[geeks] just to stir things up, a few predictions

[Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez]

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 22:10:51 -0500 (CDT)
  "Jonathan C. Patschke" <jp at celestrion.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Oct 2004, Michael Horton wrote:
> 
>> what i have said is considered "common knowledge" (by 
>>the academic
>> definition) and thus needs no referencing.
> 
> Ah!  With an attitude like that, I apologize for wasting 
>everybody's
> time by replying to you.
> 
> *plonk*
> 

... and thanks to you I must buy a new keyboard!

You guys crack me up sometimes!

As the resident liberal pinko commie, I must ask. What
would it take for the US to implement an actual
representative system. So that my hypothetical Green vote,
nor Mr. Patschke's Libertarian vote are not wasted? I
understand the two party beast would still be around, as
most people tend to be centrist. But having third parties
being actually part of the process and be able to be in a
position to give them hell would be an interesting
addition.

Although I may not agree with most of the Libertarian
platform, and I assume most of the members of this list
may not agree with my ideas. I tend to appreciate that
diversity in the political discurse is the only way to
maintain a free society, or a democracy for that matter.
Interestingly enough, the Federalist papers warn that if
the system ever develops into a bipartisan system that
means that the "experiment" has failed, but I do not
understand how they warned about it and at the same time
the "winner takes all" approach to representation sort of
leaves no choice but a bipartisan system. As far as the 
current situation, well I am not too fond of this 
administration, mainly for their sheer incompetence... but 
everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I am not really 
scared of the Bush presidency as I am of whatever it is 
that the GOP has mutated into and the radicalization of 
the political discourse.  Interestingly enough two of 
Eisenhower's warnings have  materialized: the military 
industrial complex influence in the policies of this 
country, and the radicalization of his
own party.

Since my hypotetical vote under the current system will
never count, I must ask... should we use the same cry of
"not taxation w/o representation" as some sort of unifying
mantra to change the system. Since I will never be
represented, why should I pay my taxes to maintain this
system that ignores my point of view? (I know, I know the
issue is far more complex than that. But hopefully some of
you catch my drift). It still boggles my mind that a
society  as diverse as this one has only two parties to
represent its political spectrum....

OK, not meant as some sort of flame fuel, just my 
opinion... even if it is a pinko commie liberal one at 
that... I think I am still entitled to it :) At least for 
the time being.