itself that is good or bad at managing countries, it is the individual people who operate the systems.

Keeping them accountable is the key to. Revolutions, executions, all of that stuff is very healthy for a country in my opinion. It would be healthy for mine anyway.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Baff1

[seba1976 98]

You're wrong.

Argentina has been traditionally center-right wing and commonly right wing since its foundation.

only takes to see how a regular argentine citizen lives like and you'll see it looks more like the life of a north american than the life of a chinese/russian etc. Especially in fashion, likes, dislikes, ideology, etc.

At the moment, we do have a center-left government. But their image is 90% negative. I doubt they'll stay in power after the 2011 elections.

Argentina has been a "center-right wing" country, yes, and it doesn't have any experience with socialism, but like Venezuela, the ever-growing masses of poor people are more keen now to consider socialist leaders and politics. Most people dislike the current administration, that's also right, but that's been always the case with Argentina.

And the middle and high classes have been traditionally described as southern european, which is far from latinamericans, but still far from US nationals. After all most of the population have Italian or Spanish grandparents, and hence their culture, which is why Argentina's been widely unpopular among their neighbors during the 20th century.

In the end, Argentina is moving fast to occupy it's place as a poorer and uncultured Latinamerican country, as the european traces are being lost in the mix.

[kavoven 4]

Iran defies world with plan for ten new nuclear sites

I don't know how long it will take to build the enrichment sites, but I'd either expect a military strike by Israel in the next months or never, since they won't be able to take so many sites out at once.

[seba1976 98]

Iran defies world with plan for ten new nuclear sites

I don't know how long it will take to build the enrichment sites, but I'd either expect a military strike by Israel in the next months or never, since they won't be able to take so many sites out at once.

The bold announcement appears to be largely bluster: Any new plants would take years to build and stock with centrifuges, if Iran can even afford it or obtain the materials while under U.N. sanctions.

In as much as I don't want to see innocent people suffering, there are some real clowns in the government there that should be bombed their s*** out of them.

[kavoven 4]

Good to know, I was thinking about how they could get the money for such a large project...

[NoRailgunner 0]

Big Brother is more and more -officially- accepted in EU.

EU approves data-sharing SWIFT with US authorities.

It allows American justice authorities to access data from SWIFT - the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, a cooperative of banks and other financial institutions that facilitates trillions of dollars in daily international transactions. Its members include almost 8,000 financial institutions in more than 200 countries.

EU ruled and govern by bureaucracy and US "stooges". EU and every country in it wont be strong and a serious global player making such agreements. Next time better take care for what are you voting for.

[Baff1 0]

Good to know, I was thinking about how they could get the money for such a large project...

It's the third largest oil producing nation in the world.

They have loads of money.

(It used to be our money).

Edited December 1, 2009 by Baff1

[kavoven 4]

You can say whatever you want about Greenpeace, but I absolutly love their ads in Denmark:

http://weblog.greenpeace.org/climate/2009/12/world_leaders_apologise_for_cl.html

[Iraqi Bob 10]

(It used to be our money).

Yes, funny story that..? :P

[kavoven 4]

Regarding the situation in Haiti:

I don't doubt the will to help in the US but I'd be interested, if they really used just their own military forces or also rely on "military services" like those Blackwater (today its called Xe!) provides.

Any information on that?

[Clavicula_nox4817 0]

Regarding the situation in Haiti:

I don't doubt the will to help in the US but I'd be interested, if they really used just their own military forces or also rely on "military services" like those Blackwater (today its called Xe!) provides.

Any information on that?

3,500 paratroopers from the 82nd, ~2,000 Marines, several Navy ships, USAF PJ and CCT. Xe would have to get a contract from Haiti, not just the US, to operate there.

[kavoven 4]

Thanks :)

[Islamic 10]

3,500 paratroopers from the 82nd, ~2,000 Marines, several Navy ships, USAF PJ and CCT. Xe would have to get a contract from Haiti, not just the US, to operate there.

i dont know if thats required if they work for the military directly as that would mean the other contractors who will invetibly work for the troops in haiti would need so too

actually never mind that country the government is pretty much non-existant so i doubt they care but do the contractors who work in military bases around the world like europe etc.. need permission of there host country since the host countries already allow them to occupy them it would be given for them to be allowed to hire contractors anyhow

in europe the military bases have families and contractors etc. within the the base are they realy accounted for, since they dont even realy have to use the airport to go home lol

Edited January 23, 2010 by Islamic

[vilas 474]

hehehe, i read some sites ago Sudayev - very "representative" to opinion in my country...

55% against , 30% for

very representative

of course Russian invasion on Georgia changed some percent to be pro, but it is half on half now

and those pro-republicans texts, i think US voted wise for Obama

if US voted republican candidate, i would say that US is war-crazy full of hate nation, but they voted to person that looks to the future and development and society reforms than "fight commies in closet in africa or fight commies in can left on trash"

if someone wants make wars and fight other "everywhere" - it is obsession, mania and need medical treatment

thanx to US-ass lickers politician Poland has bad opinion in EU, we lost some thing while we could participate in Eurofighter (we chosen F16 and "offset" is not giving any profits, we simply were cheated), we bought many things from US instead of producing and saving our home employment in military industry , as we are in Europe, we should cooperate for local market benefits, not outside oceanic)

Poland is almost at second place of statistics showing salary disproportions in all industries / economic branches

there is no "middle class" in Poland, 90% poor vs. few percent rich , middle class is few percent

voices like Sudayev remind me some politicians that have 5% of votes and say for all nation

regarding coruption and politicians issue, sadly Poland is one of leading in corruption level in Europe :/

and politicians ...

50% of population not votes , cause they feel "there is noone honest to be voted"

cause politicians say A before election, say B after

only very small percent say A before and A after

rest can completely turn upside down for 180 degrees

for example "left wing, socialistic" face politicians turn to "liberal pro-owners"

after election

people are not heard by any politicians - death penalty 80% for it, and we have very low penalties, for murder even 15 years and after half of period - free for "good behaviour"

someone steal from you thing cheaper than 50Euro , no law reaction because of "low society danger"

thief may steal on and on things lower than 199 PLN (ca. 50 Euro) and every case is dismissed "low cost" law

helpless owners of shops even try to put photos of thieves on their shop, but then they (shop keepers) are punished for "misuse of somebody personal data"

and ironically - shopkeeper pays twice, thief - nothing, just laugh

also level of corruption in courts is so high that punish some criminals for someone who has no big money is almost impossible, i know, cause since few years i try to punish one burglar myself , he has a lot of money - i can do him anything

"immunity" - judge, member of parliament and some other lawyers like prosecutor have "immunity", they can ride 200 km/h on red light - NOTHING

they are not to be caught by law, because they have "immunity"

better Sudayev care about our own internal Polish problems, than criticize Obama because he cares about his nation

we have a lot of shit to be cleaned inside Poland than care if one or other US politician will say word "Poland" and later by his decisions screw our economy

Bush mentioning Poland costs us very much money spent on Iraq war

for money we spent on this stupid war for oil for US, we could build and equip hospitals, people with cancer would not die because have no treatment

my mother, when she had almost stroke, would not wait for an hour for ambulance because only few ambulances are for one district of big city and medical personnel left abroad for better money

better those money would be spent for building flats

people earn 300, 400, 500 Euro, cost of 40 square metters flat in my city is 100 000 Euro, noone want gives bank credit

but there is low percent of Poles like Sudayev, who care about US missles, not about lack of medical equipment in hospitals (i know what i say, half of my family is medicians, second half police)

yea.... Police... and they have to buy PC themselves, cause Police had no money for paper, ink/toners, pc etc.

plaster broken on walls, limits on gasoline etc.

those are problems , that police have no money for PC in bureau , not US missiles

Sudayev - better fight for changes in our law system, which is totally corroded, and thieves, burglars, and other criminals walk streets laughing at honest people

my personal case - guy broken into my r.i.p. uncle house, neighbors were keeping ear, called police

patrol caught guy inside

he was there second day , first day he took many things, second day came for some other things he not took in first day

he started to shout at policeman that "he know important persons in court" and...

since 2005 all is "dismissed" "discontinued"

it is real Poland

second example, from TV :

debtor guy wanted to pay debt , creditor gave specially wrong bank account number (creditor was offering help to guy, to use it against debtor later to take his land and build there something)

guess what ?

debtor had problems cause "money were not on debtor account that day"

court piss on proof "he gave wrong bank account" - no matters

this is Poland

third example:

old man had stolen ID card, he told it to police

other guy used his personal data to take cellphone from mobile company, but of course not payed

he falsified signature of old man

old man has problems now, cause court say "we won't use graphologist cause case is civil , for paying debt, not criminal"

old man has problems, although he notified about lost of ID card

only when journalists took intervention, graphologist said "signature is falsified"

without journalists help - old man would have debt collector office on neck :(

fourth - Sudayev - ask people that get no money for work in Bialostockie, Rzeszowskie etc. poor regions :/

Edited January 23, 2010 by vilas

[Takko 10]

My god, in every post you make you mention

the US like kind of devil, can't you just argue once

without talking about this particular nation

or is it responsible for all the problems happening in the world?

[vilas 474]

if you would read careful, you would notice that i answer for Sudayev post, which wrote like "bad Obama, moved missles from Poland" few sites before

please check 3 sites ago and than you will notice what US has to Poland and to my post

cause this stupid war, means less money for hospitals, police etc.

belive me , we have a lot of problems, than your goddamn missles and people who say "missles , Obama" should care about "courts"

Edited February 6, 2010 by vilas

[vilas 474]

Takko:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCvq7J1N9bk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYsumHemsJk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LVFx7jFWp8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqjpEBPMJ4M&feature=related

watch yourself whole Sicko and you will understand why we see US as evil , because "money, money, money" cult

not human, but "profits", souless dollars , not human life and it is kind of greed devil to value money more than human life

Edited February 7, 2010 by vilas

[sparks50 0]

Vilas, make it a goal to travel the US one month, from the east to the west coast, I think you'll be surprised by the "cold and evil" people you meet :)

Anyway, I see your Michael Moore and raise with "avatar", further serious proof that US is evil.

b6J86uY7rz8

Oh the poor aliens, all they wanted was a bit of Smurf song :(

Incidentally, the movie 2012 just made me realize we are all screwed. Dang.

[vilas 474]

when i will be traveling US from east to west coast:

- won't i see homeless ?

- won't i see gang members with guns ?

- will i see medical FREE treatment if i broke arm in accident ?

- will i be free of any police control ? all i know about US is visa and strictly control of any possibility to travel to US

- than if people are different, why they won't do revolution and kill all those evil greed very very rich owners of companies to make equal status for all ?

- i watch from time to time discovery, MTV, those "west coast customs" "pimp my ride" "orange county chopers" and i see - boss shouting at personel and fraightening them to be fired , in those programs i see stress of people and boss who shout at personel

movie "Sicko" touches social-economic problem, problem is that america for republican gov. mostly focused on military activity on other continents instead of focusing on own social-economy-violence problems

if he asked who is devil - for me "devil" is "money lover" not "human lover"

money, profits, money, profits.... not "how to help person" :(

and looking at Sicko, looking at my own country history, looking at 90's i see you bring a lot of problems to other nations by your foreign politics , but you call those problems using word "freedom"

in my own country since few years and new economic reforms we also have problems and all what was "free" - now we must pay and cannot afford

things we had for free before 1989, we pay or cannot afford now

for me movie Sicko - which i have seen for the first time now, is showing that "all are rich and happy like in Dynasty serial movie from 80s" dream is false

Edited February 7, 2010 by vilas

[-Snafu- 77]

Please...stop...posting...nonsense...

[BronzeEagle 2]

i hate how everyone pictures america as criminals running the streets like everywhere you go is new york. oh my god..... Anyways theres lots of talk about iraq joining the nuclear club, im like wtf! hell no!

[Takko 10]

When I see posts like this, I see why poland is

Still a third world country.

[maturin 12]

When I see posts like this, I see why poland is

Still a third world country.

A third world country? What are you talking about? They have so much wealth compared to third world countries. They even have punctuation, capital letters and left-right aligned sentences. So Vilas, for the love of Pilsudski's mustache, use them.