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| gromit |
 Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:04 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9008
Location: Shanghai
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Yes, there has been slippage in Turkey.
But the Muslim party in power has to go slow or the public will vote it out, or the military step in. Turkey is also aiming to be an economic powerhouse for the region, which is a moderating influence.
And maybe moving the military out of politics isn't that bad. But in an case, the Ataturk system has held for quite a long time. I was in Turkey 2 years ago, and Ataturk pictures and statues are everywhere. Though always better to revere a dead leader than the present one.
With the respect the military has in Egypt, it seemed to me that the Turkish system could be replicated.
I think the UN should pass resolutions that no leader should remain in power more than 2 terms or xxx years. I'd say 10, but I think a few countries have 6 and 7 years terms. So two terms would be 12 or maybe up to 14 years. But it should become part of international law and a norm that after 10 years (or two terms totaling no more than 12 years), a leader is illegitimate. May sound like so much blather, but it would be good to spread such a concept. Because it's axiomatic that anyone in power for decades is corrupt and siphoning wealth off to his family and cronies. And a lot of those dishonest gains go out of the country, so don't even spread through the economy. |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:07 pm |
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I don't agree. Some countries do very well with having no term limits. I am talking about countries with free and fair elections of course. In the parliamentary system you don't even vote for a leader unless you are in the constituency of one of the leaders of the parties who are in the race. Party leaders generally get placed in a constituency that he/she would have an easy time winning, but they do sometimes get defeated and then have no seat in parliament. I don't ever remember a leader of the winning party being defeated though.
So term limits aren't applicable in a parliamentary system. Though I may be biased, I think the parliamentary system is much better than a republican system. For one thing, it is much better at getting things done, though sometimes they are not such good things. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:13 pm |
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| Oh yeah, I don't think the UN should pass any resolutions for any country's election process. The General Assembly is full of despotic nations and it's a cruel joke. If it weren't for the Security Council the UN would have been thrown out long ago. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:38 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12902
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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| Term limits wouldn't work in a monarchy, either. |
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I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:51 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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| Interestingly enough, I have TCM on right now and they're showing "Ninochka." It struck me that she sounds a lot like a Tea Party type, with her stringent ethics and refusal to allow any extra spending. Which makes me think that extremists are a lot more alike than they think, while moderates can indulge in more individuality. |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:31 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
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| I wonder if Sarah Palin would disappear if we just gave her a pair of silk stockings. |
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You've got a great brain. You should keep it in your head.
-Topher |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 4:52 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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Joe Vitus wrote: I wonder if Sarah Palin would disappear if we just gave her a pair of silk stockings.
Maybe we should just try dousing her with water. The Wicked Witch of the Northwest? Sounds good to me.
Or has Christine O'Donnell patented the witch thing? |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:21 pm |
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| It may be hard to believe for some of you, but Michele Bachmann ( I hope she's German, not Jewish ), is dumber and more obnoxious than Palin. I can tolerate Palin for about 30 seconds but I can't listen to Bachmann for more than a sentence. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:34 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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marantzo wrote: It may be hard to believe for some of you, but Michele Bachmann ( I hope she's German, not Jewish ), is dumber and more obnoxious than Palin. I can tolerate Palin for about 30 seconds but I can't listen to Bachmann for more than a sentence.
Here's my deal Bachmann-Palin-wise. Yes, Bachmann is if possible even stupider than Palin. But I find her physically about ten times as attractive and her voice doesn't sound like chalk on a blackboard like Palin's does. So overall I'll take Michelle over Sarah.
Of course, I would rather both of them just disappeared completely from public view.
I'm sure Bachmann is not Jewish. She just can't be. |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:37 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: Houston
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billyweeds wrote: Joe Vitus wrote: I wonder if Sarah Palin would disappear if we just gave her a pair of silk stockings.
Maybe we should just try dousing her with water. The Wicked Witch of the Northwest? Sounds good to me.
Or has Christine O'Donnell patented the witch thing?
Like Oz, there's room for two. Someone get a farmhouse. |
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You've got a great brain. You should keep it in your head.
-Topher |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 6:00 pm |
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| Billy, Bachmann is definitely better looking than Palin and has a less grating voice. Maybe that's why she disturbs me more. Palin has the aura of just a far north hillbilly. She'd fit in nicely with the trailer park boys. |
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| McBain |
| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:25 pm |
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Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 1987
Location: Boston
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| Isabella Hana born Feb 10, 2011 |
Last edited by McBain on Sun Feb 13, 2011 2:22 pm; edited 2 times in total
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A life, Jimmy. You know what that is? It's the shit that happens while you're waiting for moments that never come. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:28 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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| So cute! Congratulations! |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:34 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:35 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| R.I.P. Betty Garrett, at 91. |
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