Political stability

[Parallo]

Hey you guys!

So loads of shit is going down over the world. What is happening in your country? We've been relatively calm in Ireland, given the economic situation, that Omagh bomber chap aside.

I'm sure whereever you are is more interesting. Tell us about it!

[Knightspark9]

The economy here in the U.S is terrible.

[davante]

The Netherlands is still fine, but we are trying to get ourself down their by voting for a party of absolute morrons. (I would never regard someone a morron because of their oppinion, but they really say things just about anyone would find strange). So we're good but intend to join the depression soon!

[Koios]

Here in Norway, the Data Retention Directive just got passed. People didn't want it, the opposers called it a violation to the European Human Rights Convention, and the hackers of Anonymous are daily bringing down the official sites of the government parties that voted for it.

[davante]

The Western world is finished. I intend to leave Europe and move either to India or China, in order that I can still dream of the future.

Well... Don't you think that's kind of early? Sure, Europe and the US are loosing ground, but done for? I think the East will gain some ground on the Western world and the Western world will wake up and strenghen their position. The only question is if their reaction will come in time. If it does (which is not unlikely), this situation will probably, for a while, bring the people of Europe and the US together. The only thing I regret is that we always fail to stay together in times of (more absolute) peace. But it isn't like people to learn from their mistakes (at least not as a society).

[Elkarway]

The government might shut down here (USA) because republicans are making a stand on planned parenthood (read: abortion).  This is why I lose respect for anybody who votes republican...

The Metafilter article

[Caraick]

Erm, Elkarway, I do hope you know that there's much more causing the potential shutdown over here than just that issue...

And also keep in mind that a shutdown requires a disagreement on both sides of the aisle

[bilbous]

Canada is having a boring election, our 8th since '93 which is pretty sad considering a term is supposed to last 4+ years. The last few elections resulted in minority governments where the various opposition parties outnumber the governing party. These tend to be shorter because the governing party can be kicked out of power anytime enough of the other parties members vote an non-confidence measure to make it pass. Previous to this period of minority governments there was this useless Prime Minister that decided to take advantage of a split in the conservative parties to get into the record books as having the most consecutive majority governments, despite being able to stay in power for up to five years with no chance of losing power he chose to have elections every three years.

The end result of this election will likely be another minority government immediately shot down by the three loser parties in order to form a coalition government where members of all three parties can expect to be in Cabinet. We may yet have another election this year right after if the Governor General accepts the (likely Conservative) Prime Minister's advice to dissolve parliament instead of handing power to the coalition.

A big part of the problem is the presence of a party of petulant Quebecers who only run in Quebec and commonly win a considerable number of seats. This party, the Parti Quebecois was formed at the beginning of the Conservative Party split, included many Conservative MPs from Quebec and was dedicated to taking Quebec out of Canada. At the time their platform included the idea that if they did not succeed within 10-20 years they would pack it in but of course now it is just a cash cow for the members of the party. They no longer really stand for the breakup of the country but rather they claim they are just in it for the benefit of Quebecers ignoring completely that political stability in Canada is far more benefit to all Canadians than anything else they could hope to accomplish.

Oh well, I am sure not every Canadian would agree with my analysis and they are free to express their opinion. Aren't you glad you asked?

[Elkarway]

Canada is having a boring election, our 8th since '93 which is pretty sad considering a term is supposed to last 4+ years. The last few elections resulted in minority governments where the various opposition parties outnumber the governing party. These tend to be shorter because the governing party can be kicked out of power anytime enough of the other parties members vote an non-confidence measure to make it pass. Previous to this period of minority governments there was this useless Prime Minister that decided to take advantage of a split in the conservative parties to get into the record books as having the most consecutive majority governments, despite being able to stay in power for up to five years with no chance of losing power he chose to have elections every three years.

The end result of this election will likely be another minority government immediately shot down by the three loser parties in order to form a coalition government where members of all three parties can expect to be in Cabinet. We may yet have another election this year right after if the Governor General accepts the (likely Conservative) Prime Minister's advice to dissolve parliament instead of handing power to the coalition.

A big part of the problem is the presence of a party of petulant Quebecers who only run in Quebec and commonly win a considerable number of seats. This party, the Parti Quebecois was formed at the beginning of the Conservative Party split, included many Conservative MPs from Quebec and was dedicated to taking Quebec out of Canada. At the time their platform included the idea that if they did not succeed within 10-20 years they would pack it in but of course now it is just a cash cow for the members of the party. They no longer really stand for the breakup of the country but rather they claim they are just in it for the benefit of Quebecers ignoring completely that political stability in Canada is far more benefit to all Canadians than anything else they could hope to accomplish.

Oh well, I am sure not every Canadian would agree with my analysis and they are free to express their opinion. Aren't you glad you asked?

Great analysis.  The parti Quebecois really is annoying.  Imagine if the other provinces followed suit

Erm, Elkarway, I do hope you know that there's much more causing the potential shutdown over here than just that issue...

And also keep in mind that a shutdown requires a disagreement on both sides of the aisle

If republicans drop the abortion topic, the budget would be passed in a second.  What else is there?  Some environmental stuff they're squabbling over.  And sure both sides disagree, that doesn't mean one isn't right.  Risking hundreds of thousands of jobs and reducing funding to clinics that provide abortion services over some idiotic "pro-life" ideal makes you wrong in my book.  Not to mention a group of republicans tried to change the meaning of rape so that it required physical force.  Why?  So that women who were drugged and got pregnant wouldn't be eligible to get abortions.

Don't get me wrong, I think the democratic party is horrible as well.  They're just quite obviously the lesser of two evils.

[davante]

In The Netherlands we are allready solving our differences by cutting in our militairy budget. Now that might seem a bit silly but we might as well. This way we will be easilly taken over by an evil dictator. This will give us stability (since there is nog discussion anymore) and a big advantage on the rest of the world. Seriously though: I think the Western governments are all spending to much time on details. Wouldn't it be nice if a negotiating party would just say: "We will try to get this through someday, but for now it will just slow down the process way to much to discuss it." Not that I say parties should just drop every statement they made during their campaign. (Our party of idiots did that and I find it immorale).

(Bit of topic:) If all of the governments are this way at the moment I'll just vote for one world leader. If everyone who plays Planeshift votes for me we'll probably win because the rest is to divided anyway. Vote for me and I will make a law that makes every developer help with planeshift.

[jenideandre]

love the thread, Elkarway could not agree more with you...here in California the budget is perhaps the worst in the states, and I'm at a university of california school where we are feeling it heavily, state taxes are extremely high, salaries for grad students are low (but our union just fought for and won a cost of living increase of 2% per years, we used to have this then it was cut, now it is reinstalled at least on the books)....

I love the poem too, really a lot, and saying that you'll move to India or China is the perfect example of "the best have lost all conviction" ....but you guys, Fox news just kicked Beck to the curb (I found this out from the Daily Show, my news source, sadly I'm not kidding!!)....anyway, my point is the west coast of the states is hurting economically, but at least we haven't been taken over by madmen as other states have been (yes I realize our governor was the terminator, but you have to think relatively here)....

Love to hear what's happening elsewhere, very surprised about Norway passing the data law....strange days indeed....

[bilbous]

I should point out that the reason that the Parti Quebecois is so influential is a legacy of how Canada came into being, they (Quebec) are guaranteed something like 25% of the seats in the house of commons  as a sop to them for joining with Upper Canada (Ontario) and the Maritime provinces when the British consolidated their dominions in North America (British North America Act.) Their share of the population has been dwindling ever since compounded by the addition of new territories west of Ontario and Newfoundland and (maybe) Prince Edward Island. They got a pretty raw deal historically but that was between France and England. Still the natives got treated far worse.

If Ontario took the same tack the national parties could be devastated as Ontario has about 1/3 of the seats. It hasn't happened because there is no real appetite for it.

[Sangwa]

Portugal is well as far as Political Stability is concerned. We've consistently kept the same people in charge from 3 decades back. The general plan has been the slow but sure descent into debt.
This strategy has been competently carried out, since public debt has been coherently enhanced throughout the decades. The lack of focus on transactional goods and Research & Development added to the participation in the "Euro" currency have been factors that we've brought upon to ensure this. And we're in the brink of attaining our objective: some good pity sex from the European Union.

We can't fail. We make sure our productivity keeps low and uninteresting. The current Government decided to have some new elections too, to send out a clear signal that we're hopeless, rather than conscious of our situation. I can smell the European Union's bosoms already.

[Knightspark9]

Our taxes are to be raised in a few years here in the U.S.

[MishkaL1138]

Our president is an idiot that is already resigning from his job. Out third vice-president is corrupt, giving information to terrorists. A lot of politicians, including the president of our Congress, have lands all over Spain. Spain is a country ruled by liars, thieves, b**ches, queers (the bad kind of them, not that I have anything against homosexuals) and a lovely bunch of coconuts d***heads and a**holes. All combined with 5 millions of people without job, illegal inmigrants, street crime, mafia and more, and more, and more…

Yea, Spain is a good place to live