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The whole idea is fairly sound, but I just can't get over the penalization of people who don't live green. It seems a very controlling, and unacceptable, practice for government to undertake. Just my opinion of course.
Yeah, I'm not advocating the government should do it, but it would certainly get people to seriously think about their habits and how they affect the environment, especially in our disposable consumerist society. Personally, I'd be fine with it. However much people despise them, I'm perfectly okay with paying taxes. The government needs to be supported somehow, and everyone chipping in makes the most sense if they all live there. How the fed goes about using the money, though, is definitely something that needs closer scrutiny.
That's definitely true. So did you hear about the Democrat Senators(?) that went and hid in the woods to avoid that vote about Unions in Wisconsin?
I thought they hid in Chicago?
I'm really not entirelt sure.
Yeah. I'm having elections in my nation. Anyone wanna say who they endorse?
http://
forum.nationstates.net
viewtopic.php?f
=5&t=96927
Sorry for putting up the url so oddly, but it was the only way to get it to link properly to the topic and show the entire url. It should work if you copy the entire url and paste it into the address bar on your computer.
Gas prices are going up... Seems like freedom is once again proving it isn't free.
Around here over the weekend, every gas station that I passed had the exact same price, $3.49. At least six or seven different places, all different companies. Seems like price fixing to me.
They've gone up about 30 cents around here... Still not terrible prices but if they continue going up like they've been projected to then it'll hit five dollars around summer. D:
I don't drive, but I remember watching a vlog yesterday, which, as we know, was a couple days after the start of the protests in Libya. Apparently gas prices rose,as FFF said, about 30 cents within the hour or so.
Hm.. Suppression. Useful game mechanic or unnecessary evil directed at limiting discussion?
It sounds like a helpful tool, especially in the larger regions where spamming occurs on a regular basis.
Anyone think more Arab governments will fall after Libya does? I think Bahrain or Yemen will be next, but I think if they keep succeeding like they have been, several more could follow after them.
I thought that by suppression, he meant just minimizing (best word for it I could think of) so that it doesn't take up as much space.
Also, it looks like you can also delete your regional message board posts too, no matter where they are. At this rate, it'll only be a matter of time before you can edit or quote them too. The RMB will be just like the forums. :)
@Laak I heard that the king of Saudi Arabia agreed to reforms, including becoming a constitutional monarchy, so, I wouldn't call that a fall since he agreed to do start the reforms over time.
Bahrain can't stay out of the television news forever (I've yet to see anything of it on t.v.). Pretty soon, everyone will know about how they gunned down protesters. Anyone else see that video?
I wonder what the US will do about Saudi Arabia becoming constitutional. Do we applaud the move towards democracy and accountability, even if it reduces our power in getting their oil?
And I've heard of the shootings in Bahrain on the news last week or so, but haven't seen the video. Do you know where to find it, Alevuss?
The video should be at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7OmTWkfqjo
I don't believe it actually shows the protesters being shot, but you can here the gun shots and see the protesters lieing in the street.
My fear is that they'll replace it with something worse. And yes Obama will applaud them but keep as neutral as possible.
Worse how? Saudi Arabia is already somewhat infamous for having pretty low standards of equality for women and civil rights in general. So far, most of the hard-core Sharia supporters haven't really been too significant in these movements towards democracy, have they? They seem mutually exclusive. Do you think the Saudi Arabian people would create a bad government, or just be hostile to the US?
The idea of this being a pre-cursor to a Caliphate may be so remote as to be laughable, but one or more of these nations descending into chaos with no government at all, like Somalia, seems to me to be a very real possiblity.
Maineiacs, it is only remote because it would never be allowed to happen by the West.
"In the heart of every cynic lies a disappointed idealist."
Ideally, I'd love for all of these peoples of all of these nations to gain access to democratic governments and modern liberties. As an American, however, I'm looking out for what is best for our interests. In most instances, these uprisings are not good for the United States.
I'd argue the tough love situation. These countries moving to democracy may not be good because it throws us off our norm getting what we want, where we want. But I think that it's time for the US to start learning that whether or not we're a superpower now doesn't mean we always will be. The only way we're ever going to be seen in a good light once we fall out of power is if we have actually earned the respect of other nations by acting like the respectable, democratic and civil nation we're supposed to be.
Of course, this will probably never happen while there are still so many Americans in the US.
Yes well we dont know what's completely going on. And political turmoil of this nature can lead to a Hitler as easily as it could a Lincoln or FDR.
Hiya! New nation, not new player. As for the topic at hand, the US will always be at the very least a great power. Unless a sinkhole eats North America or a 10 mile wide meteor impacts in Kansas we will always have the developmental head start, population and resources to be a pre-eminent power, regardless of how much further India, China and Russia will advance.
Welcome, SNE!
What if the Yellowstone caldera explodes? Similar to a meteor...
And you don't think anything could happen to throw the US off it's high horse? Not that I want something to, but I really think that, historically, no power in the world could/will last as long as its leaders ever hope. Rome collapsed eventually, the Mongols petered out, the British Empire fell apart. Compared to how long these powers lasted, we're still the new kid on the block, so I don't think we have to worry soon. But, I do think we're going to lose our preeminence at some point. And rather than just ignore that fact and pretend that we'll always be the best, I don't see a reason why the US shouldn't start being a responsible, truthful global power. If anything, I think that would help us last longer than continually throwing our weight around to make sure we get what we need.
Of course, I'm also very into science fiction and political/social/economic books, so maybe I'm just projecting some of the "fiction" ideas I've read.
I see a one world government coming into being very soon. The EU and UN are setting the foundation... Crazy as it sounds it's what I see happening.
I think that would be awesome. It seems strange that it's taken us so long to do it already. We're all the same species, we live on a tiny mote of dust in the middle of the universe, and yet we are still pretty intent on separating ourselves from the people we have to share this planet with.
I don't think the current political and social atmosphere in the US would support this, though. People (mostly conservatives, I feel, but this may not be the case) have been complaining that even government-run health insurance (which isn't at all what the health bill was, but it's how the Republicans spun it) was too "socialist" for America. They seem to believe that anything that they feel limits their individual rights, or anything that gives the government more power over how they conduct their personal lives, is terrible and invasive. A global government, which would potentially reign in our personal and political freedoms further than our current constitution, seems like the antithesis of the conservative mindset, mainly that the US should be able to do everything and anything it wants.
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